Curry

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If there is one thing the British public loves, its a good curry

The British Curry Awards have been running for 17 years and are always a hotly contested affair that sees the very best curry houses in the United Kingdom battle it out for the top spot.

Contenders for the awards, which is in association with Just Eat, are nominated by the public, meaning any restaurant has a chance to win.

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Dubbed the 'Oscars of the Curry World' by former Prime Minister David Cameron, curry restaurant owners from across the UK descended on the capital in the hope of being recognized as the best restaurant in their region and honored with a jewel in the crown of the UK curry restaurant industry. 

Mathura Restaurant, in Westminster's old fire station, won Best Newcomer for showcasing the cuisines of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar. As well as this Atul Kochhar - the first Indian chef to ever win a Michelin Star - won an award for his new restaurant in Westminster. The best takeaway award went to Maliks Express Kitchen in Buckinghamshire.

The ceremony saw awards handed to curry houses located in every corner of the United Kingdom. Scotland, Birmingham, Newcastle, and Cardiff all saw local restaurants pick up awards.

British Curry Awards Founder, Enam Ali, had this to say regarding the awards;

''What a year we have had – full of highs and lows as we have come out of the pandemic and had to try and rebuild our businesses after lockdowns. The support of our customers has been incredible but the challenges are still significant. At the British Curry Awards we have always stood up for the causes that matter to the industry. We are all now benefitting from the so-called vindaloo visa which has helped address the chef shortage problem. We will always fight your corner. And the Government does listen to us.''

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson even took time out to acknowledge the awards. He said ''I'm delighted that one of the greatest events in our gastronomic calendar, the Curry Oscars, is back in action and it's fantastic to celebrate the genius of our curry restaurateurs who have for decades offered their fragrant medleys. Throughout the testing times of the past two years, you've always responded with resolve and creativity, feeding our NHS heroes and dispatching fleets of mopeds to bring spice to the lives of millions of people at home.''

Here is the full list of winners.

Best Restaurant Scotland: Dishoom, 3A St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2BD

Best Restaurant North East: Mumtaz Restaurant, 386-410 Great Horton Road, Bradford BD7 3HS

Best Restaurant North West: Asha’s, 47 Peter Street, Manchester M2 3NG

Best Restaurant East Midlands: Montaz Newmarket, 30 Old Station Road, Newmarket CB8 8DN

Best Restaurant West Midlands: Pushkar Restaurant, 245 Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2HQ

Best Restaurant Wales: Purple Poppadom, 185a Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff CF11 9AJ

Best Restaurant South East: Chez Mumtaz, Centurian House 136-142 London Road, St Albans AL1 1PQ

Best Restaurant South West: Prithvi Restaurant, 37 Bath Road, Cheltenham GL53 7HG

Best Restaurant London Central & City: Benares, 12a Berkeley Square, Mayfair W1J 6BS

Best Restaurant London – Outer & Suburbs: Shampan Bromley, 38 Chatterton Road, Bromley BR2 9QN

Best Newcomer: Mathura Restaurant, 4 Greycoat Place, London SW1P 1SB

Best Delivery Restaurant/Takeaway: Maliks Express Kitchen, Shop 5, Marsham Way, Gerrards Cross SL9 8AB

Most Innovative Restaurant Concept: Khai Khai Indian Restaurant, 29 Queen Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 3UG