By David Powell
Copyright dailypost
A North Wales restaurant has been named as the best in Wales. The Sopna Tandoori restaurant in Caernarfon won Asian Restaurant of the Year in Wales at the 2025 Asian Restaurant Awards International.
The winners of the awards, organised by the Asian Catering Federation, were announced at a gala dinner on Monday. This is the ninth Asian International Restaurant Awards.
This year’s winners were recognised for their “outstanding culinary excellence” and their “phenomenal success and hard work”, said organisers. Get all the latest Gwynedd news by signing up to our newsletter – sent every Tuesday
Over one hundred restaurants and takeaways from the entire range of Asian cuisines were nominated for this year’s awards by popular vote. The final 34 winners – a mix of restaurants, takeaways and groups – were chosen by a panel of judges consisting of highly experienced catering professionals, and experts from the catering industry and commerce.
Sopna Tandoori collect their award at the event held at the Manchester Deansgate Hotel. The ceremony was hosted by broadcast journalist and BBC TV News anchor Samantha Simmonds with a guest appearance from Anisa Khan, owner of Bombay Pizza and finalist in this year’s BBC flagship programme The Apprentice.
Some of this year’s most prominent awards presented were:
Business Person of the Year won by Tayab Khan the CEO of Westbourne Spice The National Award for Asian Restaurant of the Year 2025 in England, won by Akbar’s in Manchester The National Award for Asian Restaurant of the Year 2025 in Wales won by Sopna Tandoori in Pontrug, Caernarfon. The Asian Restaurant of the Year in South Wales was won by the Empire in Cardiff.
Other highlights included:
Restaurant Group of the Year which was won by Madhu’s Group Kings of Curry which went to the Akbar’s Group in Bradford Royal Nawaab Pyramid in Stockport which won National Buffet Restaurant of the Year Flaver’s in Warrington and Jadugar in Altrincham who were both named as best Regional Newcomers Babaji in Sunderland which scooped Best Authentic Asian Cuisine.
Yawar Khan, Awards Chair and Chair of the Asian Catering Federation, said: “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.” Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now
