News / Restaurants
Bristol takeaway crowned best Asian restaurant in West of England
A Bristol restaurant has been crowned the best Asian restaurant in the West of England at this year’s Asian Curry Awards, dubbed the “Curry Oscars”.
Raj Bari on Anchor Road won the top regional award at the annual awards ceremony.
The awards were announced on Sunday at a gala dinner at Grosvenor House in London’s Mayfair, attended by some 1,200 guests.
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The event was hosted by BBC news anchor Samantha Simmonds, alongside co-host Anisa Khan, owner of Bombay Pizza and a recent finalist on The Apprentice.
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Winners were selected by the Asian Catering Federation’s judging panel, from a national shortlist voted for by the public.
A total of 46 awards were presented across fine dining, street food, takeaways and specialist Asian and Oriental cuisines.
Raj Bari secured its place among a strong national lineup of Asian restaurants.
The Anchor Road-based restaurant, founded in 1991, has long been a mainstay of Bristol’s Indian dining scene.
It is led by head chef Johirul Alam, who has spent more than 25 years creating diner-pleasing twists on traditional Indian-Bangladeshi cuisine.
Raj Bari is led by head chef Johirul Alam, who has spent more than 25 years creating diner-pleasing twists on traditional Indian-Bangladeshi cuisine – photo: Raj Bari
No stranger to awards, Raj Bari won Best Restaurant in the South West at the ARTA Awards in 2023.
Raj Bari was nominated for the UK Curry Awards alongside its sister restaurant, Achari on Cotham Hill, which won Best Asian Restaurant for the South West at last year’s Curry Awards.
Speaking at the ceremony, the lord mayor of Westminster praised the winners’ “hard work and tireless effort”, while Asian Catering Federation chairman Yawar Khan highlighted the industry’s resilience despite challenges such as immigration rules and online platform fees.
Now in its 15th year, the Asian Curry Awards are run by the Asian Catering Federation, which represents more than 35,000 UK caterers contributing over £60bn to the UK economy.
The Anchor Road-based restaurant has been a mainstay in city’s dining scene since 1991 – photo: Raj Bari
Main photo: UK Curry Awards
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