English Curry Awards 2023: Finalists are announced and Manchester has 22 contenders

The English Curry Awards has announced the finalists for its 2023 edition - and include 22 restaurants from Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

The prestigious culinary event celebrates the finest talents in the English curry industry and the awards ceremony will take place on August 14.

The nation’s curry connoisseurs will gather to recognize and applaud the exceptional achievements of the curry sector and a whopping 22 Manchester restaurants are curry contenders.

Golden Tandoori (Manchester) and Waterhead Tandoori (Oldham) are up for curry restaurant of the year and Little India in Cheshire is among the finalists up for Restaurant of The Year.

Customer Experience of The Year includes Wah Ji Wah (Manchester) and Sanskruti Restaurant (Manchester) in its finalists.

Up for Takeaway of the Year is Golden Tandoori (Manchester) and Waterhead Tandoori (Oldham) Takeaway and Home Delivery of the Yearsees Yadgar Café (Manchester) and Ashiana (Stretford) as finalists, while Barfi Catering Manchester (Manchester) is hoping for caterer of the year.

Best of Manchester sees Ziya Restaurant, The Original Third Eye, Indian Tiffin Room Manchester, Khandoker Restaurant, Scene Indian Street Kitchen, Kabana, Asha’s Restaurant, Wah Ji Wah, Delhi House Café and Dhoom Dhaam hoping to win.

Nepalese Restaurant of The Year lists The Great Kathmandu Restaurant (Manchester) and Jai Kathmandu (Manchester).

Now in its twelth year, the English Curry Awards say it ‘continues to shine a spotlight on the remarkable talents and dedication of individuals and establishments within the curry industry’.

This year’s finalists represent the crème de la crème of English curry industry. The shortlisted finalists were chosen by the public who wanted to recognise those who consistently deliver outstanding culinary experiences and exceptional customer service.

Each finalist has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and authenticity, and has made a significant contribution to the curry scene in their respective regions.

The English Curry Awards 2023 finalists span a range of categories, including Curry Restaurant of the Year, Takeaway of the Year, Chef of the Year, Curry King or Queen, and many more.

The anticipation is building as the awards night draws closer, promising a thrilling atmosphere and well-deserved recognition for these exceptional individuals and establishments.

A Spokesperson for The English Curry Awards 2023 said: “The English Curry Awards promise to be a memorable event that honours the dedication and hard work of the nominees and celebrates the rich tapestry of flavours that the curry industry brings to the English culinary landscape.

“The Awards provide a platform to applaud the exceptional efforts of those who have made significant contributions to the curry sector and continue to elevate the nation’s love for curry. We would like to wish all finalists the best of luck and we can’t wait to see you all on the 14th.”

The awards ceremony will take place on 14th August at the Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre.

The finalists for the English Curry Awards 2023 are:

Curry Restaurant of the Year

North West

Aroma asian restaurant (Burnley)

Shamoli (Knutsford)

Lakeland Spice Cuisine (Keswick)

Abdullahs Restaurant (Rising Bridge)

Shamoli (Knutsford)

Royal Balti House (Bolton)

Maryport Tandoori (Maryport)

Seventy one (Poulton le gulfs)

Spice club (Cockermouth)

Twisted Indian Street food (Blackpool)

North East

Aruuvi Bar and Restaurant (Spennymoor)

Radhuni (South Shields)

Cafe India (South Shields)

Dhamaka (Cramlington)

Soho Tavern (Sunderland)

Shikara (Whitley Bay)

Yuvraaj Restaurant (Sunderland)

Spice House (Seahouses)

Akbar The Great (Darlington)

Lal Khazana (Shilbottle)

Yorkshire and the Humber

Chilli Lounge (Huddersfield)

Dastaan (Leeds)

Parmars Indian Restaurant & Bar (Liversidge)

La La’s Restaurant (Wakefield)

Shama Bingley (Bingley)

Syhiba (Sowerby Bridge)

Urban Choola (Sheffield)

Mastabs (Skipton)

Viraaj Restaurant (Sheffield)

Namaste Bengal (Pickering)

East Midlands

Lime Indian Restaurant & Takeaway ( Nottingham)

Noor Jahan Restaurant (Nottingham)

Chaska (Nottingham)

Mewar Haveli (Nottingham)

Aziz Khan (Nottingham)

The New Chand Indian Cuisine (Mansfield)

Avatar Dining (Harborough)

Curry 2 Night (Derby)

Jhinook Restaurant (Worksop)

Mughal Rasoi (Southwell)

West Midlands

Takaa Tak (Birmingham)

Pondicherry (Telford)

Alessi Indian Restaurant (Stoke on Trent)

Streetly Balti (Sutton Coldfield)

The Vine (West Bromwich)

Bacaba Indian Restaurant (Birmingham)

Delhi 6 Restaurant (Sutton Coldfield)

Pickles Indian and Grill Cuisine (Coventry)

Delhi76 Indian & Nepalese Restaurant (Coventry)

Indigo Restaurant (Wolverhampton)

East of England

Lalbagh Indian Restaurant (Cambridge)

Cafe Punjab (Bognor Regis)

Lowestoft Tandoori (Lowestoft)

Spice Valley (Norwich)

Deshi Spice Restaurant & Lounge (Bedford)

Namaste Village (Norwich)

Rajpoot (Huntingdon)

Taj Tandoori (Cambridge)

Royal Bengal (Willingham)

Thetford Raj Restaurant (Thetford)

South East

Maaya Indian Kitchen (Milton Keynes)

Spice Lounge (Camberley)

Maya (Sunninghill)

The Akash (Portsmouth)

Spice Lounge( Mytchett)

Spices and Spirits (Basingstoke)

Spicy Tadka Indian Restaurant (Basingstoke)

Red Chilli Gold (Buckingham)

Dinajpur (Milton Keynes)

Kappad Restaurant (High Wycombe)

South West

Cafe Indiya (Plymouth)

The Himalayan Spice (Liskeard)

The Palm Indian Restaurant (Marlborough)

Maya Indian cuisine (Warminster)

Gurkha Tandoori Restaurant (Liskeard)

Mattancherry (Taunton)

The Goa Balti Indian Restaurant (Marlborough)

The Bengal Bear (Corsham)

The Zaika Inn (Marlborough)

1 Spice (Devizes)

Restaurant of the Year

North West

Britannia Spice (Parkga)

Buraq (Kirkham)

Cinnamon lounge (Wakefield)

Holdi Spice Lounge (Little Sutton)

Bombay 8 Indian Restaurant (Warrington)

Little India (Cheshire)

Damaka (Cramlington)

JUNOON restaurant (Frodsham)

Nellie Indian Restaurant (Scarisbrick)

Meherin Indian and Bangladeshi Restaurant (Blackpool)

North East

Namaste Indian Restaurant (South Shields)

Delhi 6 (South Shields)

Jaipur (Newcastle upon Tyne)

Mumbai Silk (Sunderland)

Zeera Indian Cuisine (South Shields)

Sher khan (Alnwick)

Zyka Restaurant (Hexham)

Char Mausum Indian Restaurant (Stannington)

Ashianna (Bedlington)

Maharaj’s Lounge (Blyth)

Yorkshire and the Humber

Shimla spice (Keighley)

Bengal Lounge (Wetherby)

Jinnah Restaurant & Take Away (Leeds)

Table 26 (Swillington)

Prithiraj (Sharrow)

Curry Mahal Restaurant (Leeds)

Kiplings Indian Restaurant (Sowerby Bridge)

Parmars indian restaurant and bar (Liversidge)

Mango Restaurant (Wetherby)

Voujon Indian Restaurant (Leeds)

East Midlands

Nawaabsaab (Nottingham)

Bombay Bridgford (Nottingham)

Salim’s (Loughborough)

Herb ( Leicester)

Masala Junction Restaurant (Nottingham)

Kayal (Nottingham)

Zara Indian Cuisine (Cambridge)

Heritage India (Leicester)

Nawaaz Indian Restaurant (Leicester)

Dine India (Leicester)

West Midlands

Gandhi Indian Restaurant & Take Away (Stoke on Trent)

Millennium Balti (Leamington Spa)

Kolshi Premier Indian Restaurant (Warwick)

Little Bangla Bangladeshi (Oldbury)

New Royal Balti (Stoke-on-Trent)

takaa tak (Birmingham)

Raja Monkey (Birmingham)

Planet Bollywood (Stoke-on-Trent)

Pabna Restaurant (Leek)

East of England

Curry Inn (Needham market)

Pipasha Restaurant (Cambridge)

Tandoor At the Chambers (Buckhurst Hill)

Chequers Indian Lounge (Ipswich)

Indian Ocean (Ipswich)

Mughal Knight Clare (Suffolk)

Rose & Mango (Newmarket)

The Curry Palace Cottenham (cottenham)

Spice lounge Restaurant (Mildenhall)

Indian Bonsai ( Luton)

South East

Spices & Spirits (Basingstoke)

Cafe Punjab (Bognor Regis)

Clays Hyderabadi (Reading)

Mr India – The Spice Master (High Wycombe)

Mowglis @ The Bell Inn (Milton Keynes)

Coco Tamarind (Princes Risborough)

The Snooty Mehmaan (Farringdon)

Masala City (Chichester)

Kolkata (Didcot)

Olive Limes (Tring)

South West

Cafe indiya Restaurant (Plymouth)

Bhoomi (Cheltenham)

Zaika(Stonehouse )

The Mahal (Cheltenham)

Moonlight Indian Restaurant (Corsham)

Spice Of Bengal (Calne)

Everest Brasserie (Salisbury)

Taj Mahal (Chippenham)

Agra Restaurant (Warminster)

Naga’s – The spice minister (Warminster)

Customer Experience of the Year

North West

Aroma Asian Restaurant (Burnley)

JUNOON (Frodsham)

Wah Ji Wah (Manchester)

Bombay Quay (Northwich)

Relish Tandoori (Northwich)

Sultan’s Palace (Liverpool)

Sanskruti Restaurant (Manchester)

Ashiana Indian Restaurant (Preston)

Imli (Heywood)

Thira Restaurant (Blackburn)

North East

Sherkhan Of Alnwick (Alnwick)

Aramee (Prudhoe)

Zyka Restaurant (Hexham)

The Capital (Durham)

Shaj (Newbiggin-by-the-Sea)

Holi and Bhang Indian Restaurant & Cocktail Bar (Durham)

Le RAAJ (Chester-Le-Street)

The Rabbit Hole (Durham)

My Delhi Newcastle Indian Restaurant (Newcastle upon Tyne)

Simla Restaurant (Newcastle upon Tyne)

Yorkshire and the Humber

Elmet Kitchen (Leeds)

Ruchee Restaurant (Settle)

Thaal Indian Restaurant (Barnsley)

The Indus Restaurant & Bar Conisbrough (Doncaster)

Neelagiree Restaurant (Rotherham)

Maveli (Sheffield)

Maa Indian Restaurant (Beverley)

Sonali Spice (Beverley)

Zolsha (Keighley)

Maharajah Restaurant (Hull)

East Midlands

Paddy’s Marten Inn (Leicester)

Mithaas Restaurant (Leicester)

Udupi Shivalli (Leicester)

1580 Contemporary Indian Restaurant (Birmingham)

Saffron Ivy (Leicester)

Baloo Northampton (Northampton)

Lazeez (Northampton)

Mewar Haveli (Northampton)

Aroma of India (Northampton)

Mem-Saab (Northampton)

West Midlands

The bilash of Rugeley (Rugeley)

Sangam 2 (Stoke-on-Trent)

Maharajah Tandoori Restaurant (Rugby)

Titash (Birmingham)

Lime Contemporary Indian Cuisine (Dudley)

Avon Spice (Stratford-upon-Avon)

Massalla Lounge (Worcester)

Cromwell’s Nepalese (Worcester)

Aladdin’s Indian Dining (Stratford-upon-Avon)

The Royal Oak Indian Cuisine (Walsall)

East of England

The Bank (Sheringham)

Ali Tandoori (Norwich)

The Seven Stars (Cambridge)

Taste Of Raj (Blackheath)

Cinnamon (Leiston)

Labone Indian Cuisine (Lowestoft)

Namaste Village (Cambridge)

Bananaleaf Cambridge (Cambridge)

Bombay Nite (Great Yarmouth)

Ballingdon Valley Indian Cuisine (Sudbury)

South East

Cardamom (Bognor Regis)

Radhuni Lounge Restaurant (Risborough)

Mela (Aylesbury)

Namji Wolverton (Milton Keynes)

The Buckingham Fort (Buckingham)

The Fat Buddha (Berkhamsted)

Riwaz by Atul Kochhar (Beaconsfield)

Papad restaurant (Chesham)

3 Rooms Indian restaurants (Chertsey)

Yasmin (Leatherhead)

South West

Nepalese Chef (Gloucester)

Mezbaan (Tewkesbury)

Sultan (Cirencester)

Bhoomi Kitchen Cheltenham (Cheltenham)

Sitara Restaurant (Ledbury)

Prithvi (Cheltenham)

Thrishna (Worcester)

Memsahib’s Lounge (Cheltenham)

The 29029 Broadstone (Broadstone)

Sundorbon Indian Restaurant (Bridport)

Takeaway of the Year

North West

Achaari (Macclesfield)

Shagor takeaway (Burnley)

Indo bites (Liverpool)

Khaja Indian takeaway (Woolton)

Golden Tandoori (Manchester)

Amonbagh Takeaway (Preston)

Shad Tandoori (Blackburn)

Hawali Indian Takeaway (Burnley)

Waterhead Tandoori (Oldham)

Chillies Indian Takeaway (Wigan)

North East

Balti Hut (Middlesbrough)

Ruchita Tandoori (Wallsend)

Delaval Tandoori (Whitley Bay)

Shapla (Middlesbrough)

Bill quay tandoor (Gateshead)

The Jewel In The Crown (Chester-Le-Street)

Morpeth Tandoori (Morpeth)

The Grand Tandoori Kitchen (Newcastle upon Tyne)

Nawaab (Sunderland)

Saffron indian (Sunderland)

Yorkshire and the Humber

Little India (Barnsley)

Bengal cottage (Micklefield)

Indian fusion (leeds)

Amirah Spice (Wakefield)

Delhi Wala (Halifax)

Shabs Indian Kitchen (Hemsworth)

Paprika (Huddersfield)

Jinnah (Leeds)

Kushi Tandoori (Harrogate)

Shab’s indian kitchen (Hemsworth)

East Midlands

Spice Bazzar (Leicester)

Indian Nights (Nottingham)

Spice India (Nottingham)

Khyber Nights (Leicester)

Spice Takeaway (Nottingham)

Desi Street Food (Leicester)

Viceroy Express (Derby)

Tarka (Derby)

Mackworth Balti (Derby)

Aylestone Spice Leicester (Aylestone)

West Midlands

Simla Indian Takeaway (Darlaston)

Rickshaw Express (Solihull)

Gandhi Indian Restaurant & Takeaway (Saverley Green)

Lime Pickle (Birmingham)

Simla Indian Takeaway (Darlaston)

Chutney Express Takeaway (Birmingham)

Samosa & Sweet Factory (Bromwich)

Spice Box (Birmingham)

Tariq Balti House Indian Take Away (Yardley Wood)

Purnima Indian Cuisine (Smethwick)

East of England

Ali Spice Indian Takeaway (Norwich)

Rice & spice (Norwich)

Master Chef Indian Takeaway (Luton)

Taj Mahal Indian Takeaway (Norwich)

Classic Spice (Bottisham)

Renu’s (Cambridge)

Stopsley Surma (Luton)

Shelford Spice (Cambridge)

Spiceboys (Harlow)

Indian Bonsai (Luton)

South East

Masala Bay Takeaway (Kent)

Chutney Jacks (Winslow)

Mumbai Wokingham (Wokingham)

Surrey Spice (Leatherhead)

Anokha (Bognor Regis)

Indigo, Indian Food to Go (Woking Road)

Masala Bay Takeaway (Kent)

Bombay Express (Canterbury)

Alamin Tandoori takeaway (Reading)

Star Karahi (Reading)

South West

India Enroute (Gloucester)

Chaiwalla Indian Street Food (Bath)

Chennai Indian Takeaway (Cheltenham)

Curry Express (Cheltenham)

Eastern Paradise (Westbury)

The Biryani Pot (Stroud)

Cinnamon Lounge (Westbury)

Mint Indian (Poole)

Nihal Spice (Swanage)

Saffron Spice (Ferndown)

Takeaway and Home Delivery of the Year

Yadgar Café (Manchester)

Rola Wala (Leeds)

Desi Khana (Bradford)

Ashiana (Stretford)

Taj Curry House (Leeds)

Krahi & Handi Masters (Bradford)

Future Balti (Bradford)

Tariq Balti House Indian Take Away (Birmingham)

Golden Balti (Birmingham)

Mangosteen (Bradford)

Chef of the Year

Caterer of the Year

Loonat Catering Services (Batley)

Mayur catering service ltd (West Bromwich)

Apna Khana (Bradford)

The Indian Dish (Kent)

Spices & Rices (Batley)

Ragasaan (Northolt)

Preeti Catering (Hayes)

Chana Catering Services (West Bromwich)

Barfi Catering Manchester (Manchester)

Greenleaf Catering & Event Services (Southall)

Best of Manchester

Ziya Restaurant (Manchester)

The Original Third Eye (Manchester)

Indian Tiffin Room Manchester (Manchester)

Khandoker Restaurant (Manchester)

Scene Indian Street Kitchen (Manchester)

Kabana (Manchester)

Asha’s Restaurant (Manchester)

Wah Ji Wah (Manchester)

Delhi House Café (Manchester)

Dhoom Dhaam (Manchester)

Best of Birmingham

Pushkar Cocktail Bar and Dining (Birmingham)

Imani’s Restaurant (Birmingham)

Opheem (Birmingham)

Patiala Indian Restaurants (Birmingham)

1580 Contemporary Indian Restaurant (Birmingham)

Jilabi Indian Restaurant (Birmingham)

Mahfil Restaurant (Birmingham)

Tamatanga (Birmingham)

Basmati Restaurant (Birmingham)

Umami (Birmingham)

Best of Bradford

Bharat Restaurant Bar & Grill (Bradford)

Mumtaz Restaurant (Bradford)

International Restaurant (Bradford)

Khyber (Bradford)

Sultans Restaurant (Bradford)

Karachi Restaurant (Bradford)

Kun Indian Grill & Bistro (Bradford)

Kebabeesh (Bradford)

Omars (Bradford)

Takdir Indian Restaurant (Bradford)

Local Restaurant of the Year

Bacaba Indian Restaurant (Oldbury)

Dhesi Karahi Grill (Halifax)

The Indian Queen (Banbury)

Rilys Indian Restaurant (Redditch)

Sreepur Indian Cuisine (Birmingham)

Alleppey Boat (Birmingham)

Allys Balti House (Coventry)

Shimla Balti (Wolverhampton)

Balti Towers (Halesowen)

Coventry (Warwick)

Voters Choice of the Year

Lazeez (Northampton)

Khandan Indian Restaurant (Wellingborough)

The Ganges (Towcester)

Channi’s Indian Restaurant (Birmingham)

Pickles Indian and Grill Cuisine (Coventry)

Maya Of Olney (Olney)

Jaanu Cafe (Leicester)

Shah’s (Wellesbourne)

The Verandah (Leicester)

Zyka Restaurant (Hexham)

Nepalese Restaurant of The Year

The Great Kathmandu Restaurant (Manchester)

Everest Lounge (Harborough)

Himalayan spice (Liskeard)

Jai Kathmandu (Manchester)

Darshan Nepal (Cannock)

Yeti Fine Nepalese Dining (Oxford)

Mount Everest (Derby)

Gurkha Majestic Dining (Droitwich)

Yak Yeti Yak (Bath)

Great Himalayas Nepalese Restaurant (Southport)

Bangladeshi Restaurant of The Year

Basmati Restaurant ( Birmingham)

Bangla Cottage (Tipton)

Bangla Lounge Cheswick Green (Solihull)

Sonar Bangla Balti House (Ipswich)

The Sylhet Spice Cuisine (Birmingham)

Kaz’s Indian & Bangladeshi Restaurant (Cambridge)

Ashiana Indian & Bangladeshi Restaurant (Newark)

Little Bangla (Oldbury)

Jaflong Bangladeshi & Indian Restaurant (Ripon)

Essence of Bengal Restaurant (Redditch)

Outstanding Restaurant Of The Year

Singhs (Leeds )

Purnima Indian Cuisine (Smethwick)

Vivaanta Indian Restaurant & Bar (Warwick)

Cardamom Avant Garde Indian Cuisine (Alcester)

Silchar Indian Dining (Hinckley)

De Laban (Coventry)

Tamera’s Kitchen (Rugby)

Shagorika Indian Restaurant (Market Harborough)

Mewar Haveli (Nottingham)

Streetly Balti (Sutton Coldfield)

Fine Dining Restaurant of The Year

Panache Fine Dining (Birmingham)

Zengh (Sutton Coldfield)

The Rajdani (West Kingsdown)

Madhu’s Heathrow (Harlington)

Kuti’s Brasserie (Southampton)

Turmeric Gold (Coventry)

Avatar Dining (Market Harborough)

Cuisine Of India (Wigston)

Lazeez (Northampton)

Sapphire Fine Dining (Stoke-on-Trent)

Street Food Restaurant Of The Year

My Delhi Indian Streetery (New Castle upon Tyne)

Delhi wala Food (Leeds)

Bombay Street Food (Leicester)

Twisted Indian Street food (Blackpool)

Mowgli Street Food (Cheltenham)

Vi-Va Indian Street Food (Nottingham)

Dhamaka Street Food (Smethwick)

Zindiya Streatery & Bar (Birmingham)

Tikka Nation (Sutton Coldfield)

Aashiq’s indian Restaurant (Dudley)

South Indian Restaurant of The Year

Vaibhavam South Indian (Birmingham)

Spice River (Wolverhampton)

7H Spices (Hinckley)

Maveli (Sheffield)

Kayal (Leicester)

Rasa South Indian Vegetarian Restaurant (Newington Church Street)

Aachi Restaurant (Coventry)

The KESAR (Wednesbury)

Ruchie (Solihull)

Raja Monkey (Birmingham)

Vegetarian Restaurant Of The Year

Chai Paani (Leicester)

Sanskruti Restaurant (Manchester)

Shambhala Village (Birmingham)

Sangam Vegetarian Restaurant (Birmingham)

Jyoti’s Vegetarian (Birmingham)

Punjabi Dhaba (Birmingham)

Namaste Village (Norwich)

Planet India (Brighton)

My Veggie Plate (Twickenham)

Chai Station (Chester)

Leicester Restaurant of the Year

Herb (Leicester)

Kayal (Leicester)

Chettinad Restaurant (Leicester)

Nawaaz Indian Restaurant (Leicester)

Heritage India (Leicester)

Spice bazaar (Leicester)

Mem-Saab (Leicester)

Shimla Pinks (Leicester)

Chutney Ivy (Leicester)

Chef’s Flavour Restaurant (Leicester)