Three Lancashire businesses celebrate success at Asian Restaurant Awards International 2025

The awards, organised by the Asian Catering Federation, recognise the best of Asian cuisine across the UK and beyond.

This year more than 100 restaurants and takeaways were nominated by popular vote, with 34 winners chosen by a panel of industry judges.

Hosted at the Manchester Deansgate Hotel by BBC presenter Samantha Simmonds, the glittering gala featured guest appearances including The Apprentice finalist Anisa Khan.

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Blackburn and St Annes were among the big winners for the county:

• My Lahore, Whitebirk Road, Blackburn – Fusion Food of the Year (North West)
• Kebabish Restaurant, Whalley New Road, Blackburn – Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year (North West)
• The Zen Restaurant, Wood Street, St Annes – Chinese & Thai Restaurant of the Year (North West)

Chair of the Asian Catering Federation, Yawar Khan, praised the winners, saying: “The food industry’s resilience, hard work, and passion are what bring it success.

“Each year, at the Asian Restaurant Awards International in Manchester we celebrate excellence, and today’s winners truly deserve their places as best in the country.

“These are the businesses that allow the Asian food industry to continue to thrive, despite the many challenges currently faced by the hospitality sector, in particular the new immigration rules in the UK, and the fees charged by online platforms.

“On behalf of the Asian Catering Federation I would like to sincerely congratulate them all.”

The 2025 event marked the ninth Asian Restaurant Awards International, which continues to grow as a major showcase for Asian cuisine across the UK.

The Asian Catering Federation’s awards are sponsored by Work Permit Cloud Ltd., Cobra Beer, Kingfisher Beer and supported by Booker Wholesale.