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These are all the winners of the Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards 2023

Did your fave spot earn a place on this prestigious list?

Amy Houghton
Written by
Amy Houghton
Contributing writer
Assorted curry and rice dishes on a table
Photograph: Shutterstock
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Asian cuisine is an essential and thriving part of the UK’s food scene. Curries, noodles, dim-sum, ramen, roti, fragrant spices and fiery sauces – from Sri Lanka to Japan, we Brits simply couldn’t live without Asia’s immensely diverse (and immensely tasty) variety of cuisine. 

But which Asian restaurants in Britain are doing it best? Well, that’s what the Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards (ARTA) are for. The awards are a nationwide celebration of pan-Asian eateries throughout the country and this year’s national and regional winners have just been revealed. 

It’s been a pretty rigorous judging process. The competing restaurants were first determined by customer nominations before being whittled down via a round of scoring based on factors including ​​quality of food, quality of service and value for money and online reviews. Then they were subject to regional ‘cook-offs’ where judges rank dishes according to their flavour, appearance, texture, aroma and hygiene. 

After all of that, the Milnrow Balti Restaurant in Rochdale, Greater Manchester was officially declared this year’s champion of champions. According to its website, the winning restaurant ‘promises an immersion in renowned Asian hospitality. From the moment you step into our establishment, we envelop you in warmth, whether you're here for a hearty meal, a light snack, or to await your takeaway. The tasteful decor, ambient lighting, and melodic tunes transport you to a realm of rich cultural heritage.’ 

The other national winners included The Chequers Indian Lounge in Ipswich for Chef of the Year, Kaani Kaana in Chelmsford for Takeaway of the Year and Coco Buffet in Weston-super-Mare, which won Newcomer of the Year. 

Here’s the full list of winners: 

Champion of Champion: The Milnrow Balti Restaurant, Rochdale, Oldham

National Chef of the Year: The Chequers Indian Lounge, Great Blakenham, Ipswich

National Takeaway of the Year: Kaani Kaana, Chelmsford

Newcomer of the Year: Coco Buffet, Weston-super-Mare

Fine Dine Restaurant of the Year: Dining Room, Sheerness, Rochester

Street Food Restaurant of the Year: My Delhi, Newcastle upon Tyne

Japanese Restaurant of the Year: Maneki Ramen, Worcester

Korean Restaurant of the Year: Yori, Piccadilly Circus, London

Sri Lankan Restaurant of the Year: Colombo Kitchen Restaurant, Worcester Park, Kingston upon Thames

European Restaurant of the Year: Tamasha, Playa Blanca, Spain

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Northern Ireland: Nu Delhi Restaurant Lounge, Belfast

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Wales: Belfoi, Carmarthen, Swansea

Regional Restaurant of the Year – North West: The Milnrow Balti Restaurant, Rochdale, Oldham

Regional Restaurant of the Year – West Midlands: Shifnal Balti, Shifnal, Telford

Regional Restaurant of the Year – East Midlands: Nazreen, Kettering, Northampton

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Hertfordshire: Cumin Bar & Restaurant, Broxbourne, Enfield

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Essex: Cinnamon, Epping, Chelmsford

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Surrey: Tarana, Lingfield, Redhill

Regional Restaurant of the Year – South Central: Jalpari of Woodley, Woodley, Reading

Regional Restaurant of the Year – North London: The Rajdoot, Hampstead, London

Regional Restaurant of the Year – South London: Saka Maka, Hither Green, London

Regional Restaurant of the Year – West London: Durbar Tandoori Restaurant, Bayswater, London

Regional Restaurant of the Year – South West: Daaku, Falmouth, Truro

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Sussex: Tamasha, Lindfield, Redhill

Regional Restaurant of the Year – North East: Raval Indian Brasserie & Bar, Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne

Regional Takeaway of the Year – North East: Balti Hut, Linthorpe, Cleveland

Regional Takeaway of the Year – North West: Bradshaw Tandoori, Bradshaw, Bolton

Regional Takeaway of the Year – West Midlands: Chutney Express, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Essex: Kaani Kaana, Chelmsford

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Surrey: Mohini Balti House, Carshalton, Sutton

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Kent: Sher-E-Bangla, Longfield, Dartford

Regional Takeaway of the Year – East Anglia: Eastern Spice Ipswich, Suffolk, Ipswich

Regional Takeaway of the Year – East Midlands: Miah's Takeaway, Heanor, Derby

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Wales: Kalimirch, Barry, Cardiff

Chef of the Year – Wales: Elaichi, Carmarthen, Swansea

Chef of the Year – East Anglia: The Chequers Indian Lounge, Great Blakenham, Ipswich

Chef of the Year – East London: The Empress, Whitechapel, East London

Chef of the Year – South West: Spice Club, Bridgwater, Taunton

Chef of the Year – Surrey: Indian Panorama, East Molesey, Kingston upon Thames

Chef of the Year – Hertfordshire: Ruby, Hertford, Stevenage 

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