More than 500 guests gathered in London as 41 awards were presented to the chefs, restaurateurs and entrepreneurs driving Britain’s £4 billion curry industry forward.
[LONDON] The Curry Life Awards 2026 took place on Sunday 4 October at the InterContinental London Park Lane, at a glittering ceremony hosted by BBC presenters and journalists Jon Kay and Luxmy Gopal.
The event brought together 500 guests, including British Asian entrepreneurs and professionals from across the hospitality industry, to celebrate top achievers in the curry sector and highlight its excellence, innovation and entrepreneurship.
A total of 41 Awards were presented to winners from across the country in four categories, including Best Restaurant, Best Chef, Editor’s Choice and Best Takeaway.
Thousands of customers voted for their favourite restaurants, takeaways and chefs before judges went through a rigorous selection process to choose the shortlist and the winners. This year’s roll of honour spans the UK, from Brighton to Bolton and Taunton to Teesside.
Organised by Curry Life magazine, part of Curry Life Media Group, the Curry Life Awards honour professionals and business leaders in the curry industry who have demonstrated exceptional performance, achievement and culinary excellence.
Curry Life Media Group also launched two new initiatives at the event to help the curry industry and its professionals highlight their work and businesses. They are the Best of British Recipe Book project and Curry Market, a marketplace for buying and selling restaurants.
Curry Life Editor, Syed Belal Ahmed, said: “The UK’s curry industry features some of the country’s most inspiring businesspeople and restaurateurs. We are delighted to give them a national platform to celebrate their hard-won achievements so they can continue to thrive. The British Curry Industry has once again done itself proud.”
Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE, former president of the CBI, founder of Cobra Beer and long-time supporter of the Curry Life Awards said: “The curry industry is an integral part of Britain’s economic, cultural and culinary life. It supports livelihoods in communities throughout the country, while continuing to unite people through a shared love of exceptional food.
“The Curry Life Awards recognise the remarkable talent, dedication and entrepreneurial spirit of the restaurateurs, chefs and teams whose hard work sustains this outstanding industry.
“By celebrating their achievements and encouraging the next generation, these awards help secure a strong and ambitious future for Britain’s curry industry, building on its proud heritage while embracing new opportunities for growth and innovation.”
MPs from across the country gathered at the Awards to support restaurants in their constituencies, including Lloyd Hatton MP from Weymouth, Dorset, and Gideon Amos OBE MP from Taunton, Somerset. Rushanara Ali MP also attended. They highlighted the role the winners play in their communities and the wider industry’s contribution.
Syed Pasha, Organiser of the Awards, added: “Congratulations to the winners of the Curry Life Awards 2026. This year marks the 17th edition of our Awards – a celebration of excellence in the curry sector and a testament to our commitment to highlight the hard work, resilience and creativity in the sector. Restaurants up and down the country continue to face increased costs – from wages to ingredients and there is a real risk of a skills shortage following changes to immigration policies. These Awards demonstrate why the sector needs further, significant support – so that it can continue its vital contribution to the UK economy.”
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FULL LIST OF WINNERS
EDITOR’S CHOICE OF THE YEAR 2026
- Surrey Palace, Ewell, Surrey
- Lala’s Restaurant, Leeds/Bradford, West Yorkshire
- Monsoon Majestic Indian Dining, Newcastle Under Lyme, Newcastle
- Riverside Spice, Colchester, Essex
- Downham Tandoori, Downham Market, Norfolk
- Chennai Indian Cuisine, Leek, Staffordshire
- Celebrities Indian Restaurant, Cardiff
- The Aberdale Pub & Grill, Wigston, Leicester
- Amni Chester, Chester
- iNaga Restaurant, Coney Hall Roundabout, West Wickham
BEST RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2026
- Dilraz Restaurant, Bridgnorth, Shrophire
- Royal Masala, Kingswinford, Dudley
- The Bombay Swanley, Swanley, Kent
- Evesham Balti, Evesham, Worcestershire
- The Viceroy, Newhaven, East Sussex
- Jalapari of Woodley, Woodley, Reading
- Chowringhee Indian Cuisine, Patcham, Brighton
- King’s Lynn Tandoori, Kings Lynn, Norfolk
- Cavalli, Stone, Staffordshire
- Lasani Soutwell, Southwell, Nottinghamshire
- Chilli’s Restaurant, Weymouth, Dorset
- Spice Heaven, Whitchurch, Shropshire
- Seaton Tandoori, Seaton Carew. Hartlepool
- Da Mount Gurkha, Waterloo, Liverpool
- Maliha & Taj Bangali and Indian Restaurant, Taunton Somerset
- Spice Village, New Ash Green, Kent
- Arya Indian Restaurant, Watford, Hertfordshire
- Monsoon restaurant, Hollywood, Birmingham
- Spice Master, Tilehurst, Reading
BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR 2026
- Chef Goyas Ullah, Queens Head Restaurant, Bretford, Rugby
- Chef Abdul Malik, Saffron, Leek, Staffordshire
- Chef Shamsul Miah, Cinnamon Lounge, Horbury, Wakefield
- Chef Moshahid Ali (Raj), Naaz Indian Cuisine, Hesketh Bank, Preston
- Syed Usmani, Indian Queen Takeaway, Rugby, Staffordshire
- Chef Abdul Miah, Prince of India, Faversham, Kent
- Samir Desai, The Broadway Bar & Grill, Leicester
BEST TAKEAWAY OF THE YEAR 2026
- Taj Mahal Night, Chelmsford, Essex
- Clay Oven Takeaway, South Dagenham, Essex
- Henlow Tandoori, Henlow, Bedfordshire
- Little India, Bolton, Greater Manchester
- Bayleaf Takeaway, Whetstone, London
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