When you are running a restaurant, cooking food isn’t the only thing to focus on. It’s about the heart. About long hours, spicy fingers, loyal regulars, and hoping your chicken madras lives up to the hype every single time. So when you pour your soul into every dish, there’s something seriously special about having it recognised on a national level.
That’s exactly what the Asian Curry Award by ARTA is all about. And in 2024, some brilliant restaurants made the cut, and if you’re aiming to be one of them this year, or just curious who’s currently topping the charts, this one’s for you.
Why the “Asian Curry Award” is More Than Just a Trophy
Look, we’ve all seen awards floating around. Some matter, some don’t. But ARTA? This one’s legit. These awards are built around real customer votes, serious judging, and a food culture that runs deep across the UK. It’s not just a logo you slap on your window, it’s a badge of honour that says: “Yep, we’re doing something right.”
And for diners? Seeing you’re an ARTA curry award winner tells them that you’re not just “another Indian,” “another Bangladeshi,” “another Thai place”, you’re one of the top Asian curry restaurants in the country. That’s huge.
Plus, let’s be honest. If someone’s googling best curry dishes UK or Asian curry champion 2024, you want your name to come up.
The Real Curry Legends of 2024
This year’s winners weren’t just about fancy branding or posh locations. They were about food that speaks for itself, bold flavours, brilliant service, and owners who clearly care.
Top of the pile?
Radhuni Lounge, Princes Risborough, was named Champion of Champions. These guys absolutely smashed it. Food, service, local love… they had the full package.
Other big winners:
- Colombo Kitchen (Worcester Park), National Chef of the Year. Seriously good Sri Lankan cuisine.
- Bombay Cuisine (Prestwich), National Takeaway of the Year. Proof that top-tier food doesn’t need silverware.
- My Delhi (Leicester), Newcomer of the Year. Fast rise, bold flavours.
- Chakhdoom (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne), Street-food Restaurant of the Year. Pure comfort food, zero pretension.
- Yakitori House (Glasgow), Asian Fusion Restaurant of the Year.
- Sakura Finest (Weston-super-Mare), Japanese Restaurant of the Year.
But here’s the best bit: there were winners everywhere. ARTA celebrates the local legends, too.
From Mint Bay (South West) to Curry Palace (East Anglia) to Al Maidah Cuisine (Scotland), these are the places serving loyal locals every night, sometimes for years, before the wider recognition finally comes.
And as a restaurant owner, that should tell you something: you don’t have to be in London to be the best.
What Makes a Champion? (Hint: It’s Not Just the Food)
The thing with awards like this is, they don’t just judge what’s on the plate. They look at the full story, how your team runs, how clean your kitchen is, how well you treat your staff and your customers, and what the vibe is like.
You can serve the best chicken tikka masala in the world, but if the vibe’s off? You’re not getting that award.
So, what made this year’s winners stand out?
- Consistency. Night after night, they bring the heat.
- Community. Most of these places aren’t just restaurants. They’re neighbourhood staples. They support local events. They remember your name.
- Pride. You can tell when a team cares, front of house, back of house, delivery drivers, everyone. That shows up in the customer experience.
And once you’ve built that, the awards just follow.
How to Turn Your Place Into a Future ARTA Winner
Alright, so maybe you’re not on the 2024 list. That’s fine. But if reading this makes your fingers itch a bit, or gets you wondering, “Could we make that list this year?”, then good.
Here’s what you need to think about.
- Start small, start real.
No one’s asking you to change your whole menu overnight. But start by asking your regulars what they love about your place. Build on that. - Share your journey.
Post behind-the-scenes shots. Share your chef’s story. If your nan taught you to cook, talk about it. These human stories resonate, with judges, with diners, and with Google. - Clean up your online presence.
You might be the best curry joint in town, but if your Google profile looks dodgy or your hygiene rating is hidden, that’s hurting your chances. Get that sorted. SEO, reviews, social, all of it matters. - Involve your customers.
ARTA is partly public-voted. So get your loyal diners to support you. Print QR codes. Pop reminders on receipts. Make it easy for them to shout about you.
And above all, don’t try to be something you’re not. Be you, but better. Awards love authenticity.
The Real Win? Your Customers.
Even if you don’t walk away with a trophy, putting yourself in the mix, pushing for quality, telling your story, that stuff builds a loyal following that no certificate ever could.
And let’s not forget the SEO angle here. When people search “best Asian curry in [your town]” or “ARTA curry award winners near me”, you want them landing on your site. Being in that conversation is how the phone keeps ringing.
It’s also about respect. For your team. Your ingredients. Your culture. When people see that you’re taking your food and business seriously, they feel that. And it shows in everything, from word-of-mouth to online buzz.
FAQ
Q: Does ARTA only focus on Indian curry?
Not at all. It celebrates the full Asian spectrum, Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Thai, Japanese, you name it. So whatever your style, if it’s got soul, you’ve got a shot.
Q: Is it worth entering if I run a small takeaway?
Absolutely. Bombay Cuisine, this year’s National Takeaway of the Year, runs a tight, focused kitchen, and won big. Size doesn’t matter; quality does.
Q: Can this really help bring in more customers?
Yes. Being part of the ARTA Curry Award Winners Club boosts your local reputation, SEO ranking, and word-of-mouth traffic. Customers love a reason to trust a new place, and this is it.
So, whether you’re already cooking up greatness or just getting started, remember this: the Asian Curry Award isn’t just about competition. It’s about celebration. Of food, of community, of the people behind the pass sweating it out to make every dish count.
And who knows? This time next year, it could be your name on that list.
