Leicester has (once again) been named England’s Curry Capital – and it wasn’t even close
Leicester has officially held onto its crown as England’s Curry Capital for the next two years, after comfortably seeing off some of the country’s biggest food cities.
The East Midlands hotspot beat out heavyweights including Bradford, Birmingham, Manchester and London in a public vote – and did so in style, scooping a huge 73.6 percent of the vote. Bradford, often considered one of the UK’s curry strongholds, came in second.
The result was announced during a ceremony at Leicester restaurant Chutney Ivy on June 18 – a fitting venue, given its own awards haul as one of the city’s top fine dining spots.
So why Leicester? It seems that while other cities tend to specialise, Leicester’s food scene pulls from across South Asia. Think menus that span India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Afghanistan – all within a few streets of each other.
That diversity isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s part of what makes Leicester stand out nationally. The city actually boasts the highest number of South Asian restaurants per head in the UK, with around 47 per 100,000 people.
The award isn’t just about who makes the best butter chicken (though that certainly helps). It’s designed to celebrate the cultural impact and heritage behind Britain’s curry scene – and Leicester’s story is hard to beat.
As Curry Capital founder Romail Gulzar put it, these cities aren’t just serving food, they’re serving history, identity and innovation.
A boost for the city
Leicester last won the title in 2024, and holding onto it is expected to give a welcome lift to local restaurants and hospitality businesses – and, crucially, draw more visitors in search of their next standout meal.
Whether you’re after street food samosas, regional Indian specialities or something a little harder to find, Leicester is proving – again – that it delivers one of the richest, most varied curry scenes in the country.
And right now, it’s officially the best place in England to get your fix.
