All this week the UK has been celebrating National Curry Week, in recognition of the importance of Indian cuisine to the history and culture of the nation.
The first South Asian curry house opened in the early 1800s and Britain has had a love affair with the food since, with sales of curry thought to be worth over £4bn per year.
Almost large town across Scotland will have at least one curry house, and the nation has made its own distinct contribution to what the UK knows as curry.
Legend has it that British-Pakistani chef Ali Ahmed Aslam improvised a sauce in his Glasgow restaurant one night using tomato soup and various spices after a customer complained his dish was too dry.
Others have disputed that claim - and it’s pretty much impossible to nail down a singular origin of any dish - but there’s no question Scotland knows how to do a curry.
Here are some of the very best curry houses across the country.
Green Gates, Queen Street, Stirling
Usually when curry houses become franchises they take a well-trodden path, first opened by the Ashoka and starting in a bigger city (usually Glasgow) before breaking out into new ground. Green Gates did this in reverse. So good was their reputation that the Stirling eatery was not only able to break into the Glasgow market but establish a reputation as one of the city’s best restaurants. The original, in Stirling, is arguably still the best. Situated within an imposing townhouse on Queen Street it offers exceptional meals and also a street food menu, all set within a warm, welcoming and atmospheric restaurant where you can comfortably spend hours, eating your fill.
Website: greengatesstirling.com
Nakodar Grill, Annfield Place, Glasgow
Sitting just off of Duke Street in Glasgow, the Nakodar actually lies in the heart of one of the city’s foodie hotspots with the Dennistoun area now boasting some exceptional eateries. The Nakodar is a genuine gem with food prepared in one of only two Tandoori ovens in the whole of Scotland. The fact you can see every meal being freshly prepared in the kitchen adds to the experience while the dining area has that feel of sitting down for a meal at an old friend’s house. Of all of the exceptional Indian restaurants in Glasgow, this is one you simply have to sample.
Website: nakodargrill.com
Torranyard Tandoori, Lochlibo Road, Kilwinning
Located deep in the Ayrshire countryside, the Torranyard attracts visitors from miles around to the tiny hamlet from which it derives its name. A huge list of different curries that can be prepared with your choice of chicken, lamb, tikka mix or prawn is enticing, as are the tandoori sizzlers. An out of the way hidden gem.
Website: Torranyard Tandoori
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8848 Restaurant, 347 Union Street, Aberdeen
Curry is different all around Southern and South-East Asia and this Aberdonian gem fuses the best of Indian and Nepalese cuisine. With fresh ground spices and local ingredients the love that goes into the preparation is clear, and the chicken lassoni methi is a spice lover’s dream. If you’re wondering about the name, 8,848m is the height of Mount Everest.
Website: 8848 Aberdeen
Goa, Erskine Lane, Broughty Ferry
A favourite for Dundonians, this Broughty Ferry establishment boasts one of the best biryanis you’ll find outside of India. An extensive menu at reasonable prices, what’s not to love?
Website: Goa
The Radhuni, 93 Clerk Street, Loanhead
Voted the best curry house in Scotland in 2019, this Loanhead establishment more than lives up to its billing. The name means “passionate cook” in Bengali, and it’s certainly apposite going by the 1food on offer. Their garlic chicken comes highly recommended, and they’ll serve up all the classics done perfectly too.
Website: The Radhuni
Daksh, Queen St, Dumfries
Focusing on organic ingredients and a range of flavours and styles from across the subcontinent, Daksh specialises in the Thali, almost an Indian tapas with various small bowls offering 6 different flavours of sweet, salt, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy on one single plate.
Website: Daksh Indian
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