International restaurants in Bradford city centre and on Stickler Lane have built a solid reputation in the face of increased competition
International in Morley Street, Bradford is a name familiar to many in the city and beyond. Opened in 1976, the restaurant is just shy of its 50th anniversary. Over the years, it has maintained an excellent reputation in a city that’s home to many – and some of the best curry houses in the UK.
In fact, International has achieved something of a cult status in the city, attributed to its reliably good and delicious food, combining old school curries with some more modern dishes. In 2022, a second International opened on Stickler Lane and in the short time since it started trading, it too has built a loyal following. Both restaurants are now managed by Safeer Khan, who took over the original business from his father in 2018. His father ran the original International restaurant alongside another family member.
“Back in 1976, my father decided to go into the restaurant trade – my family has always enjoyed cooking,” recalls Safeer. “We had a restaurant in Pakistan and at that time in the UK, there were not so many restaurants and they wanted to start a business so they could send some money back home. It also functioned as a place for family and friends to meet and enjoy some food. That was one of the reasons it all started – to see if it worked and to make some money to send back home,” explains Safeer.
Safeer’s father was the chef, cooking dishes based on his recipes, while the other family member ran front of house. International was typical of other Indian restaurants of that time – catering to diners at all hours. It even had a pool table and slot machines, while its city centre location next to nightclubs and bars made it a popular choice for late night eating and drinking – even as late as three or four in the morning, when the restaurant would get what Safeer refers to as the ‘taxi driver rush’.
“At that time, there weren’t many restaurants that used to cook authentic food; people used to talk about us, helping our reputation to grow,” says Safeer.
Modern times
International underwent an extensive refurbishment in 2000, when the restaurant was closed for around 18 months, with plans to make it more modern, updating the infrastructure. When Safeer’s father retired in 2018, after a good 40 years in the industry, there was a second refurbishment, with changes to both the restaurant’s space and the cuisine. It was at this point that Safeer became involved in the business.
“It was high time for another refurbishment; I used to help my father in the restaurant so when the time came, I took over,” recalls Safeer. “This renovation took about seven months, the idea was to make International more of a brand, matching the food with the service, the decoration and the ambience. We were known for authentic, inexpensive cuisine but over the years we’ve realised it’s not just about the food. We didn’t want to compromise on the food, the quality, the portion size, the service or the decor.”
The Covid pandemic happened shortly after this second renovation, which prompted International to introduce a delivery service for the first time in its 40-year history, which it still maintains today.
Food for thought
One of International’s most renowned dishes is its chicken tikka masala, originally created by Safeer’s father in the 1970s.
“At that time, there was no such dish – nobody knew what it was, but it was so famous that everyone wanted it,” says Safeer. “Over the years we’ve introduced different dishes, it’s about what people like and what’s popular but we’ve also focused on what we are good at. I’ve always been a firm believer in not being a jack of all trades, master of none. We decided to stick to our curries and add other dishes.
There are plenty of old school curries and classics to choose from, such as an extensive range of baltis, biryanis and karahis, alongside korma, rogan josh and dopiaza curries. Other dishes include special grills and Punjabi traditional Desi dishes, among others.
Opening the 300-seat Stickler Road restaurant on the outskirts of Bradford has given International some much-needed space to cater for its ever-growing customer numbers, particularly large groups and parties, given that it was not possible for it to extend the kitchen or dining space in its city centre location. Opened in 2022, International on Sticker Lane is on the former site of another restaurant, The 3 Singhs.
“We decided we’d outgrown the first International, our kitchen was not big enough and there was no room to extend it,” he says. “As the business was growing, we decided we needed a bigger space, particularly to host larger groups.”
International on Sticker Lane has ample car parking for guests and hosts functions on a regular basis.
“It’s a great place for diners when they want to host a special celebration,” says Safeer. “It’s completely exceeded our expectations since we opened.”
Star quality
International is now firmly on the culinary map in Bradford and has received a number of accolades, with the second branch highly-sought after for parties, celebrations and work functions. The city centre restaurant remains as popular as it ever was, with people heading there before or after a show at the nearby local theatre. Many of its customers over the last 40 years still visit today.
“We wanted to do something with our brand and we’ve exceeded our expectations,” says Safeer. “This has been our journey and now the name International speaks volumes in this area. We’ve been going from strength to strength – it’s very different from when my father was in charge – back then it was all providing authentic food. Now we have to ensure we are modern, keeping up with all our customers’ needs and ensuring we are ahead of the competition.”
Safeer is keeping an open mind about opening another International and says it’s important to never forget your roots.
“My father worked so hard in the 70s and 80s, he used to do 20-hour shifts, opening the restaurant all the way from 11 o’clock in the morning until six o’clock the following morning,” says Safeer. “He used to go to the markets and the cash and carry to pick up supplies and ingredients – it wasn’t easy and he made many sacrifices. We work hard now but it’s nothing compared to the work my father put in. If it wasn’t for the first International, we wouldn’t be here today. We don’t know where we might be in the future – it’s a journey, but one I’m excited to be on.”
International Restaurant
254 Sticker Lane, Bradford BD4 8RN
Morley Street, Bradford BD7 1BA
