Finalists have been revealed for the prestigious Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards (ARTA) 2023, an annual celebration of Pan Asian cuisine in the United Kingdom.
Started in 2018, the prestigious awards returns for its fourth edition.
This year’s event is scheduled for Sunday, 8 October, at London’s Hilton Park Lane and promises to be a glamorous affair, with a guest list featuring popular Asian restaurateurs, Members of Parliament, dignitaries, and celebrities.
BBC presenters Samantha Simmonds and Paul Martin will host the ceremony.
Image: ARKA
Restaurants and takeaways specializing in Asian cuisine from all corners of the UK will converge in the capital, vying for recognition as the top establishment in their region or nationally. The coveted ARTA awards represent a significant honour within the UK Asian restaurant industry.
The selection process for the finalists involved a two-step approach. First, there was a public nominations drive, where individuals could put forward their favourite Asian dining spots.
Subsequently, a formal evaluation was conducted, considering various criteria such as service quality, product quality, value for money, and food hygiene ratings. The number of public nominations also played a role in determining the finalists. After a thorough vetting process, the deserving finalists have been unveiled across multiple ARTA categories.
Herer are the ARTA 2023 Finalists:
Newcomer of the Year:
Savci, Stopsley, Luton
Tanishq Restaurant & Bar, Ongar, Chelmsford
Shimlas, Attleborough, Norwich
Coco Buffer, Weston-Super-Mare
Fine Dine Restaurant of the Year:
Dhoom, Dunfermline, Kirkaldy
Dining Room, Sheerness, Rochester
Blue Jasmine, Ocean Village, Southampton
Chaskaa Indian, Bruntsfield, Edinburgh
Korean Restaurant of the Year:
Cafe Andamiro, Newington, Edinburgh
Bento Bab, Aldgate, London
Yori, Piccadilly Circus, London
Bullgogi Restaurant, Notting Hill, London
Japanese Restaurant of the Year:
Tanakatsu, Camden, London
Maneki Ramen, Worcester
Sakura, Weston-super-Mare
Sapporo Teppanyaki, Castlefield, Manchester
Street Food Restaurant of the Year:
Mowgli Street Food, Brighton
Streetly Balti, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham
Twisted Indian Street Food, Blackpool
My Delhi, Newcastle upon Tyne
European Restaurant of the Year:
Kashmir House, Paris, France
New Delhi, Milano, Italy
Tamasha, Playa Blanca, Spain
Royal Indian Restaurant, Munich, Germany
Sri Lankan Restaurant of the Year:
Copper Ceylon, Bromley, London
The Pier Ceylon, Herne Bay, Canterbury
Colombo Kitchen Restaurant, Worcester Park, Kingston upon Thames
Rathiga Restaurant & Bar, Luton
Regional Restaurant of the Year – Northern Ireland:
Yaks, Bangor
Nu Delhi Restaurant Lounge, Belfast
Bangla, Bangor
India Gate, Belfast
Regional Restaurant of the Year – Scotland:
The Royal Bengal, Dunfermline, Kirkaldy
Qismat, Elgin, Inverness
Sylhet Brasserie, Grantown-on-Spey, Perth
Carron to Mumbai, Stonehaven, Aberdeen
Regional Restaurant of the Year – Wales:
Benllech Tandoori Restaurant, Benllech, Llandudno
Belfoi, Carmarthen, Swansea
The Grand Sultan, Port Talbot, Swansea
Mango Tree, Whitchurch, Cardiff
Regional Restaurant of the Year – North West:
Spice Valley, Horwich, Bolton
The Milnrow Balti Restaurant, Rochdale, Oldham
Achari, Bolton
Paneer, Wallasey, Chester
Regional Restaurant of the Year – West Midlands:
Delhi 45 Indian Streatery, Rubery, Birmingham
Titash Indian Restaurant, Sheldon, Birmingham
Shifnal Balti, Shifnal, Telford
The Royal Bengal, Earlsdon, Coventry
Regional Restaurant of the Year – East Midlands:
Royal Tandoori, Corby, Northampton
Sylhet Spice, Ripley, Derby
The Bridge & Bayleaf, Gunthorpe, Nottingham
Nazreen, Kettering, Northampton
Regional Restaurant of the Year – North East:
Jays Indian, Durham
Ahad Tandoori, Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Bayleaf Indian Restaurant, Cramlington, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Raval Indian Brasserie & Bar, Gateshead, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Regional Restaurant of the Year – Hertfordshire:
Mint Leaf, Stortford, Chelmsford
Zaffran One, St Albans
Cumin Bar & Restaurant, Broxbourne, Enfield
Raj of India, Welwyn Garden City, St Albans
Regional Restaurant of the Year – Essex:
The Polash, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea
Cinnamon, Epping, Chelmsford
Village Indiya Restaurant, Benfleet, Romford
Pride of Sylhet, Dunmow, Chelmsford
Regional Restaurant of the Year – Surrey:
Trishala, Redhill
Tiffin Wala, Camberley, Guildford
The Rajdoot, Guildford
Tarana, Lingfield, Redhill
Regional Restaurant of the Year – South Central:
Burghfield Spices, Burghfield, Reading
Jalpari of Woodley, Woodley, Reading
Madhuban Tandoori, Liss, Guildford
House of Flavours, Reading
Regional Restaurant of the Year – North London:
Ruhit’s Indian Cuisine, Brent
The Rajdoot, Hampstead
Pinos Warung, Chalk Farm
The Spice, Kentish Town
Regional Restaurant of the Year – South London:
Samrat, Tooting
Gandhi’s, Kennington
Pure Indian Cooking, Fulham
Saka Maka, Hither Green
Regional Restaurant of the Year – West London:
Haweli of Ealing, Ealing
Durbar Tandoori Restaurant, Bayswater
The Rajdoot, Marylebone
Takaa Tak, Ealing
Regional Restaurant of the Year – South West:
Denley’s Essence of India, Topsham, Exeter
Drgnfly Pan Asian Restaurant, Poole, Bournemouth
Daaku, Falmouth, Truro
Iford Tandoori, Iford, Bournemouth
Regional Restaurant of the Year – Sussex:
The New Curry Centre, Horsham, Redhill
Calcutta 16, Shoreham-by-Sea, Brighton
Darchini, Horsham, Redhill
Tamasha, Lindfield, Redhill
Regional Takeaway of the Year – North East:
The Jewel In the Crown, Birtley, Chester-le-Street
Zeera Tandoori, Durham
Balti Hut Indian Takeaway, Middlesborough, Cleveland
Spice Junction, Boldon Colliery, Newcastle upon Tyne
Regional Takeaway of the Year – North West:
Arong Tandoori, Waterloo, Liverpool
Bombay Cuisine, Prestwich, Manchester
Akash, Accrington, Blackburn
Bradshaw Tandoori, Bradshaw, Bolton
Regional Takeaway of the Year – West Midlands:
New Royal Balti, Audley, Stoke-on-Trent
Chutney Express, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham
Mahim Indian Takeaway, Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury
Karma Lounge, Tamworth, Birmingham
Regional Takeaway of the Year – Essex:
Pathari’s, Wickford, Southend-on-Sea
Kismet, Colchester
Spice Boys, Harlow, Chelmsford
Kaani Kaana, Chelmsford
Regional Takeaway of the Year – Surrey:
Hampton Tandoori, Hampton, Twickenham
Vindaloo Indian Takeaway, Farnborough, Guildford
Mohini Balti House, Carshalton Beeches, Carshalton, Sutton
Chipstead Tandoori, Coulsdon, Croydon
Regional Takeaway of the Year – Kent:
Shumi Tandoori, Frindsbury, Rochester
Mahan Indian Takeaway, Bexley, Dartford
Naims Tandoori, Bedford, Milton Keynes
Sher E Bangla, Longfield, Dartford
Regional Takeaway of the Year – East Anglia:
Kairali South Indian, Poringland, Norwich
Eastern Spice, Suffolk, Ipswich
Bhujon, Tring, Hemel Hempstead
Lime Takeaway, Saint Edmunds, Ipswich
Regional Takeaway of the year – East Midlands:
Little India, Desford, Leicester
Agra Cottage, Bingham, Nottingham
Miah’s Takeaway, Heanor, Derby
Rikshaw Urban Indian Kitchen, Sherwood, Nottingham
Regional Takeaway of the year – Wales:
Masalla, Port Talbot, Swansea
Tiffin Rasoi, Barry, Cardiff
Kalimirch, Barry, Cardiff
Shaan Tandoori Takeaway, Ammanford, Swansea
Additional awards will be presented on the night for Champion of Champions; National Chef of the Year; and National Takeaway of the Year.
ARTA Founder Salik Mohammed Munim said, “The UK’s popular Asian restaurant industry, known for its resilience in weathering operational and business challenges such as staff shortages and the Covid pandemic, now faces a new set of challenges during the current cost of living crisis.
“The prices of products, ingredients and energy have risen significantly while customers are also facing the pinch. In this tough situation, ARTA will once again be honouring the UK’s best Asian restaurants and takeaways who are committed to delivering the best in restaurant and home dining in these tough circumstances.”
