With chicken tikka masala often cited as the UK’s national dish, it’s certainly fair to say that we’ve been converted to a national of avowed curry lovers over the past decades.
hile the aforementioned dish may be a domestic creation, and a ubiquitous presence at curry houses across the length and breadth of the country, the truly discerning diner in search of an authentic taste of India would do well to investigate the UK’s ten best purveyors of Indian cuisine as revealed by Qype, Europe’s leading consumer reviews site.
Based on customer reviews posted to the site in the last six months, Qype’s rankings suggest that London is the place to be for those seeking top quality Indian dining, with seven of the ten listed restaurants located within the capital.
Moolis in Soho claimed the top spot in reviewer’s hearts with Tayyabi in East London’s Whitechapel, The Cinamon Club in Westminster, Covent Garden’s Dishoom and Imli, also located in Soho, rounding out the top five.
Interestingly, it is the Soho area of London’s West End as opposed to Brick Lane and other areas in the east of the city more frequently associated with the dish which emerges as the UK’s true curry Mecca, boasting no fewer than four establishments in the top ten.
Outside of London, only Edinburgh’s The Mosque Kitchen, Brighton’s The Chilli Pickle, and Akbar’s in Manchester make the cut. Other UK citys famous for their curry trade including Glasgow and Birmingham are notable by their absence of representation.
Top Ten Indian restaurants according to Qype reviewers:
- Moolis, Soho, London
- Tayybis, Whitechapel, London
- The Cinnamon Club, Westminster, London
- Dishoom, Covent Garden, London
- Imli, Soho, London
- The Mosque Kitchen, Edinburgh
- The Chilli Pickle, Brighton
- The Red Fort, Soho, London
- Masala Zone, Soho, London
- Akbars , Manchester
by Sam Jones
