The Global Indian Restaurant Summit & Honours brought together restaurateurs, chefs, hospitality entrepreneurs and foodservice leaders at The Edwardian Manchester under the theme “The Global Rise of Indian Food Brands” in Manchester on 21st September.
The Summit explored the evolution of Indian cuisine beyond traditional curry houses, highlighting Michelin-starred dining, chef-led concepts, contemporary restaurants and opportunities for scalable Indian food brands in the UK and internationally.
The awards recognised excellence across 28 categories, with Dishoom named Indian Restaurant of the Year, Opheem winning Chef-Led Restaurant of the Year, and Sanjay Anand receiving Asian Hospitality Entrepreneur of the Year.
The event brought together a distinguished line-up of industry speakers and hospitality leaders, including Atul Kochhar, twice Michelin-Starred Chef & Restaurateur; Sanjay Anand MBE, chairman and founder of Madhu’s; Nouman Farooqui, Director of Asha’s; and Chef Bobby Geetha, chef, restaurateur and author.
Sachin Marya, Editorial Director, Restaurant India and Entrepreneur Media APAC said, “After more than two decades of building industry platforms in India, we are delighted to bring that experience to the UK. The Summit is about bringing the community together, sharing knowledge and recognising the people and businesses shaping the future of Indian food.”
The Awards were independently tabulated by Ernst & Young (EY) and evaluated by an expert jury comprising Atul Kochhar; Guy Parker, Founder and Editor of Curry Culture; Fatima Patel, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Asian Standard, Asian Sunday and Style; and Sachin Marya, Editorial Director, Restaurant India.
2026 Award Winners
Indian Restaurant of the Year: Dishoom;
Contemporary Indian Restaurant of the Year: Bukharaa Street Zaika
Independent Indian Restaurant of the Year: Dadar – Bombay Kitchen and Bar
Fine Dining Indian Restaurant of the Year: Raval Restaurant
Regional Indian Cuisine Restaurant of the Year: Dhamaka Cramlington
South Indian Restaurant of the Year: Kerala Canteen
Vegetarian Restaurant of the Year: Meat Free Planet
Chef-Led Restaurant of the Year: Opheem
Women in Hospitality Leadership: Donya Bonyadi (Bombay to Mumbai)
Best Indian Restaurant – Manchester: Mumbai Flavours
Best Indian Restaurant – Liverpool: Shantii Restaurant
Best Indian Restaurant – Leicester: Paddy’s Marten Inn
Best Family Restaurant: Hungamaa
Best Casual Dining Restaurant: Tava Tynemouth
Best Emerging Restaurant Brand: Taste of Himalayan
Best Customer Experience: Delhi House Cafe
Best Indian Street Food Concept: Bombay Hut
Executive Chef of the Year: Omkar Mestry – Novotel London West
Regional Cuisine Champion: Mansa South Indian Restaurant
Best New Restaurant – North of England: TYGA Manchester
Asian Hospitality Entrepreneur of the Year: Sanjay Anand
Asian Restaurant of the Year: Zouk Tea Bar & Grill
Asian Emerging Brand of the Year: The Grand by Ikkayes.
Culinary Excellence: Prashad
The Summit was supported by Nestlé Professional, Cobra Beer, Khoki United, Heer Rice, British Asian Trust, Ethical Workforce Recruitment Specialists, EY and WIRE, with Entrepreneur APAC and Entrepreneur’s Restaurateur as media partners. The Manchester edition follows Restaurant India’s first UK edition in London in May 2026, marking the continued expansion of its international industry platform and its commitment to connecting restaurant and hospitality leaders across markets.
https://www.restaurantindia.in
Author: George Shaw
Former BBC journalist and founder and CEO of an award-winning London advertising and PR company for 20 years, providing restaurant consultancy services. Spent a decade as the director of communications of the Asian Catering Federation in the UK and lead judge for its various restaurant and chef awards programmes. Now returned to journalism, specialising in food and travel and currently the Editor-in-Chief for Taste London, Taste Asia, the Good Curry Guide and CEO of International Culinary Guides.