“Weird Al” Yankovic may have shown that food-based parody music could find a huge audience in the ‘80s. But, even decades later, few would’ve predicted that a Bristolian curry house would find a worldwide fandom online—with viral hits like ‘Mr Riceside’, ‘Bhaji Girl’, and ‘You’re The Naan That I Want’.
That’s exactly what happened withUrban Tandoor. With two locations in Bristol (one on Whiteladies Road, the other in the Old City), it’s always been a popular spot, but you’d be hard-pressed to find room to seat all of its 254k+ TikTok followers. But does the food live up to the Indian restaurant’s hilarious, slightly surrealist videos?
Well, it’s just been named among the finalists for the Asian Food & Drink Award. The UK’s top 50 Asian restaurants include Birmingham’s Opheem, a two-star Michelin restaurant, and London’s Benares and Kutir, both of which hold one Michelin star. So what an achievement for Urban Tandoor!
Other notable names on the list include the London institution Tayyabs, and celebrity chef Cyrus Todiwala’s Café Spice Namasté. The top 50 venues will now be whittled down to 10 by a team of judges led by Good Curry Guide editor, George Shaw, before the awards ceremony on Monday, December 2.
“Those working in the Asian hospitality sector are a shining beacon of light showing the enrichment afforded by multiculturalism and the social cohesion enjoyed by most people in our towns and cities around the country,” said George Shaw. “The 10th Asian Food & Restaurant Awards are a significant landmark on a decade-long journey of celebrating culinary excellence.”
The Asian Food & Restaurant Awards is dedicated to recognising excellence across the Asian food and hospitality sector. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements among restaurants, takeaways, chefs, food and drink brands, catering companies, retailers, and suppliers that have made an indelible mark on the eating habits of the British public.
Attul Haq, AFRA’s CEO, said: “The British-Asian food and hospitality industry plays a significant role in the UK economy and contributes greatly to the country’s cultural and economic growth. These awards highlight the contribution of the people and brands that are driving Britain’s food industry forward.”
To book a table at Urban Tandoor head here.
The UK’s top 50 Asian restaurants:
- Andhra – Nottingham
- Babur – London
- Benares – London
- Café Spice Namaste – Docklands
- Cho Asia – Putney
- Charcoals – Glasgow
- Chatwala – Leicester
- The Cook’s Tale – Canterbury
- The Cook’s Adventures – Canterbury
- Club India – Wokingham
- Delhi 6 – South Shields
- Guru – Belfast
- Heritage – Dulwich
- iNaga – Bromley
- Indian Essence- Tunbridge Wells
- Indian Summer – Brighton
- The International – Bradford
- Jumeira – Kent
- Kasa & Kin – Soho
- Kahani – London
- Kebabish – Blackburn
- Kesarum – Southampton
- Kutir – Chelsea
- Kumquat – Tunbridge Wells
- Light of Bengal – Liverpool
- Madhu’s – Southall
- Maha Bharat – Devon
- Mango Lounge – Windsor
- MITR – Royston
- My Delhi – Newcastle
- Namak – South Woodford
- Navadhanya – Cambridge
- Opheem – Birmingham
- Orissa – Donington Castle
- Panache – Elgin
- Panas Gurkha – Blackheath
- Purple Poppadom – Cardiff
- Raaz – Putney
- Raval – Gateshead
- Rajdoot – Manchester
- Raj Kitchen – Swansea
- Red Fort – Caernarfon
- Shahbaaz – Aberdeen
- Tanishq – Ongar
- Tayyabs – East London
- Urban Tandoor – Bristol