The search for the best curry in Bristol has taken many all over the city. But now the hunt might be over. Because not only is Namak arguably serving the best curries in town, it might also be Bristol’s best restaurant. Beating out other local favourites, such as Yafo and Root, the Indian spot in St Werburgh’s has won Best Restaurant in Bristol at the fourth annual British Restaurant Awards.
Winners were voted for by the public, so local love for Namak is sky-high. What makes this win surprising is that the Indian restaurant has been open just seven months – opening its doors back in February. One bite of the food, however, and that surprise melts away.
The focus at Namak is on meeting perfection rather than ripping up the rulebook. All the classics you know and love are here, from korma to tikka masala, but maybe rarely are these dishes as well prepared – using only the finest fresh ingredients. The menu travels the breadth of India too, with dishes such as meaning you can sample Goan fish curry next to a Kerala prawn and mango curry, both as delectable as each other.
The Indian restaurant does have a few surprises up its sleeve. For starters, why not give the lasooni deep-fried prawns and grilled scallops a shot. While for desserts, we can not get enough of the chocolate samosas, served with vanilla ice cream. While all food comes with a side order of magic tricks to enjoy alongside your meal.
Because despite being new, it comes with a lot of experience. Namak was started by head chef and owner Harris Massey, who has over 20 years of experience in the industry. He has worked at some of the best brands in India, Dubai and London like Radisson, Hyatt, The Great Kebab Factory, Dishoom and many others. Most recently he co-owned the Rock Salt restaurant in Cotham Hill.
Namak scooped the prestigious award at the ceremony in London’s Porchester Hall on Monday (September 12). It beat out tough competition from Tomo No Ramen, Yafo, Adelina Yard, Root, Wilsons, The Ethicurean and Casamia to win. To book a table, order takeaway, or find out more about Namak head here.