Spice Awards 2026: 21 Edinburgh restaurants nominated at Spice Awards 2026

Edinburgh’s curry houses, kebab shops and Chinese takeaways have been recognised in a national awards shortlist.

Twenty-one of the Capital’s restaurants have been nominated for awards at the 2026 Spice Awards - with a winner set to be announced in September.

Awards Director Warren Paul said: “The competition heats up more every time and the voting numbers have been crazy.

“It’s great to see some new names popping up along with the old favourites people go back to year after year.

“Despite the challenges it shows the food scene in Scotland is still buzzing and still something we should all be very proud of.

“The finalist list shows the result of voting by people who love what those businesses do, so it’s the voice of the public not us.

“This is about Scots voting for the food they love – you can be sure getting to this stage means every place on our list is worth checking out.”

Best Buffet, Piri-Piri Chicken, Kebab, Curry and Pakora are among the awards up for grabs with finalists named all over Scotland.

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And of course there are restaurant and takeaway trophies including Best Indian, Best Japanese, Best Chinese, Best Nepalese and more as well as categories by area and overall national winners.

Plus there are categories including Best Team, Family-Owned, Community Champion, Social Media and Marketing, Chef, Manager, Dining Experience and Spice Personality.

Warren said: “Pan-Asian cuisine in Scotland is hugely popular, I think more so than ever and we are here to reflect that.

“We showcase the hard working people and families who dedicate their lives to bringing amazing food to towns and cities all over Scotland.

“With rising costs, small businesses are struggling so it has never been more important to support local, especially family or independent businesses.

“Those in the finalist spots for our awards certainly deserve that support – and so do many who missed out this time as the standard is very high.

“Thank you to everyone who voted and good luck all as we move to judging – and it gets even tougher.”

The Spice Awards will be presented to the eventual winners at a glittering ceremony on Monday, 7 September at DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow.