What to order if you have never had Indian food before
New to Indian food? Start with papads or Bhel Puri, add a tandoor dish like Malai Paneer or Afghani Chicken Tikka, choose a centrepiece such as Old Delhi Chicken or Prawn Thenga Meen, and bring it together with kulchas, rice and dal. Tanvi is a modern Indian restaurant in St George’s Bay, St Julian’s, Malta, opened in July 2026, serving regional Indian food and spice-led cocktails.
Tanvi at a glance
- Modern Indian food shaped by regional flavours and techniques
- Chaat, snacks and sharing plates to start the table properly
- Tandoor cooking, curries, seafood and vegetarian dishes
- Cocktails made with cardamom, mango, saffron, kahwa tea and curry leaf
- Located in St George’s Bay, St Julian’s, Malta
If you’ve never had Indian food before, the menu can feel like a different language. Tandoor, chaat, biryani, masala. It’s a lot to take in.
But here’s the thing: if you like bread, sharing plates, a good sauce and a table that keeps going, you already like more of it than you realise.
You already like Indian food more than you think
Both Malta and India know how to build a meal around a table. Both treat Sunday lunch as something that should take its time. Both use garlic, chilli and citrus generously, and both understand that the best meals are the ones where everyone reaches across the table for one more bite.
Indian food is not a leap into the unknown. It’s closer to home than it first appears.
If you’ve grown up on slow Sunday lunches, shared plates and food that’s meant to be passed around, you’ll find the same instinct at Tanvi. The ingredients are surprisingly similar, the spices are different, but the way of eating will definitely feel very familiar: generous, sociable and built for the middle of the table.
Regional variety
Our menu moves across different regions of India, from smoky tandoor dishes to coconut-led curries and bright street snacks. Not one fixed style, but many different ways of cooking.
The tandoor
A clay oven that cooks at very high heat. Paneer, chicken, prawns, fish and lamb all come out with smoke and char on the outside, tender inside.
Made for sharing
Snacks, breads, curries and sides are designed to be passed around, so the table can try a little of everything without anyone ordering the same thing twice.
Drinks that belong
Cocktails made with Indian ingredients like cardamom, mango, saffron and kahwa tea, built to sit beside the food rather than compete with it.
What the words on the menu actually mean
Curry
Curry is not one thing. It’s a dish with a sauce built from spices, sometimes creamy, sometimes with coconut, sometimes bright and sharp. The word covers a huge range, and at Tanvi the curry section is deliberately varied so you can find something that suits you.
Tandoor
The tandoor is a clay oven that cooks at very high heat. Food goes in raw and comes out with smoke and char on the outside, tender inside. Think of it as a grill that works harder, and gives everything it touches a flavour you can’t quite get anywhere else.
Chaat
Chaat is India’s street food. Crisp, tangy, sweet and spiced, the kind of thing you’d eat standing up at a market stall or share at the start of a meal. At Tanvi, chaat is where the evening starts moving.
Masala
Masala is a blend of spices. Every kitchen has its own version, and it’s different every time. It’s not a single spice, it’s a combination, and it’s what gives each dish its particular warmth and depth.
Biryani
Biryani is fragrant rice cooked with meat, vegetables or seafood, layered with spices and sealed to let everything steam together. It’s a complete dish in itself, not a side, and the soft rice, tender meat and deep spice will impress and surprise from the very first bite.
A simple first order at Tanvi
Our suggestions for first diners at Tanvi
A gentle word about spice
Heat and flavour aren’t the same thing here. Some curries build slowly, some are gentle from the first bite. If you are concerned about the heat, speak to the team and they can always point you toward what suits you tonight.
Come hungry. Stay curious.
From chaat and tandoor dishes to regional curries, desserts and cocktails, there is plenty waiting at the table.
Frequently asked questions
Is Indian food spicy?
Heat and flavour aren’t the same thing. Some dishes are gentle and creamy, others build slowly. The team can always guide you toward what suits your taste.
Can I order without knowing the menu?
Absolutely. Start with papads or Bhel Puri, add a tandoor dish, choose a curry, and bring it together with bread and rice. The team will help you build the order.
Where is Tanvi?
Tanvi is located in St George’s Bay, St Julian’s, Malta. You can view the menu or reserve a table online.
Can I bring a group?
Yes. Group dining is available from eight guests, with larger events and full venue hire available by enquiry. Email info@tanvimalta.com or use the contact page to begin planning.