The Best Curries in Manchester

Manchester, home to one of the top Universities in England and famous for its excellent nightlife and live music scene, also has another draw for students trying to decide which University to go to. ‘The Curry Mile’ is the nickname given to the part of Wilmslow Road that stretches from the University campus through Rusholme in South Manchester, the area bordering the popular student area Fallowfield. The name is earned from the large number of restaurants, take-aways and kebab houses specialising in South Asian cuisine, and the road is thought to be the largest concentration of South Asian restaurants outside the Indian subcontinent. Within a stretch of half a mile there are at least seventy curry houses and takeaways, giving you plenty to choose from when you are craving that Indian takeaway after a night out. As a student of Manchester University myself, I had plenty of opportunities to try a wide variety of the restaurants both on the Curry Mile and beyond in the city centre, so here is a list of what I believe are some of the best Indian restaurants in Manchester.

By Lily Cannon

Mughli

Recently named as one of Manchester’s best restaurants by The Telegraph, BBC Good Food Guide, and The Manchester Evening News, this family run restaurant is well known as being one of the best places to get a curry in Manchester. The menu is vast and the chutney selection amazing, and you can choose to either eat in the restaurant or takeaway. They also offer an excellent student deal, 10% off with a valid student card or bring your own booze!

This and That

Located in the Northern Quarter and tucked on a side street, This and That is one of the best well known secrets in Manchester. This family run business has been well established since the 80s and offers a huge variety of fresh, homemade curries, and for extremely cheap. My favourite thing is to go in and ask for whatever they recommend. Trust me, you will leave full and extremely satisfied with the delicious plate of (budget friendly) curry that you have just wolfed down.

Mowgli

Dosa Express

Based in Withington, if you’re looking for something quick and authentic then this is the place for you. This is slightly different to many of the other curry houses in Manchester as it specialises in Southern Indian and Sri Lankan food, mainly (if you hadn’t guessed from the name) dosas. These are large crispy and savoury pancakes usually filled with potato, spices and chutneys. But if you don’t fancy branching out and you’re looking for your usual tikka masala, don’t worry, you can also find these here too. This is no frills, just very good, reasonably priced Southern Indian food.

MyLahore

My go to for a good takeaway. When you don’t want to move from the sofa and all you want is a delicious hangover cure delivered straight to the door, MyLahore is the perfect solution. The puddings are also amazing with many British favourites making an appearance on the menu too. They even have a loyalty reward system so that you can earn points every time you order from them. What’s not to love?

Find these restaurants here:

Mughli, This and That, Mowgli, Dosa Express, MyLahore