Three Greater Manchester curry businesses have been crowned among the best in the country at the National Curry Awards 2026, held at the House of Lords in London. Venus Lounge in Heywood, Haldi Lounge in Urmston and Paprika Takeaway in Hyde each took home a top accolade at the seventh annual ceremony on Monday, October 19, at the Palace of Westminster.
Local winners and their awards
Venus Lounge, on York Street in Heywood, was named Restaurant of the Year. In a Facebook post, the restaurant announced its win with “immense gratitude and joy”, thanking everyone who had helped bring the national award home to Heywood. The team said: “To every customer who voted, who supported us, who prayed for us, who dined with us — THANK YOU. You backed your local restaurant and you brought this national award home to Heywood.”
Haldi Lounge, on Victoria Parade in Urmston, won Curry House of the Year. Its award was presented by the Mayor of Swanley Town Council, Cllr Michael Horwood, alongside Umair Bhamji, business development director at ICS UK Ltd. In a Facebook post, the restaurant described the win as “a wonderful achievement and a proud moment”, adding: “Proud to receive the Curry House of the Year 2026 award at the National Curry Awards, presented at the House of Lords. Thank you to our valued customers and dedicated team for your continued support and contribution to our success.”
Other Greater Manchester honours
Paprika Takeaway, on Talbot Road in Hyde, was named Takeaway of the Year, with its award presented by Cllr Horwood and Dave Murphy, a category manager. The three businesses were among 28 winners recognised across categories including Newcomer of the Year, Chef of the Year, Manager of the Year, Caterer of the Year and Bangladeshi Restaurant of the Year.
Two other Greater Manchester names were also recognised. Nurul Ashraf, from Vaspian Lounge and Dining in Platt Bridge, Wigan, was named Chef of the Year, while The Pavilion in Bolton won Bangladeshi Restaurant of the Year.
Industry recognition and future inspiration
Established in 2019, the National Curry Awards recognise businesses and workers across the Asian catering industry, celebrating the contributions of both front-of-house teams and those working behind the scenes. Organisers hope the awards will encourage younger generations to enter the industry, which they estimate employs between 80,000 and 100,000 people across the UK.
Event director Abdul Ahad Chowdhury said: “This is the seventh National Curry Awards, and it is a privilege to have every edition hosted at the prestigious House of Lords. These awards recognise the hard work and dedication of restaurants across the industry, celebrating their achievements and ensuring they receive the recognition they deserve.” He added that the restaurant sector offered opportunities for people to build successful businesses and achieve their ambitions, and said hosting the ceremony at such an iconic venue could help inspire younger generations to join the industry.
The ceremony was attended by MPs and civic representatives, including Elsie Blundell MP, alongside representatives from the awards' sponsors. King Charles III also sent a message from Buckingham Palace, expressing his good wishes to everyone involved and welcoming the awards' continued recognition of achievements within the curry industry.
