Seven of the best sizzling hot curry joints in Manchester for you to try this National Curry Week

This wasn’t an easy list to do. We had to go around some of the best Indian eateries in the city and sample some of the tastiest, messiest and most delicious curries they had to offer.

It’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it.

Whether they’re sizzled, stewed, chargrilled and served with dripping garlic naan or pillows of pilau, we don’t mind how it’s made so long as it’s served up piping.

We had sleepless nights thinking about the curries that didn’t quite make the cut and spent countless hours walking up and down the office deciding on the order.

This may be a slight exaggeration of the truth but you should know that a lot of curries were eaten to compile this list and we are, in fact, now curry experts.

So put down that tacky takeaway menu away and get a load of these instead.

Asha’s

This is no ordinary curry house. This is an Indian restaurant with a Michelin award. Inspired by Bollywood legend, Asha Bhosle, this place is drenched in opulence, with beautiful gold fittings, plush velvet booths and a Bolli bar downstairs. It all feels like a slice of Mumbai in the city. You’ll want to head here to experience the keema fries for yourself. Try one. Or two. Or ten. Let me escort you to the menu here.

Zouk

The Zouk menu focuses on authentic cuisine, with individual dishes to showcase their unique style. Think beautifully marinated butter chicken, lamb laziz that melts in the mouth and mixed grill platters fit for the gods. The palak paneer is a bit of a speciality – probably what Popeye would eat if he ate Indian food. It’s cooked spinach with a soft, fresh white cheese called paneer, and it’s amazing. It’s £8.95 so not super cheap, but cheaper than a flight to Lahore. If you want to check out the menu for one of the best Indian restaurants bar none, click here

Mowgli

Another place that’s not your typical curry house. This Corn Exchange restaurant serves the kind of food Indian people eat at home. Served tapas-style, it’s healthy and packed full of flavour with plenty of vegan options. Lots to choose from and reasonably priced.

Thaikhun

Thai is one of the nation’s favourite cuisines, yet most of us order the same dishes out of habit and familiarity. But there’s more to Thai food than tom yum soup, tod man pla fish cakes and pad thai noodles. These guys serve up curry and it’s a damn good one at that. The massaman and panang curries are off the charts delicious. Think flavours of cinnamon, star anise, palm sugar and basil all mixing together in mouthwatering harmony. Ready for the menu? Click here.

This and That

This and That sits down an alleyway so grungey it makes Rusholme look like Dubai. But this is no reflection on the quality of the food inside. The grub is straight up, authentic and deliciously fresh. You might feel as though you’re sitting in a 1980’s high school diner whilst noshing but this somehow only emphasises the quality of the food. Little energy spent on décor, full force on dining. If you spent a little more than you should have this month, but you still want to treat yourself to a top notch curry, This and That has got you covered. Probably not one to take a first date to though. There might not be a second.

Scene: Indian Street Kitchen

There’s a lot more to Scene than meat in a generically spicy sauce. This place serves up a menu with a selection of street food style favourites, shishas and even has a sexy terrace overlooking the river Irwell. It also helps that the food is all made fresh to order and tastes so good that you’ll want to eat it alone so you can savour every morsel. Get there now. Menu here.

Bundobust

Last but definitely not least, Bundobust was named Restaurant of the Year at this year’s MFDF awards. Bustling with the vibrancy of an indoor street food market, it’s the real deal and we can’t recommend it enough. Long, canteen-like tables fill the vast space. The onion gobi bhaji bhajis and the bundo chaat hit the spot like nothing else, and despite sounding like fairly standard dishes, the bundo chaat shows how clever Bundobust have been in combining textures and spice to create truly flavoursome plates. Even those die hard meat eaters will find something that takes their fancy on this plant-based menu. 100% meat-free and 100% pain-free. Menu here.

If we’ve missed your favourite curry joint off the list, please let us know in the comments. Because you can never have too much curry.