West Yorkshire, Indian Restaurant Guide

“If you want to know how the best Pakistani curries taste, come to Akbar’s” – a “fun and buzzy” spot that, according to one local reporter, is “the curry house I always tip to visitors” (“the authentic section of the menu is full of the most incredible flavours”). Charismatic founder Shabir Hussain (known to friends and admirers as ‘Bash’, ‘the King of Curry’) sadly died in 2024; his funeral attracted 5,000 mourners. He started out with a 28-seat canteen, which he expanded over three decades into a group of 10 venues from Birmingham to Glasgow.

“Superb, homemade Indian food” is the hallmark of this vast, 500-cover curry house, founded by Mumtaz Khan as a tiny Kashmiri shop in 1979 and now a Yorkshire institution with a branch in Leeds and national brands of ready meals and halal babyfood! – “there are a number of good Indian restaurants in Bradford but this is different”, and “the decor makes it suitable to entertain guests”. Top Menu Tip – look out for the ‘Mumtaz Differently’ dishes, playful takes on pasta, lasagne and doner kebabs.

“Epic, authentic Indian street food that’s so moreish” is paired with craft beer (much of it from their own brewery in Manchester) at Mayur Patel & Marko Husak’s student-fave haunt, which started out here at Mill Hill in 2014 and has expanded to three more sites. “The best of the best when it comes to street food – a real taste of India”, many a guest does not even register that the Gujarati-based menu is entirely vegetarian or vegan. Top Tip – “the chaat is unbelievably addictive!”.

2023 Review: Mohammed Sabir was still working as a bus driver in Shipley when he launched his Kashmiri curry business as a mobile takeaway from his Commer van, the ‘Spice Box’ in 1976. The next year he opened his first bricks-and-mortar restaurant Aagrah, which still wins consistently solid marks for its food and has nine branches across Yorkshire.

Nisha Katona’s Liverpool-based operation has two branches in London (Charlotte Street and Westfield Stratford) offering her “very tasty” Indian street food – “with the occasional hint of raw spice”. The Lancashire-born former barrister launched the business in 2014 and now has 28 outlets around the country, whose “enjoyable, authentic food” is “really great for a chain”.

“Food and service are both exceptional”, say fans of Nand Kishor & Sanjay Gour’s Leeds follow-up to their renowned fringe-of-London Indian. It’s split over two floors, with a brighter downstairs and more cosy first floor. Dishes such as Saufiana Octopus with Fennel Salad and Grape Chutney or Salli Murgh (Chicken Thigh, Apricots, and Aromatic, Crispy Fried Potato Straw) mark out the non-standard collection, which can also be sampled as a five-course tasting menu.