The United Kingdom's finest curry establishments have been unveiled, featuring a diverse array of venues ranging from Michelin-starred fine dining to beloved local hideaways. The Asian Catering Federation (ACF) has published its annual list of the 100 best curry houses across the nation for 2026, spanning from Slough to Glasgow.
Celebrating Excellence in Asian Cuisine
The awards highlight "the very best Asian cuisine nationwide" and assist curry enthusiasts in discovering "outstanding curry houses in their local area." These restaurants were selected through public voting and recommendations from the ACF's expert panel. The top 100 were announced at the Asian Catering Federation Prestige Dinner and Top 100 Award Ceremony last month.
London Leads the Way
London dominated the rankings with 21 locations on the list. Among them, Benares in Mayfair secured a spot just a year after the closure of its flagship restaurant in Hanway Place. Founded by celebrity chef Atul Kochhar, Benares earned a coveted Michelin star following his appearances on MasterChef and the Great British Menu. Another notable London entry, Gymkhana, holds two Michelin stars and has recently hosted celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Ed Sheeran.
Regional Highlights
Kent also boasts several entries, including Cinnamon Square. Other standout restaurants across the UK include Akbar's in Bradford and Birmingham, TYGA in Manchester, Babaji in Sunderland, and Spice I am in Worthing. Scotland is well represented with Charcoals in Glasgow, Light of Bengal in Aberdeen, Shezan Indian Cuisine in Edinburgh, and Celestia in Edinburgh. Wales features My Indian in Ammanford, Purple Poppadom in Cardiff, and The Grand Sultan in Port Talbot. Northern Ireland's sole entry is Himalayan in Belfast.
Full List of the UK's Best Curry Spots
The complete list includes: Benares (London), Kasa & Kin (London), Madhu's @ The Grove (Watford), Panas Gurkha by Sujan Katuwal (London), Namaaste Kitchen (London), Med Salleh (London), Akbar's (Bradford), Akbar's (Birmingham), TYGA (Manchester), Cinnamon Square (Kent), Babaji (Sunderland), Spice I am (Worthing), My Delhi (Newcastle), Delhi 6 (South Shields), Maha Bharat (Kingsbridge), Peace Garden (Manchester), Sushi Mami (Manchester), iNaga (Bromley), The Zen (Lancashire), My Indian (Ammanford), Charcoals (Glasgow), Kebabish Original (Blackburn), Lal Qila (Cramlington), Achari (Bristol), Laksamania (London), Eastern Eye (Devon), Tarana (Crawley), The Bombay (Swanley), Light of Bengal (Aberdeen), Shezan Indian Cuisine (Edinburgh), Miso Asia (Petersfield), Radhuni (Loanhead), Itihaas (Dalkeith), Colonel Saab (London), Quilon (London), Mint Lounge (London), Yaatra (London), Gymkhana (London), Hakkasan (London), Babur (London), Namaaste (London), Brigadiers (London), Lala's Restaurant (Leeds), Babul's (Darlington), International Restaurant (Bradford), Spice Village (London), Shozna (Rochester), Issa Sushi (Worthing), Aramintas (Northampton), Paprika Club (Leamington Spa), Namak Restaurant (London), Tiien Thai (Bournemouth), Royal Nawaab Pyramid (Stockport), Al Maidah (Manchester), 1988 Indian Restaurant (Vale of Glamorgan), Ayaan's (Bolton), Bardez (Manchester), Calcutta Club (Nottingham), Carron to Mumbai (Stonehaven), Chor Bazaarr (Slough), Dawat (London), Everest Lounge (Market Harborough), Guru Ji (Fleet), Himalayan (Belfast), Kahani (London), Kutir (London), Lalbagh Restaurant (Cambridge), Lemongrass by Nazir (Chichester), Mango Lounge (Windsor), My Lahore (Leeds), Navadhanya (Cambridge), Naya Restaurant (Henley-in-Arden), Ottoman Kitchen (Southampton), Jaipur Spice (York), Jadugar (Altrincham), Jalpari of Woodley (Reading), Panda Mami (Chester), Lazzeez (Southampton), Purple Olive Ashton (Ashton-under-Lyne), Purple Poppadom (Cardiff), Ramadan (Sutton Coldfield), Raval (Gateshead), Royal Nawaab (London), Ruchi Restaurant (Glossop), Maahis (Wrexham), Sai Surbhi (Preston), Shampan Restaurant (Whitley Bay), Sigiriya Grill (Knutsford), Spice Mafia (Manchester), Spice of India (Dufftown), Spice Tandoori (Elgin), The Bank (Rickmansworth), The Chequers Indian Lounge (Ipswich), The Chennai Lounge (Southampton), The Don (Welwyn Garden City), The Grand Sultan (Port Talbot), The Indian Plaza (Audenshaw), Vadah (Stockton-on-Tees), Celestia (Edinburgh), and Zaika Taal (Glasgow).
Industry Resilience and Recognition
Yawar Khan, Chair of the Asian Catering Federation, stated: "This event is about celebrating excellence across the hospitality sector, putting the diverse Asian community on one platform, and recognising chefs, restaurants, and industry leaders who continue to set the benchmark for quality, innovation and consistency across the Asian food industry in the UK." He added: "Over the past year, the sector has continued to navigate rising costs, evolving consumer expectations, and ongoing economic pressures. Yet, despite all this, they remain resilient, continuously adapting, innovating, and finding new ways to connect with their customers. They are investing in their teams, embracing new ideas, and continuing to deliver exceptional dining experiences day in, day out. Congratulations to everyone who is included in this year’s Guide, you have all earnt your place through passion for our industry, and for working hard to maintain exceptional high standards – well done."
The awards, which began in 2022, rely on public votes and recommendations from the ACF's panel of curry experts. Presenters at the ceremony included BBC news anchor Samantha Simmonds, Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Business and MP for Richmond Park), and the Malaysian High Commission.
