Two popular Edinburgh restaurants make the shortlist for prestigious ‘Curry Oscars' as 2023 finalists announced

Two Edinburgh venues will go up against restaurants from around the UK at awards

A prestigious annual awards event celebrating Pan Asian cuisine in the UK has revealed its finalists for 2023 – and two Edinburgh restaurants are in the running for honours.

Chaskaa Indian and Cafe Andamiro have both been named as finalists for the Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards (ARTA), which will be announced during a glitzy ceremony held at the Hilton in London on Sunday, October 8.

Chaskaa, an Indian eaterie located in Bruntsfield, is up for the Fine Dine Restaurant of the Year award, while Newington’s Cafe Andamiro will battle it out in the Korean Restaurant of the Year prize.

Edinburgh restaurants Chaskaa Indian and Cafe Andamiro have both been named as finalists for the Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards (ARTA). Photo: Chaskaa

All this year's finalists have been invited alongside MPs and celebrities to the ceremony, which is being presented by BBC presenters Samantha Simmonds and Paul Martin.

The finalists for the event, which has been dubbed ‘the curry oscars’ have been decided after public nominations, formal assessments of a variety of topics and food hygiene ratings.

Other awards to be presented on the night include Champions of Champions, National Chef of the Year and National Takeaway of the Year.

ARTA Founder Salik Mohammed Munim said: “The UK’s popular Asian restaurant industry, known for its resilience in weathering operational and business challenges such as staff shortages and the Covid pandemic, now faces a new set of challenges during the current cost of living crisis.

“The prices of products, ingredients and energy have risen significantly while customers are also facing the pinch. In this tough situation, ARTA will once again be honouring the UK’s best Asian restaurants and takeaways who are committed to delivering the best in restaurant and home dining in these tough circumstances.”

ARTA 2023 Finalists:

Newcomer of the Year:

Savci, Stopsley, Luton

Tanishq Restaurant & Bar, Ongar, Chelmsford

Shimlas, Attleborough, Norwich

Coco Buffet, Weston-Super-Mare

Fine Dine Restaurant of the Year:

Dhoom, Dunfermline, Kirkaldy

Dining Room, Sheerness, Rochester

Blue Jasmine, Ocean Village, Southampton

Chaskaa Indian, Bruntsfield, Edinburgh

Korean Restaurant of the Year:

Cafe Andamiro, Newington, Edinburgh

Bento Bab, Aldgate, London

Yori, Piccadilly Circus, London

Bullgogi Restaurant, Notting Hill, London

Japanese Restaurant of the Year:

Tanakatsu, Camden, London

Maneki Ramen, Worcester

Sakura, Weston-super-Mare

Sapporo Teppanyaki, Castlefield, Manchester

Street Food Restaurant of the Year:

Mowgli Street Food, Brighton

Streetly Balti, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham

Twisted Indian Street Food, Blackpool

My Delhi, Newcastle upon Tyne

European Restaurant of the Year:

Kashmir House, Paris, France

New Delhi, Milano, Italy

Tamasha, Playa Blanca, Spain

Royal Indian Restaurant, Munich, Germany

Sri Lankan Restaurant of the Year:

Copper Ceylon, Bromley, London

The Pier Ceylon, Herne Bay, Canterbury

Colombo Kitchen Restaurant, Worcester Park, Kingston upon Thames

Rathiga Restaurant & Bar, Luton

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Northern Ireland:

Yaks, Bangor

Nu Delhi Restaurant Lounge, Belfast

Bangla, Bangor

India Gate, Belfast

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Scotland:

The Royal Bengal, Dunfermline, Kirkaldy

Qismat, Elgin, Inverness

Sylhet Brasserie, Grantown-on-Spey, Perth

Carron to Mumbai, Stonehaven, Aberdeen

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Wales:

Benllech Tandoori Restaurant, Benllech, Llandudno

Belfoi, Carmarthen, Swansea

The Grand Sultan, Port Talbot, Swansea

Mango Tree, Whitchurch, Cardiff

Regional Restaurant of the Year – North West:

Spice Valley, Horwich, Bolton

The Milnrow Balti Restaurant, Rochdale, Oldham

Achari, Bolton

Paneer, Wallasey, Chester

Regional Restaurant of the Year – West Midlands:

Delhi 45 Indian Streatery, Rubery, Birmingham

Titash Indian Restaurant, Sheldon, Birmingham

Shifnal Balti, Shifnal, Telford

The Royal Bengal, Earlsdon, Coventry

Regional Restaurant of the Year – East Midlands:

Royal Tandoori, Corby, Northampton

Sylhet Spice, Ripley, Derby

The Bridge & Bayleaf, Gunthorpe, Nottingham

Nazreen, Kettering, Northampton

Regional Restaurant of the Year – North East:

Jays Indian, Durham

Ahad Tandoori, Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Bayleaf Indian Restaurant, Cramlington, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Raval Indian Brasserie & Bar, Gateshead, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Hertfordshire:

Mint Leaf, Stortford, Chelmsford

Zaffran One, St Albans

Cumin Bar & Restaurant, Broxbourne, Enfield

Raj of India, Welwyn Garden City, St Albans

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Essex:

The Polash, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea

Cinnamon, Epping, Chelmsford

Village Indiya Restaurant, Benfleet, Romford

Pride of Sylhet, Dunmow, Chelmsford

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Surrey:

Trishala, Redhill

Tiffin Wala, Camberley, Guildford

The Rajdoot, Guildford

Tarana, Lingfield, Redhill

Regional Restaurant of the Year – South Central:

Burghfield Spices, Burghfield, Reading

Jalpari of Woodley, Woodley, Reading

Madhuban Tandoori, Liss, Guildford

House of Flavours, Reading

Regional Restaurant of the Year – North London:

Ruhit's Indian Cuisine, Brent

The Rajdoot, Hampstead

Pinos Warung, Chalk Farm

The Spice, Kentish Town

Regional Restaurant of the Year – South London:

Samrat, Tooting

Gandhi’s, Kennington

Pure Indian Cooking, Fulham

Saka Maka, Hither Green

Regional Restaurant of the Year – West London:

Haweli of Ealing, Ealing

Durbar Tandoori Restaurant, Bayswater

The Rajdoot, Marylebone

Takaa Tak, Ealing

Regional Restaurant of the Year – South West:

Denley's Essence of India, Topsham, Exeter

Drgnfly Pan Asian Restaurant, Poole, Bournemouth

Daaku, Falmouth, Truro

Iford Tandoori, Iford, Bournemouth

Regional Restaurant of the Year – Sussex:

The New Curry Centre, Horsham, Redhill

Calcutta 16, Shoreham-by-Sea, Brighton

Darchini, Horsham, Redhill

Tamasha, Lindfield, Redhill

Regional Takeaway of the Year – North East:

The Jewel In the Crown, Birtley, Chester-le-Street

Zeera Tandoori, Durham

Balti Hut Indian Takeaway, Middlesborough, Cleveland

Spice Junction, Boldon Colliery, Newcastle upon Tyne

Regional Takeaway of the Year – North West:

Arong Tandoori, Waterloo, Liverpool

Bombay Cuisine, Prestwich, Manchester

Akash, Accrington, Blackburn

Bradshaw Tandoori, Bradshaw, Bolton

Regional Takeaway of the Year – West Midlands:

New Royal Balti, Audley, Stoke-on-Trent

Chutney Express, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham

Mahim Indian Takeaway, Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury

Karma Lounge, Tamworth, Birmingham

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Essex:

Pathari's, Wickford, Southend-on-Sea

Kismet, Colchester

Spice Boys, Harlow, Chelmsford

Kaani Kaana, Chelmsford

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Surrey:

Hampton Tandoori, Hampton, Twickenham

Vindaloo Indian Takeaway, Farnborough, Guildford

Mohini Balti House, Carshalton Beeches, Carshalton, Sutton

Chipstead Tandoori, Coulsdon, Croydon

Regional Takeaway of the Year – Kent:

Shumi Tandoori, Frindsbury, Rochester

Mahan Indian Takeaway, Bexley, Dartford

Naims Tandoori, Bedford, Milton Keynes

Sher E Bangla, Longfield, Dartford

Regional Takeaway of the Year – East Anglia:

Kairali South Indian, Poringland, Norwich

Eastern Spice, Suffolk, Ipswich

Bhujon, Tring, Hemel Hempstead

Lime Takeaway, Saint Edmunds, Ipswich

Regional Takeaway of the year – East Midlands:

Little India, Desford, Leicester

Agra Cottage, Bingham, Nottingham

Miah's Takeaway, Heanor, Derby

Rikshaw Urban Indian Kitchen, Sherwood, Nottingham

Regional Takeaway of the year – Wales:

Masalla, Port Talbot, Swansea

Tiffin Rasoi, Barry, Cardiff

Kalimirch, Barry, Cardiff

Shaan Tandoori Takeaway, Ammanford, Swansea