From classic curry houses to modern street food spots, Manchester is home to some of the best Indian restaurants in the UK. Whether you’re in the mood for a biryani or a fiery jalfrezi, you won’t have to look far to find a great curry. We’ve rounded up five of the city’s finest Indian restaurants to get you started.
Named after co-owner and Bollywood legend Asha Bhosle, this glamorous Indian restaurant is perfect for date night or dinner with friends. It’s situated in Spinningfields opposite the Theatre Royal, so it’s handy for pre-show suppers too. Start with a cocktail – a Delhi Devil, perhaps? – then tuck into familiar favourites like butter chicken and fragrant lamb biryani. If you’re celebrating, the seafood platter with salmon tikka, Keralan chilli garlic prawns, and a whole lobster is guaranteed to impress.
This modern Indian eatery had barely been open a week when food critic Jay Rayner turned up to review. He praised the ‘cheery staff’ and ‘glorious, spice-crusted’ lamb chops, adding that it already felt like a mature business well into its stride. A year later, Delhi House Cafe continues to impress with its menu of street food inspired snacks and comforting curries. The lamb chops are still delicious but the Goan prawn curry is a must-try – you’ll want extra naan to mop up the spicy, tangy coconut sauce.
Described by owners Manish and Sanjeev as an ‘Indian foodie paradise’, Wah Ji Wah is the sort of restaurant you return to time after time. During the day, it’s a relaxed spot for lunch with ‘posh kebabs’ and express curries for under a tenner. By night, you can watch the chefs in the open kitchen while you catch up with friends over lamb rogan josh and slow-cooked dal makhani. If you’re in the mood for seafood, try the lobster pepper fry or the pan-seared scallops tossed with garlic and mustard seeds.
This award-winning West Didsbury restaurant needs little introduction. The locals are blessed to have it on their doorstep and many more travel to eat here. You’ll find all your favourite Indian dishes on the menu but it’s worth stepping out of your comfort zone to try signature dishes like Malabar sea bass and ‘Smoky Lal Maas Pitika’ (lamb chops in a spicy tomato curry).
Dishing up ‘Indian soul food’ since 1991, this family-run restaurant is situated on Rusholme’s famed Curry Mile. Smoky lamb chops, chicken tikka, and seekh kebabs are served still sizzling from the heat of their charcoal pit – perfect for big groups to get stuck into. There are loads of veggie options for your plant-based pals, a great korma for that friend who ‘doesn’t do spice’, and rum-spiked lassis to get the party started.
Best of the rest: Mowgli, Bundobust, Jajoo Indian Street Food, Rajdoot Tandoori, and Dishoom.
Visit OpenTable to discover more of the best restaurants in Manchester.
Photo credit: Shaz Arshad for Mughli.
