Leicester Retains England Curry Capital Title - with 73% of the vote!
- LM News
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
The FIFA World Cup 2026 might be coming home, but the crown for the best curry capital remains firmly planted here in Leicester the home of curry lovers.
England, let's go! As you watch the next game, have your beers ready and order in a curry.
Leicester has been confirmed as England’s Curry Capital for the next two years! The city was successful in its bid to retain the title of England Curry Capital and was confirmed as the winner in a special presentation ceremony at the city’s Chutney Ivy restaurant (Thursday 18 June).
After holding the title from 2024-2026, Leicester was up against some real titans of the Indian food world in a public vote which also included Bradford, Manchester, London and Birmingham. Leicester took the public vote with 73.6% and Bradford took second place.
It is hoped that the award will give restaurants and hospitality businesses across the city a boost and encourage people to travel and sample the incredible range of cuisines available in Leicester.
While many of England’s curry-loving cities base their cuisine around a single country or area, Leicester boasts cuisines from more areas of South Asia than anywhere else. Restaurants showcase unique flavours and cooking techniques from Nepal, many different regions of India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Leicester’s unique and varied cuisines reflect the city’s make-up, with various communities each contributing their own culture and influences to the restaurant scene. This diversity of tastes means that Leicester has the highest number of South Asian restaurants per head in the UK, an average of 47 restaurants per 100,000 people.
The England Curry Capital award was presented to Visit Leicester’s Place Marketing Manager Jackie Ledger as the city representative who was pivotal in supporting the campaign by broadcast and Pukaar travel writer Vallisa Chauhan on Thursday 18 June 2026.
The ceremony was hosted at award-winning restaurant Chutney Ivy - the current holders of ‘Best Fine Dining Restaurant’ and ‘Restaurant of the Year’ at the Leicestershire Curry Awards.
Also in attendances were dignitaries including Deputy Lieutenant Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, Lord Mayor of Leicester Councillor Kulwinder Singh Johal, Shivani Raja MP Leicester East, Shockat Adam MP Leicester South, and Leader of Leicestershire County Council Dan Harrison.
It is not just about curry when it comes to this award. The main purpose is to highlight the huge contribution that South Asian cuisine makes to our country, and what each city has contributed in terms of cultural influence.
Curry Capital founder and journalist Romail Gulzar said: “Our curry heritage is woven into England’s identity. The cities who competed for this title are not just serving food, they are serving history, innovation and pride. Any one of them would have been a worthy winner, but I am delighted that Leicester has been chosen by the public.”
Visit Leicester Director Mike Denby said: “I’m delighted that we’ve brought this title back home. As a proud Yorkshireman, I know just how stiff the competition is from places like Bradford, so for Leicester to win the public vote should be a massive boost for our restaurants and hospitality businesses.”
Pictures by Leicester Media Online
England Curry Capital award is brought to you by Pukaar Group
