Essex has a strong and varied Asian food scene, with restaurants and takeaways serving Indian, Punjabi, Pan Asian, Sri Lankan and other cuisines across the county. In 2026, ten Essex businesses have earned places on the regional shortlist for the ARTA Regional Restaurant of the Year award.
The shortlist stretches from Chelmsford and Colchester to Ilford, Harlow, South Benfleet and Ongar. Each finalist now has the opportunity to compete for regional recognition at the ARTA 2026 Grand Finale.
For anyone searching for the best Indian restaurants in Essex, the shortlist provides a useful starting point for finding some of the restaurants and takeaways representing the county in one of the UK’s major Asian hospitality awards.
What Is ARTA’s Regional Restaurant of the Year Award?
The Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards, known as ARTA, recognises restaurants, takeaways, chefs and hospitality professionals across the UK. The awards place customers at the heart of the process, with public nominations helping determine the businesses that progress to the regional stages.
ARTA is widely referred to as the “Oscars of the Curry Industry”, reflecting its focus on recognising achievement across the UK’s Asian restaurant and takeaway sector. The 2026 awards attracted more than 1,250 nominations from diners across the UK, with ChefOnline serving as ARTA’s Strategic Partner.
For each region, the process moves from nominations and scoring to a regional cook-off. The top ten Essex businesses have now reached that stage, putting them among the restaurants representing the county at ARTA 2026.
The Essex Shortlist at a Glance
The ten finalists competing for the ARTA 2026 Essex Restaurant of the Year title are:
- Arugam Bay, Chelmsford
- Banana Tree, Chelmsford
- Coggeshall Spice, Coggeshall, Colchester
- Enigma Pan Asian, Ilford
- Kelvedon Spice, Kelvedon, Colchester
- Kusturi Indian Restaurant, Colchester
- Malaya, South Benfleet
- Moonlight Tandoori, Harlow
- Pakwaan Indian Punjabi Cuisine, Writtle, Chelmsford
- Tanishq Restaurant & Bar, Toot Hill, Ongar
The official ARTA 2026 shortlist confirms all ten businesses within the Regional Restaurant of the Year, Essex category.
The list also shows the geographical spread of Essex’s Asian restaurant scene, with finalists representing several towns and communities across the county.
Samaj Weekly also published the complete Essex shortlist as part of its coverage of the ARTA 2026 regional Top 10 shortlists across the UK.
Meet the 10 Essex Finalists
Reaching the regional Top 10 is a significant stage in the ARTA journey. Each finalist has progressed through a process centred on customer nominations and further assessment.
1. Arugam Bay, Chelmsford
Arugam Bay is one of the two Chelmsford businesses included in the Essex regional shortlist. Its place in the ARTA 2026 Top 10 puts it among the Essex restaurants progressing to the regional cook-off stage.
Its inclusion also adds variety to a shortlist that brings together restaurants serving different Asian cuisines and dining styles.
2. Banana Tree, Chelmsford
Banana Tree joins Arugam Bay as a Chelmsford finalist in the 2026 Essex category.
With two businesses from Chelmsford represented in the Top 10, the city has a notable presence in this year’s regional competition. Banana Tree will now progress alongside the other Essex finalists towards the Grand Finale in October.
3. Coggeshall Spice, Coggeshall, Colchester
Coggeshall Spice represents Coggeshall in the Colchester area and has secured a place among the ten Essex finalists.
Its inclusion gives the regional shortlist representation from another part of the county, adding to the geographical spread of businesses competing for the Essex title.
4. Enigma Pan Asian, Ilford
Enigma Pan Asian represents Ilford in this year’s Essex shortlist.
Its inclusion reflects the breadth of the regional category, which brings together businesses with different Asian food influences and restaurant formats. The restaurant now progresses as one of the ten Essex finalists.
5. Kelvedon Spice, Kelvedon, Colchester
Kelvedon Spice is another finalist representing the Colchester area.
The restaurant joins Coggeshall Spice and Kusturi Indian Restaurant as part of the Essex Top 10, giving the wider Colchester area several representatives in the 2026 regional competition.
6. Kusturi Indian Restaurant, Colchester
Kusturi Indian Restaurant is the third Colchester-area business on the Essex shortlist.
Its place in the ARTA regional Top 10 puts it among the businesses now progressing through the final stages of the Essex competition. For local diners searching for Indian restaurants in Colchester, its inclusion also provides another finalist to follow ahead of the October awards ceremony.
7. Malaya, South Benfleet
Malaya represents South Benfleet in the Essex Regional Restaurant of the Year category.
Its inclusion contributes to the geographical diversity of the shortlist, which spans several parts of Essex rather than being concentrated in one town or city.
8. Moonlight Tandoori, Harlow
Moonlight Tandoori represents Harlow among the ten Essex finalists.
The restaurant’s place on the shortlist means Harlow will have representation at the next stage of the ARTA regional competition, with the final result to be announced at the Grand Finale in October.
9. Pakwaan Indian Punjabi Cuisine, Writtle, Chelmsford
Pakwaan Indian Punjabi Cuisine represents Writtle near Chelmsford and is one of three businesses from the Chelmsford area included in the Essex Top 10.
Its inclusion adds a Punjabi cuisine representative to a regional shortlist that covers a broad range of Asian food businesses.
10. Tanishq Restaurant & Bar, Toot Hill, Ongar
Tanishq Restaurant & Bar represents Toot Hill near Ongar and completes the Essex regional Top 10.
The business now joins the other nine finalists in progressing towards the ARTA 2026 Grand Finale, where the regional winners will be announced.
How Was the Essex Shortlist Judged?
ARTA uses a multi-stage assessment process rather than relying on a single measure. Customer nominations form the starting point, followed by additional scoring based on food, service, value, online reviews and food hygiene standards.
The Customer Nomination Score accounts for 30% of the overall score and covers three areas: quality of food, quality of service and value for money.
The ARTA Score accounts for another 30%. This includes TripAdvisor reviews, Google Reviews and Food Hygiene Ratings.
The remaining 40% comes from the Regional Cook-Off Score. At this stage, judges assess a served meal based on flavour, appearance, texture, aroma and hygiene.
This structure gives the Essex finalists several opportunities to demonstrate the qualities that matter to diners, from everyday customer experience and online reputation to the food presented during the regional cook-off.
Why the Essex Shortlist Matters to Local Diners
Restaurant awards can give diners another useful reference point when deciding where to eat or order from. The ARTA shortlist brings together businesses that have progressed through a process involving customer nominations, reviews, hygiene information and further judging.
If you are searching for the best Indian restaurants in Essex, the finalists offer a useful group of businesses to research. You can compare their menus, locations, cuisine styles and customer feedback before deciding where to dine or order.
The shortlist also reflects the variety of Asian hospitality across Essex. From Chelmsford and Colchester to Ilford, Harlow, South Benfleet and Ongar, the finalists represent communities across the county.
When and Where Will the Essex Winner Be Announced?
The winner of the ARTA 2026 Essex Regional Restaurant of the Year award will be announced at the ARTA 2026 Grand Finale & Gala Evening.
Date: Monday, 12 October 2026
Venue: London Hilton on Park Lane, London
The Grand Finale will bring together restaurant owners, chefs, hospitality professionals, industry figures, partners and supporters from across the UK. The regional winners will be announced during the evening alongside the wider ARTA awards.
The event represents the final stage of the 2026 competition for the ten Essex finalists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which restaurants are shortlisted for ARTA 2026 in Essex?
The Essex Top 10 includes Arugam Bay, Banana Tree, Coggeshall Spice, Enigma Pan Asian, Kelvedon Spice, Kusturi Indian Restaurant, Malaya, Moonlight Tandoori, Pakwaan Indian Punjabi Cuisine and Tanishq Restaurant & Bar.
What is the ARTA Essex Restaurant of the Year award?
It is the Essex regional category of the Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards, recognising restaurants and takeaways progressing through ARTA’s regional competition.
How are ARTA 2026 restaurants judged?
ARTA uses customer nomination scores, an ARTA Score based on reviews and Food Hygiene Ratings, followed by a regional cook-off assessing flavour, appearance, texture, aroma and hygiene.
When will the Essex ARTA winner be announced?
The regional winners will be announced at the ARTA 2026 Grand Finale on Monday, 12 October 2026, at the London Hilton on Park Lane.
Can I nominate an Essex restaurant for ARTA 2027?
ARTA’s 2026 nomination period has closed. Customers can follow the official ARTA channels for information about the next nomination period.
Why is ARTA important for Asian restaurants?
ARTA provides a platform for customers to recognise restaurants, takeaways, chefs and hospitality businesses across the UK. The awards combine public participation with additional assessment stages to recognise businesses across regional and national categories.
Essex Restaurants Take Centre Stage at ARTA 2026
The Essex Top 10 brings together restaurants and takeaways from across the county, giving local businesses the opportunity to represent their communities at one of the UK’s major Asian hospitality awards.
From Chelmsford and Colchester to Ilford, Harlow, South Benfleet and Ongar, this year’s finalists show the geographical and culinary range of Essex’s Asian restaurant scene.
For local diners, the shortlist provides ten businesses to follow as the competition reaches its final stage. For the finalists, the next milestone is the ARTA Grand Finale on 12 October, when the Essex Regional Restaurant of the Year will be announced at the London Hilton on Park Lane.
