Sydney's paneer tikka, smoked over real fire.
Fresh paneer cubed daily. Hung yoghurt and dried pomegranate marinade. Fired in a clay tandoor at 400°C until the corners blacken and the centre stays soft. Paneer the way north India does it — not the soft block the supermarket sells.
Paneer Anardana Kebab
Punjab, IndiaPaneer cubes and bell peppers marinated in hung yoghurt and dried pomegranate powder (anardana). Sweet-tart, lightly smoked, the paneer that converts the sceptics.
Tandoori Phool
North IndiaBroccoli, cauliflower and pineapple in spiced yoghurt marinade, slow-roasted in the tandoor. Not paneer — but the vegetable kebab you order beside it.
Bharwan Sabz Tandoori
Mughal kitchensEggplant, mushroom and banana chilli stuffed with spiced paneer and herbs. Bigger, heartier — vegetables built like meat kebabs.
Malai Chap
HouseSoy chunks marinated in cheese, cream, lemon and spice. The tandoor's softer side.
Paneer Tikka Masala
Curry sectionAfter the tandoor: grilled paneer simmered in our spicy onion-tomato gravy with capsicum. The full paneer tikka experience, sauced.
Fresh cheese, real fire.
Most paneer tikka in Sydney is the same dish: cubed supermarket paneer, fluorescent orange marinade, finished on a flat-top grill. Ours is built differently. Paneer is broken down and hand-cubed the morning of service — bigger pieces that hold their shape on the skewer. The marinade is hung yoghurt (yoghurt drained overnight until it's almost cheese), Kashmiri chilli for colour, and anardana — dried pomegranate seed pounded fresh — for the tart edge that cuts through dairy.
Then the tandoor. Real clay, real fire, 400°C. The corners blacken. The yoghurt sets into a crust. The centre stays soft. You eat it off the skewer with mint chutney and rumali roti.
That's why the Hills' vegetarians drive out for it.
"Order the paneer anardana first, then the tandoori broccoli. The pomegranate lifts the palate; the char resets it. That's the two-skewer opener the vegetarians at your table will remember."
— Head Chef · Kebabiya Bella Vista
Build the vegetarian plate.
Dal makhani or paneer butter masala
View →A slow-cooked gravy to follow the tandoor. Dal for the depth, paneer butter masala for the second dose of house paneer.
Garlic naan or Kashmiri naan
View →Two per person. Garlic to swipe the marinade off the plate, Kashmiri to sweeten the finish.
Nawabi tarkari biryani
View →The sealed-pot vegetarian biryani. Order it if the table is fully vegetarian — no compromise, no afterthought.
The full vegetarian menu
View →Twenty vegetarian dishes, most vegan and Jain-friendly on request.
When to order it.
- ·Vegetarian diners who've been let down by rubbery paneer elsewhere
- ·Mixed tables — meat-eaters happily order paneer anardana too
- ·Diwali dinners, temple functions and Jain-friendly events
- ·Delivery to Castle Hill, Kellyville and Norwest — reheats cleanly in a 200°C oven for 4 minutes
- ·Corporate vegetarian catering across the Hills District
What our regulars build the table with.
Paneer anardana + tandoori broccoli + garlic naan + mint chutney
The vegetarian starter round the whole table steals from. Two skewers, one bread, one chutney.
Paneer tikka + dal makhani + Nawabi tarkari biryani + Kashmiri naan
The all-vegetarian dinner for four. Tandoor, slow-cook, biryani, sweet bread.
Paneer tikka + paneer butter masala + laccha paratha + kheer
The paneer-lover's Friday. Same protein, two techniques, layered bread, dessert.
Ready to eat? Choose your channel.
Direct orders are cheapest — no platform fees. Call (02) 8824 7944 for large groups or catering.
Paneer tikka questions.
- What is paneer tikka?
- Paneer tikka is cubes of Indian fresh cheese (paneer) marinated in spiced yoghurt and grilled — traditionally in a clay tandoor. Vegetarian, smoky, and a north Indian classic.
- Where can I find the best paneer tikka in Sydney?
- Kebabiya in Bella Vista has been firing paneer tikka in a real clay tandoor since 2014. Our signature Paneer Anardana uses hung yoghurt and dried pomegranate (anardana) for a sweet-tart edge that sets it apart in Sydney's Hills District.
- Is your paneer fresh?
- Yes. Paneer is broken down and cubed daily, marinated for several hours, then skewered before service. No frozen blocks.
- Is paneer tikka vegetarian and Jain-friendly?
- Vegetarian by default. Jain-friendly on request — flag it at booking and the kitchen prepares it without onion or garlic.
- Can I order paneer tikka for catering?
- Yes. Paneer tikka is one of our most-ordered vegetarian catering items for Diwali dinners, temple functions and corporate lunches across the Hills. See the catering page or call the restaurant.
Book a table or order in.
Dine in at Sky City Bella Vista, or order paneer tikka for delivery across Sydney's Hills District.