Otley, Indian Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: Mohammed Sabir was still working as a bus driver in Shipley when he launched his Kashmiri curry business as a mobile takeaway from his Commer van, the ‘Spice Box’ in 1976. The next year he opened his first bricks-and-mortar restaurant Aagrah, which still wins consistently solid marks for its food and has nine branches across Yorkshire.

“Just like going back to the 1970’s… but on a larger scale!” – this city-centre veteran has grown over the years as well as spawning a national chain. The “old school Indian food is very tasty with large portions and the biggest naans anywhere”. The menu features ‘Chef’s Challenges’ for the Big Man (quantity) and for the Brav (heat).

One of the biggest restaurants in our guide, seating 500 guests – this Bradford institution started out 45 years ago as a tiny Kashmiri shop close to its present “very comfortable” premises. Well-known for its “high-quality food”, fans include retired footballer Steven Gerrard and politico George Galloway, and there’s now a spin-off in Leeds and a national brand of ready meals.

“A craft beer pub with fabulous Indian vegetarian street food. What’s not to like?” agree fans of the Manchester-based operation whose formula is equally popular in Leeds. It’s “great to be able to take meat-lovers to a veggie restaurant and know they’ll enjoy it!”.

Nand Kishor and Sanjay Gour’s July 2022 launch follows on from the phenomenal success of their first Dastaan, in the outer London ’burbs. This northerly sibling is a tad more upmarket than in Ewell, but many dishes are shared between the restaurant’s two menus. Local popularity has quickly propelled it to No. 1 in the Leeds Tripadvisor rankings, but our local reporters seem harder to impress – they say its “small but well-executed menu is very good”, but have so far stopped short of awarding it an outstanding average rating.

“You don’t miss the meat as the flavours are delicious” in Manjit Kaur’s veggie cooking, available at her restaurant on Kirkstall Road and her stall at Kirkgate Market – which is “still a favourite for street food in Leeds”. Manjit started out making food in her kitchen at home for delivery in 2010, slowly developing the business with her husband Michael Jameson over the next 10 years.