Brits love a good hearty curry. After all, chicken tikka masala is one of our national dishes. And from tantalising vindaloos to creamy kormas, it is immensely easy to get your hands on exceptional curries in the UK. Practically every town has its own legendary curry spot.
But which Indian restaurants in the UK are winning at the ultimate curry game? Well, the prestigious English Curry Awards are a great place to start. Organised by Oceanic Consulting, the annual event celebrates this country’s rich and diverse curry culture by examining restaurants based on criteria like quality, innovation and consistency in the dining experience.
This year’s national and regional winners have just been awarded. In all, it’s an exhaustive list, with plenty of curry house recommendations – but who was the curry champion of all curry champions?
The overall winner for Curry Restaurant of the Year went to Alessi Indian Restaurant in Stoke-on-Trent. According to its website, the chefs have ‘developed new and authentic cuisine exclusive to their restaurant’, with the restaurant famously offering customers any curry dish, even if it isn’t on the menu.
The other overall winners included Rajesh Acharya and Kaviraj Sharma at Sultan and Palace (Liverpool), who took Chef of the Year, Ali Spice Indian Takeaway (Norwich) for Takeaway of the Year and Bengal Lounge (Leeds) which won Restaurant of the Year.
Here is the full list of winners from the English Curry Awards 2023.
- Best of Manchester: The Original Third Eye (Manchester)
- Best of Birmingham: Basmati Restaurant (Birmingham)
- Best of Bradford: International Restaurant (Bradford)
- Takeaway and Home Delivery of the Year: Future Balti (Bradford)
- Caterer of the Year: Loonat Catering Services (Batley)
- Local Restaurant of the Year: The Indian Queen (Banbury)
- Voters Choice Restaurant of the Year: Khandan Indian Restaurant (Wellingborough)
- Nepalese Restaurant of The Year: Gurkha Majestic Dining (Droitwich)
- Bangladeshi Restaurant of The Year: Ashiana Indian & Bangladeshi Restaurant (Newark)
- Street Food Restaurant of the Year: My Delhi Indian Streetery (Newcastle upon Tyne)
- South Indian Restaurant of the Year: Kayal (Leicester)
- Vegetarian Restaurant of the Year: Namaste Village (Norwich)
- Outstanding Restaurant of the Year: Vivaanta Indian Restaurant & Bar (Warwick)
- Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: Avatar Dining (Market Harborough)
- Leicester Restaurant of the Year: Mem-Saab (Leicester)
- New Restaurant of the Year: Dhamaka (Cramlington)
- New Takeaway of the Year: Spiceboys (Harlow)
- Curry King or Queen: Bombay 8 Indian Restaurant (Warrington)
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Abdul Majeed - Aroma Asian Restaurant (Burnley)
- Special Recognition Award: Spice Lounge (Mytchett, Camberley)
- Critic’s Choice Restaurant of the Year: Kiplings Indian Restaurant (Sowerby Bridge)
Here are the winners for Customer Experience of the Year.
- Customer Experience of the Year North West: Aroma Asian Restaurant (Burnley)
- Customer Experience of the Year North East: My Delhi Newcastle Indian Restaurant (Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Customer Experience of the Year Yorkshire and the Humber: Ruchee Restaurant (Settle)
- Customer Experience of the Year East Midlands: Paddy & Marten Inn (Leicester)
- Customer Experience of the Year West Midlands: Titash (Birmingham)
- Customer Experience of the Year East of England: Namaste Village (Cambridge)
- Customer Experience of the Year South East: 3 Rooms Indian Restaurant (Chertsey)
- Customer Experience of the Year South West: Mezbaan (Tewkesbury)
- Customer Experience of the Year Overall Winner: Titash (Birmingham)
Here are the winners for Restaurant of the Year.
- Restaurant of the Year North West: Britannia Spice (Parkgate)
- Restaurant of the Year North East: Zeera Indian Cuisine (South Shields)
- Restaurant of the Year Yorkshire and the Humber: Bengal Lounge (Wetherby)
- Restaurant of the Year East Midlands: Nawaabsaab (Nottingham)
- Restaurant of the Year West Midlands: Little Bangla (Oldbury)
- Restaurant of the Year East of England: Pipasha Restaurant (Cambridge)
- Restaurant of the Year South East: Masala City (Chichester)
- Restaurant of the Year South West: Bhoomi Kitchen (Cheltenham)
- Restaurant of the Year Overall Winner: Bengal Lounge (Wetherby)
Here are the winners for Takeaway of the Year.
- Takeaway of the Year North West: Khaja Indian takeaway (Woolton)
- Takeaway of the Year North East: Morpeth Tandoori (Morpeth)
- Takeaway of the Year Yorkshire and the Humber: Amirah Spice (Wakefield)
- Takeaway of the Year East Midlands: Spice Takeaway (Nottingham)
- Takeaway of the Year West Midlands: Gandhi Indian Restaurant & Takeaway (Stoke on Trent)
- Takeaway of the Year East of England: Ali Spice Indian Takeaway (Norwich)
- Takeaway of the Year South East: Masala Bay Takeaway (Kent)
- Takeaway of the Year South West: The Biryani Pot (Stroud)
- Takeaway of the Year Overall Winner: Ali Spice Indian Takeaway (Norwich)
Here are the winners for the Chef of the Year.
- Chef of the Year North: Rajesh Acharya & Kaviraj Sharma at Sultan & Palace
- Chef of the Year Midlands: Mohammed Kamal at Gandhi Indian Restaurant
- Chef of the Year South: Sagar Barlawar at Chennai Express
- Chef of the Year Overall Winner: Rajesh Acharya & Kaviraj Sharma at Sultan & Palace
Here are the winners for Curry Restaurant of the Year.
- Curry Restaurant of the Year North West: Abdullahs Restaurant (Rising Bridge)
- Curry Restaurant of the Year North East: Soho Tavern (Gateshead)
- Curry Restaurant of the Year Yorkshire and the Humber: Parmars Indian Restaurant & Bar (Liversidge)
- Curry Restaurant of the Year East Midlands: Lime Indian Restaurant & Takeaway (Nottingham)
- Curry Restaurant of the Year West Midlands: Alessi Indian Restaurant (Stoke on Trent)
- Curry Restaurant of the Year East of England: Deshi Spice Restaurant & Lounge (Bedford)
- Curry Restaurant of the Year South East: Spices and Spirits (Basingstoke)
- Curry Restaurant of the Year South West: The Palm Indian Restaurant (Marlborough)
- Curry Restaurant of the Year Overall Winner: Alessi Indian Restaurant (Stoke on Trent)
Time Out’s take
We warned you, it’s an exhaustive list! But if you’re still craving best-of-the-best recommendations to satisfy your tastebuds, check out our substantial coverage of curry in the UK. For more curried goodness, see our guide to the best curries in the UK, the winners of the Asian restaurant awards and these two exceptional London spots that also triumphed at the National Curry Awards.
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