Asian Express Newspaper – Finalists announced for the 2025 Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards (ARTA)

Annual Award Ceremony to Honour the UK’s Top Asian Restaurants

Finalists have been unveiled for the annual Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards (ARTA), the most prestigious celebration of Pan Asian cuisine in the UK, which this year will be taking place on Monday 6th October 2025 at the London Hilton Park Lane.

ARTA 2025 will welcome a guest list of the nation’s most popular Asian restaurateurs alongside MPs, dignitaries and celebrities. The ceremony will be hosted by BBC journalist and broadcaster, Samantha Simmonds, and magician, Paul Martin.The finest Asian restaurants and takeaways from across the UK will come together in London in the hope of being recognised as the best restaurant in their region or nationally and honoured with a jewel in the crown of the UK Asian restaurant industry award sector.

This year, more than 1,300 restaurants and takeaways across the UK were put forward by diners and food enthusiasts, with a large share of entries submitted via ChefOnline; ARTA’s strategic partner and one of the country’s leading platforms linking customers to Asian dining establishments. With access to a nationwide customer base of over a million, ChefOnline played a key role in encouraging broad participation in the awards. The nomination process was further strengthened by robust social media engagement and supporting data, including Food Hygiene Ratings.

Speaking about the Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards 2025, Mohammed Munim, Founder Member and CEO of ARTA, said “Asian restaurants and takeaways have long played a vital role in the UK’s economy and culture. Their contribution through job creation, community impact, and culinary excellence, deserves to be recognised. Especially in today’s challenging climate, ARTA is proud to champion their achievements and support their continued success. Every nominee is a testament to the industry’s resilience and we look forward to celebrating them on 6th October.”

ARTA 2025 Finalists:

Newcomer of the Year:

• Solas-Kitchen, Dalgety Bay, Dunfermline
• The Bombay, Swanley
• Durbar Spice, Downe, Orpington
• MITR Restaurant, Royston

Streetfood Restaurant of the Year:

• Punjabi Heaven Restaurant, Roundhay, Leeds
• My Delhi Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne
• Mr Chaat, Bolton
• Zaap Thai Street Food, Nottingham

Japanese Restaurant of the Year:

• Wakaze, Leicester
• Takayama Restaurant, Ipswich
• Maneki Ramen, Worcester
• Oishii Japanese Restaurant, Hertford

Asian Fusion Restaurant of the Year:

• SIBU, Batley
• Mina Steakhouse, Cambridge
• Yakitori House, East Kilbride, Glasgow
• Wadud’s Fusion of Thai & Indian Restaurant, Cressing, Braintree

Turkish Restaurant of the Year:

• ETCI Kitchen, Brighton and Hove, Brighton
• Nova Park Royal, London
• Troia Southbank, London
• SAVCI Turkish Mediterranean, Stopsley, Luton

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Northern Ireland:

• Himalayan, Belfast
• Indian Ocean Restaurant, Holywood
• Nu Delhi Restaurant Lounge, Belfast
• Yaks, Bangor

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Scotland:

• Firangi, Cambuslang, Glasgow
• Masala Twist, Glasgow
• Sidhu’s, Perth
• Yorokobi by CJ, Aberdeen

Regional Restaurant of the Year – South Wales:

• 1988 Indian Restaurant, Sully, Penarth
• Mango Tree, Cardiff
• Rasoi Waterfront, Swansea
• Spice Delight, Penarth

Regional Restaurant of the Year – North Wales:

• Ijazz Indian Cuisine, Wrexham
• Junction Tandoori Restaurant, Llandudno Junction
• Spice of Llanberis, Llanberis, Caernarfon
• Valley Spice, Corwen

Regional Restaurant of the Year – North West:

• Freya’s Grill, Darwen
• Thamin, Littleborough
• Venus Lounge Restaurant, Heywood
• Wild Ginger Restaurant, Littleborough

Regional Restaurant of the Year – North East:

• Sachi’s Burley, Burley in Wharfedale, Ilkley
• Sherkhan Of Alnwick, Alnwick
• Soami’s Trio By Parvin Kumar, Consett
• Soho Tavern, Gateshead

Regional Restaurant of the Year – West Midlands:

• Bao To The Broth, Hereford
• Millennium, Birmingham
• Monsoon Majestic Indian Dining, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Newcastle
• Tamarind, Balsall Common, Coventry

Regional Restaurant of the Year – East Midlands:

• House Boat Restaurant, Derby
• Shapla Spice, Ripley
• Silchar Indian Dining, Hinckley
• Spice Lounge, Brackley

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Hertfordshire:

• Dalchini Spice, Shefford
  Raj Of India, Welwyn Garden City
• Tamarind, Potters Bar
• The Cochin Indian Restaurant, Hemel Hempstead

Regional Restaurant of the Year – East Anglia:

• Sushi And Salad, Ely
• Rose and Mango, Saint Neots
• Lowestoft Tandoori, Lowestoft
• Shilpa Indian Restaurant, Papworth Everard, Cambridge

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Essex:

• Rim Jhim Spice Indian Restaurant, Colchester
• Moonlight Tandoori, Harlow
• Maharani Indian Restaurant, Colchester
• Kelvedon Spice, Kelvedon, Colchester

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Kent:

• The Bombay Restaurant, Orpington
• Prince of India, Faversham
• Indian Valley Restaurant and Takeaway, Orpington
• Shozna, Rochester

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Surrey:

• Bay Leaves, Epsom
• Trishala, Redhill
• Rishi’s in Slate & Grain Brasserie and Bar, Hackbridge, Wallington
• Coulsdon Spice, Coulsdon

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Sussex:

• Akash Indian Restaurant & Takeaway, Horsham
• Calcutta 16, Shoreham-by-Sea
• Moonstone Sri Lankan Restaurant, Brighton and Hove, Hove
• Tamasha, Lindfield, Haywards Heath

Regional Restaurant of the Year – South Central:

• Chennai Express, Fleet
• Mint Lounge, Southampton
• Spice Lounge, Burford
• The Paradise Balti House, Petersfield

Regional Restaurant of the Year – South West:

• Chilli’s, Weymouth
• Indian Queen, Saint Columb
• Royal Jaipur, Landford, Salisbury
• Salkaara, Henleaze, Bristol

Regional Restaurant of the Year – North London:

• Pinos Warung, Chalk Farm, London
• Taste of Goa, Finsbury Park, London
• Ruhit’s Indian Cuisine, London
• Taste of Nawab, London

Regional Restaurant of the Year – City & East London:

• Mumbai Square Restaurant, London
• The India, London
• Bengal Village, London
• The Famous Curry Bazaar, London

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Central & West London:

• BKC – Biryani Kebab Chai, Tyburnia, London
• Durbar Tandoori, London
• Maharaja of India, London
• Tajmahal Indian Cuisine, London

Regional Restaurant of the Year – South London:

• Colombo Kitchen Putney, London
• Mumbai Delight, London
• Saka Maka Hither Green Indian Restaurant, London
• Toba, London

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Scotland:

• Slumdog Delivered, Edinburgh
• Azaad Takeaway, Invergowrie, Dundee
• Gurkha Kitchen, Fraserburgh
• A Touch of Spice Takeaway, Coatbridge

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Wales:

• The Masala Indian Takeaway, Colwyn Bay
• AMK Indian Takeaway, Colwyn Bay
• Saffron Kitchen, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran
• Paprika Indian Takeaway, Pen-clawdd, Swansea

Regional Takeaway of the Year – North West:

• The Maharaja, Stretford, Manchester
• Masala Bay, Oldham
• Indialicious, Rochdale
• River Beal Indian Takeaway, Rochdale

Regional Takeaway of the Year – West Midlands:

• Lime Pickle, Birmingham
• Little Bengal, Catshill, Bromsgrove
• Spice Nation, Hollywood, Birmingham
• Village Spice, Telford

Regional Takeaway of the Year – East Midlands:

• Miah’s Takeaway, Heanor
• SunSushi, Far Cotton, Northampton
• Masala Takeaway, Sherwood, Nottingham
• Shipon Tandoori, Chesterfield

Regional Takeaway of the Year – East Anglia:

• Eastern Spice, Ipswich
• Urbanchai, Cambridge
• Lime Takeaway, Bury Saint Edmunds
• Bhujon Indian & Bangladeshi Takeaway, Tring

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Essex:

• The Raj Tandoori, Southend-on-Sea
• Kaani Kaana, Chelmsford
• Tina’s Kitchen, Gants Hill, Ilford
  Balti Night, Braintree

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Hertfordshire:

• Aroma, Radlett
• Balti Village, Harpenden
• Saffron, Borehamwood
• ChilliGo, Waltham Cross

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Kent:

• A Taste of India, Chatham
• Jhal Chilli, Maidstone
• Sher E Bangla, Longfield
• Mum’s Thai, Chatham

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Surrey:

• Rice and Spice, Ewell, Epsom
• Purbani, Guildford
• Curry Master, Epsom
• Jalsha Indian Takeaway, Ashford

Regional Takeaway of the Year – South West:

• Mela Indian Takeaway, Montpelier, Bristol
• Blue Mango, Taunton
• Black Peppers, Bristol
• Myra’s Korean and Japanese Restaurant, Dorchester

Regional Takeaway of the Year – South London:

• Malabar Feast, London
• Nazran’s Indian & Punjabi Cuisine, London
• Passage to India Takeaway, Norwood, London Samrat, London

Although the UK’s curry industry has been thriving post the pandemic and the BREXIT impact of increasing costs of ingredients, currently contributing £4.5 billion to the economy in 2025, up from £4.2 billion in 2024, recent changes to immigration rules introduced on 22nd July 2025 pose a significant threat to the industry’s future. Under the Home Office’s latest immigration reforms (Statement of Changes HC 997, 22 July 2025), chefs have been entirely removed from all three official hiring lists: the Shortage Occupation List, Temporary Shortage List and General Work Visa List. This move effectively restricts the recruitment of skilled chefs from the Indian Subcontinent, regardless of the salary offered, a big challenge to an industry where approximately 90% of kitchen staff are skilled workers from the Indian Subcontinent.

The curry sector was already facing acute labour shortages, with just 9,300 Skilled Worker Visas granted to the entire hospitality sector in 2023 and a staff turnover rate of 52% across hospitality. A 2024 survey by an industry trade publication, Spice Business, found that 88% of Asian restaurant owners were struggling to hire skilled chefs due to rising costs and visa hurdles. With the new immigration rules now in place, the situation has dramatically worsened with an estimated 30–35% of curry restaurants forced to reduce opening hours or close temporarily in the coming months due to staff shortages.