“Diya necklace Dipavali Diwali November 2013” by Ramnath Bhat – Flickr: Diya necklace. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons.
You liked our round-up of London’s top 10 Indian restaurants so much we’ve decided to take a look around the rest of the UK for the best curry houses. Whether you’re looking for great-value Gujaratis and clever Keralans, or temples of nouvelle Indian cuisine, we’ve got it covered. As you can imagine it’s a bit more difficult to distill the country’s favourite ethnic food into just one top 10, so we’ve cheated and brought you three (from budget to mid-price to blow-out) – that way you’re sure to find a tasty cuzza for every occassion…
“Indian Spices” by Joe mon bkk – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Commons.
Top 10 cheap as chipatis – but still brilliant!
£12
“Don’t be fooled by it being cheap, this is quality food!” – this “rough-and-ready” Pakistani café, “down a hidden side street”, changes little from year to year, and continues to offer “homestyle curries with huge depth of flavour at peanuts-prices”.
£23
“With food this good you don’t miss the ambience, or the meat either!” – the food at this Formica-topped Gujarati restaurant, in Hall Green, is just “fabulous”.
£25
“Very simple, incredibly cheap, and wonderful” – this perennial favourite continues to impress all-round (so “ignore anyone who tells you it’s gone off of late, as it’s still as good as ever”); “knives and forks are looked down on – use your chapati”.
Melford Valley Tandoori, Long Melford
£27
“The best Indian we’ve found in many years of searching” – this smartly modern subcontinental continues to deserve its local pre-eminence.
£29
Albeit rather “hard to find” (“tucked away in a little back street behind Market Square”), this intimate Bangladeshi venture “rewards persistence”, thanks to the consistently high quality of its “spicy” fare (including “very good” vegetarian and vegan options).
£29
“An Indian menu with more variety than usual, and served with fine-dining flair” – dishes which are “spiced to perfection” make this lavish purpose-built restaurant, just outside the city-centre, undoubtedly “the best in town”; indeed, one reporter had their “best-ever Indian meal” there!
£30
A buzzing South East Asian outfit offering “unusual dishes, cooked perfectly”; those “complimentary ice cream and liqueurs” are a “lovely touch” too!
£31
“Still perfect every time” – Mrs Hansa Dabhi’s “excellent” city-centre Gujarati stalwart continues to elicit raves from all who comment on it; the food, “lovingly served” by the lady herself, is so good that “even non-veggies will love it!”
£32
Thanks to its “excellent authentic curries” at “amazingly reasonable prices”, this big and “fancy” Pakistani venture “always seems to be rammed”; “the family-sized naans add to the convivial atmosphere”.
Mother India’s Café, Edinburgh
£33
“Does what it says on the tiffin tin!”; this “Indian tapas” joint was one of the pioneers of that concept long before it was trendy, and it still offers some “brilliant” and “subtle” dishes.
Top 10 places to push the boast out (well, a bit)
£40
A “longstanding favourite”, near Kelvinbridge Underground, this “extremely friendly and helpful” establishment is a “legend” – it was here, it is claimed, that chicken tikka masala first came into being nearly 50 years ago!
£41
The “area’s top Indian” offers “original” dishes with a “real range of flavour”, in a “cosy” beamed cottage that seems “even better after a recent interior revamp”; the Sunday buffet is “a winner” too.
www.maidstonephotofactory.com
Spice Merchant, Henley-on-Thames
£41
“In an area well served by good Indian restaurants”, this large riverside venture “still stands out as the best”, thanks to its “delicious” cooking and “excellent service”.
£42
“Delicate, clever little chutneys and pickles” are typical of the “exciting” Indian cuisine at this excellent venture, which is “ahead of the game” compared to others locally; the “superb Thali lunch” is great value.
Indian Zest, Sunbury on Thames
£43
“Can’t fault it” – the majority verdict on Manoj Vasaikar’s “very original” colonial-style venture, in a rambling villa; it offers “highly exotic” nouvelle Indian fare, which is ably served by “very knowledgeable” staff.
£44
With its “modern” and “well-balanced” cuisine, this Lanes fixture offers a “totally different” curry house experience, and attracts not only “discerning” locals but also “gastro-tourists down for a racy weekend!”
£45
It may be the “new kid on the Cheltenham block”, but this two-year-old gastronomic destination already elicits rave reviews for its “very well-executed twist on modern Indian” cuisine; “book well in advance”.
£50
“Reliably serving up the best Indian food hereabouts” – a suburban Indian in mock-colonial style, which inspires impressively consistent feedback.
£51
“Consistently the best food from the subcontinent in this part of the Midlands”; Sitab Khan’s “very stylish and upmarket” city-centre Indian elicits a flurry of superlatives from all who comment on it.
£59
“A rare treat”; even “the normal dishes are special”, at this “superb local”, which is praised for its “unusual and well-prepared” cooking and “relaxed” service.
Top 10 mid-price, but definitely not middle-of-the-road
£35
Thanks to its “high-quality” Keralan food, this mini-chain outlet is a “busy” sort of place that attracts only positive reports; “great dosas”.
£35
Surprisingly well worth seeking out near the railway station, a vast purpose-built operation where the food is “always good”, and whose lavish interior “doesn’t feel like an Indian restaurant”.
£35
“What an amazing local restaurant!”; Atul Kochar has brought a little of his Mayfair (Benares) magic to this “outstanding” Indian, where “fantastic” service is a particular highlight, and there are some “lovely” and “unusual” wines on offer too.
£36
Near the Theatre Royal, this cool, urban-chic Indian serves “highly enjoyable street-food in tapas-style portions”; its sister venue in Jesmond (opened in 2013) is just as popular.
£37
“Worth travelling to the middle of nowhere for!” – this “glass oasis on the A4” attracts the most positive reviews for its “really interesting and excellent” menu, on which South Indian (and especially seafood) dishes are the highlight; it’s a “smart” place too, with “great” service.
£37
“Moving to bigger and better (Drighlington) premises has, if anything, only improved the great food” at this well-established and “extremely friendly” Gujarati veggie, whose “amazing” cuisine is “worth travelling a long way for”; it now offers “wine and cocktails too”.
£37
With its “innovative, fresh-tasting and fragrant” cuisine, this “unusual” curry house “continues to be a stand-out eatery, even amongst Winchester’s numerous quality Indians”; it’s a small place, and fans say its “intimate” vibe is “perfect for dates”.
£37
“Forget the Curry Mile, and head to West Didsbury for the best curry in town”; this “always-busy” spot is “much expanded in recent years, but has not suffered any decline in quality”.
£37
“Still the best in Glasgow” according to its fans, this “very special Indian” is a West End fixture known for its eclectic tapas-style dishes; “avoid the basement, and you’ll enjoy the whole experience”.
£38
A “consistently good Asian restaurant that sets a benchmark for this type of food” – this “pleasant” HQ of a pre-eminent local chain is a real crowd-pleaser; special feature? – “the upstairs buffet is just amazing for its variety and quality”.
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