Diwali is on Sunday, 8 November 2026, and it lands at the end of a weekend, which means the evening meal is the centre of the day for most families. If the plan is to light the diyas, see relatives and not spend the afternoon over a stove, this is the guide: a Diwali dinner for six to twelve people built entirely from the Royal Kitchen menu, ordered for pickup or delivery, with the dishes chosen so that everything arrives hot and holds while the family sits down.
Diwali 2026: the date and the timing
Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) is Sunday, 8 November 2026. Most families eat after the evening puja, so plan the order for a 6 to 8 pm arrival. Order online a day or two ahead; a Sunday-evening order on Diwali itself is the one you do not want to place at the last minute.
The quick version: the To Go Combo Boxes
If the gathering is small, or you simply want each person to have their own plate, Royal Kitchen’s To Go Combo Boxes do the work. Each one is a three-compartment container with two mains, rice, naan and a fresh mixed salad:
- Chicken And Veggie Combo — one chicken curry and one vegetable curry
- Lamb And Chicken Combo — lamb and chicken together
- Lamb And Veggie Combo — lamb plus a vegetable curry
- Paneer And Veggie Combo — paneer in sauce plus a vegetable curry
- Veggie Combo — two vegetable curries
- Vegan Combo — two vegan curries
- Goat and Veg Combo — goat curry plus a vegetable curry
Order one per person, mix the types to cover the table, and add a dessert order. For four to six people it is the least effort for the most variety.
Menu card — Chicken And Veggie Combo
Three-compartment box: one chicken curry, one veggie curry, rice, naan bread and a fresh mixed salad.
Order on the Royal Kitchen menu
The full version: a Diwali dinner for six to twelve
For a bigger table, order by course. This list is built so that nothing needs to be eaten the second it arrives; everything here reheats or holds.
Starters
- Vegetable Samosa — order the 10 Pieces Tray from the Party Menu for a group
- Papri Chaat or Samosa Chaat — one chaat on the table makes it feel like a festival
- Chicken Tikka Kebab or Lamb Seekh Kebab from the tandoor
- Tandoori Paneer Tikka for the vegetarians, so they get a grill course too
Mains
- Butter Chicken — the dish the kids will eat
- Lamb Korma or Goat Curry — the slow-cooked centrepiece
- Palak Saag or Saag Paneer — something green
- Daal Makhni — the lentil dish that goes with everything
- Channa Masala — chickpeas, for the person who wants a lighter curry
Rice and bread
- Chicken Biryani, Lamb Biryani or Goat Biryani as the rice course (one biryani is enough for a table that also has naan)
- Royal Bread Basket, or Garlic Naan and Butter Naan by the piece
- Raita, Mango Chutney and the Onion Chilli Salad as sides
Menu card — Chicken Biryani
Layered rice and chicken from the Rice & Biryani list. The dish most Diwali tables are built around.
Order on the Royal Kitchen menu
A vegetarian or vegan Diwali from the same menu
Many families keep Diwali itself vegetarian, and Royal Kitchen’s menu makes that easy. The Vegetarian Dishes list has Malai Kofta, Paneer Tikka Masala, Shahi Paneer, Mattar Paneer, Aloo Gobi, Baingan Bartha, Kadi Pakoda and Veggie Navratan Korma, among others. For a fully vegetarian table, pair two paneer dishes with one lentil dish, one dry vegetable and Veggie Biryani.
The All Vegan list is unusually long for an Indian restaurant and is labelled dish by dish: Tofu Curry (Vegan), Channa Masala (Vegan), Dal Tadka (Vegan), Aloo Gobi (Vegan), Palak Saag (Vegan), Vegan Baingan Bartha, Veggie Biryani (Vegan), Vegan Tandoori Roti and vegan versions of the samosa, pakoda and chaats. A vegan guest can eat the same number of courses as everyone else without a special request.
Sweets and drinks
The Dessert list is short and all three items belong on a Diwali table: Gulab Jamun (2 Pc), Kheer, and Gajar Ka Halwa. Order Gulab Jamun by the pair so there is one portion per guest, and one Gajar Ka Halwa to share warm. Mango Lassi and Mango Juice are on the Beverages list for the children and anyone who is not drinking chai.
Menu card — Gulab Jamun (2 Pc)
Two syrup-soaked gulab jamun per order. One order per guest.
Order on the Royal Kitchen menu
Pickup or delivery in East Oakland
Royal Kitchen is at 175 98th Ave in East Oakland, just off the 880 at the 98th Avenue exit and a short drive from Oakland Airport, San Leandro and the Coliseum area. Both pickup and delivery are available on the restaurant’s own ordering page. Ordering direct means the restaurant keeps the whole ticket; a delivery app takes a commission from the same order.
For a Diwali-sized order: place it the day before, choose your arrival window, and if you are picking up, send one person at 5:30 pm so the food is on the table before the puja ends.
FAQ
When is Diwali 2026? Sunday, 8 November 2026.
Does Royal Kitchen deliver Diwali dinners in Oakland? Yes. Pickup and delivery are both available through the online ordering page. Place larger orders a day or more ahead.
Is the food halal? Yes; Royal Kitchen serves halal Indian food.
Can I order a fully vegetarian or vegan Diwali meal? Yes. The menu has a long Vegetarian Dishes list and a separate All Vegan list with vegan curries, biryani, roti and appetizers.
What is the easiest way to feed four to six people? One To Go Combo Box per person, mixing the chicken, lamb, goat, paneer, veggie and vegan versions, plus desserts.
Order your Diwali dinner
Light the lamps, set the table, and let the kitchen on 98th Avenue handle the rest.
