FAQ

Darbaar is at Kruisweg 969A, 2132 CE Hoofddorp — a few minutes from Hoofddorp's shopping centre and a short drive from Schiphol Airport.

The restaurant is open every day of the week from 15:00 to 22:00, for dining in, takeaway and delivery.

Darbaar is an Indian restaurant specialising in Mughalai cuisine — the royal-court cooking of the Mughal emperors — alongside tandoori specialities and regional dishes from across India. The dining room is styled after an Indian royal court, which is where the name Darbaar comes from.

Darbaar has been serving guests in Hoofddorp for more than 15 years, with a mix of regular local guests and visitors staying near Schiphol.

Call +31 6 53711530 or +31 6 43 69 75 10, or email info@darbaar.nl. You can also send a message through the contact page.

Yes. The menu runs from mild and creamy to properly spicy, so guests who are new to Indian cooking can start with gentler dishes such as butter chicken or a korma, while regulars can go straight to the chettinad and vindaloo end of the card.

There are more than 150 dishes on the Darbaar menu, covering starters, tandoori, chicken, lamb, fish, prawn, vegetarian, biryani, breads, side dishes, desserts and drinks. You can browse the full card on the menu page.

Mughalai cuisine developed in the imperial kitchens of the Mughal court in northern India. It is known for slow-cooked, aromatic gravies built on yoghurt, cream, ground nuts and warm spices such as cardamom, mace and saffron — richer and more fragrant than it is fiery. Dishes like korma, rogan josh and biryani all come from this tradition.

The menu is organised into:

• Starters and snacks
• Tandoori dishes and mixed grill
• Chicken dishes
• Lamb dishes
• Fish and prawn dishes
• Vegetarian dishes
• Biryani
• Tandoori breads and side dishes
• Desserts and drinks

A tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven that reaches very high temperatures. Marinated meat, fish, paneer and vegetables are cooked on skewers directly in the heat, which seals in the juices and gives the smoky, slightly charred edge that tandoori dishes are known for. The same oven bakes our naan and other Indian breads.

Biryani is a layered rice dish, cooked with basmati rice, saffron, whole spices and either meat, fish or vegetables, so the rice takes on the flavour of everything cooked with it. Darbaar serves chicken, fish, prawn and vegetable biryani.

Our tandoori bread selection is baked fresh to order in the clay oven, including plain and butter naan, garlic naan, and other Indian breads that pair well with curries and gravies.

Yes. Every dish is prepared fresh to order using regional ingredients and spices ground for our own kitchen, rather than pre-made sauces.

The kitchen opens at 15:00 every day, so Darbaar serves late afternoon and evening rather than a traditional lunch service. For daytime group catering or a business lunch at your own location, see our catering page.

Yes, there is a dessert section on the menu with classic Indian sweets to finish the meal.

Yes, Darbaar serves halal food. If you would like to confirm how a specific dish is prepared, our staff are happy to talk you through it.

Yes, and a large number of them. The vegetarian section runs from paneer and mushroom tandoori starters through to dal, spinach and chickpea curries, vegetable biryani and a mixed vegetarian platter — enough for a full vegetarian table, not just one or two options.

Several vegetable and lentil dishes are naturally free of dairy, and others can be adjusted on request. Because many Indian gravies are built on yoghurt, cream or ghee, please tell us when you order so the kitchen can prepare your dish without them.

Most of our curries and rice dishes contain no wheat, while naan and other tandoori breads do. Let us know when ordering and we will point you to the dishes that suit you.

Yes. Korma-style dishes and several Mughalai gravies are thickened with cashew nuts or almonds, and some tandoori marinades use a cashew paste. Always tell us about a nut allergy before ordering.

We take allergies and intolerances seriously and adjust dishes where we can. Please state your allergy or intolerance clearly when you place your order, whether online, by phone or at the table. Do note that in a working Indian kitchen, cross-contamination between allergens can never be fully ruled out.

Yes. The menu already spans mild to hot, and the kitchen can adjust the heat of most dishes to suit you — just say so when ordering.

No. Our menu is built around chicken, lamb, fish, prawn and vegetarian dishes.

Guest favourites include butter chicken with garlic naan, Gosht Rogan Josh, Chicken Tikka from the tandoor, Punjabi Saag Murgh, Bombay Murgh Biryani and Salmon Tikka Masala.

A good first table is a tandoori starter to share, butter chicken or Murgh Korma as a mild main, one drier lamb or vegetable dish for contrast, and garlic naan with rice. It gives you the range of the kitchen without committing to the hottest end of the menu.

The Chef Special Chicken Dhaba Curry, the Darbaar vegetarian platter and the whole grilled fish masala from the tandoor are the dishes our kitchen is best known for.

Paneer Tikka and Khumb Tikka from the tandoor, dal, saag paneer and chana masala from the curry section, and the Special Vegetable Biryani are the vegetarian dishes guests order most.

Chicken Chettinadu and the vindaloo-style dishes are the hottest on the card, built on South Indian and Goan spice blends. If you want the heat dialled down, ask when ordering.

Yes. We keep a range of beers and a broad wine list chosen to work with Indian spicing — ask our staff which wine suits the dishes you have ordered.

The drinks menu includes soft drinks, juices and hot drinks alongside traditional Indian accompaniments that pair well with spicier dishes.

A reservation is recommended, particularly at the weekend and for larger tables. Walk-in guests are welcome whenever seats are available.

Book through the online reservation form or call +31 6 53711530. We confirm your booking as soon as we can.

A day or two ahead is usually enough for a small table. For weekend evenings, larger groups or celebrations, book earlier so we can set the room up properly.

Early evening onwards is the busiest part of our service, especially Friday and Saturday. If you would like a quieter table, the first hour after we open at 15:00 is the calmest part of the day.

Yes. Tell us the occasion when you book and we will arrange the table accordingly. For bigger celebrations, get in touch directly so we can talk through numbers and menu.

Yes, we hold special evenings at the restaurant through the year, including live Bollywood music nights. Seats for these are limited and go quickly, so book ahead when an evening is announced.

Yes, you can collect your order from the restaurant during opening hours, and we currently offer 15% off on pickup orders.

Yes. We deliver across Hoofddorp and the surrounding villages, including Nieuw-Vennep, Vijfhuizen, Cruquius, Rijsenhout, Zwaanshoek, Bennebroek and Leimuiden.

Our full delivery area is listed by postcode on the delivery information page, along with the minimum order and delivery cost for each area. Minimums and delivery fees vary by distance, and orders above a certain amount are delivered free.

Online orders are usually ready in around 30 minutes. Delivery takes a little longer depending on your postcode, and orders can take more time on Sundays and public holidays.

Place your order through the online ordering page, choose collection or delivery, and pay online or on arrival.

You can pay online with iDEAL, supported by all major Dutch banks. If you are collecting your order, you can also pay by card or in cash at the restaurant.

Yes. For a large family order or a group collection, call us ahead of time so the kitchen can plan the timing — see the catering page if you are ordering for an event.

Yes, please. Add your allergy or intolerance clearly to the order notes so the kitchen sees it before your food is prepared.

At the restaurant we accept debit and credit cards as well as cash. Online orders can be paid with iDEAL.

Yes. Families are a large part of who we cook for, the dining room is spacious, and the milder end of the menu works well for younger guests.

Please contact us before your visit and we will tell you exactly what to expect and make sure a suitable table is set aside for you.

Darbaar sits on Kruisweg with parking available in the immediate area. If you are driving, allow a few extra minutes at busy evening times.

We would rather you called first. Walk-ins are welcome for smaller tables, but for a group we need notice to seat you together.

We read every review. You can leave feedback through our review page, on Google, or on TripAdvisor.

Yes. We cater birthday parties, business lunches, meetings, weddings and other occasions, at your venue or ours. Full details are on the catering page.

Fill in the form on the catering page with your date, guest numbers and location, email info@darbaar.nl, or call 06-537 115 30 or 06 300 65 160. We come back to you with a proposal as quickly as we can.

Birthdays and family celebrations, business lunches and corporate meetings, weddings and engagement parties, and private gatherings of most kinds. If your occasion is not on that list, ask us anyway.

The earlier the better, especially for weddings and weekend events. Get in touch as soon as you have a date and we will tell you what is possible.

Yes. We can build a menu that is entirely vegetarian, entirely non-vegetarian, or a mix, and adjust the spice level to suit your guests.

Private bookings can be arranged subject to availability. Call us with your date and guest numbers and we will let you know what we can do.

Darbaar is a short drive from Schiphol, which makes it a practical option for travellers with a long layover, crew staying locally, or anyone meeting guests near the airport.

Darbaar is one of the closest full-service Indian restaurants to the airport, serving Mughalai and regional Indian dishes at Kruisweg 969A in Hoofddorp, with dine-in, collection and delivery.

Yes, we are only a few minutes from the town centre, which makes us an easy stop after an afternoon of shopping.

We do — our guests come from Hoofddorp, Amsterdam and all over the world, and our staff speak both Dutch and English.

Kruisweg 969A, 2132 CE Hoofddorp. You can open our location directly in Google Maps for directions.