Cardiff Curry Directory
Our Cardiff Curry Directory starts with the history of Indian restaurants in Cardiff, as in many other parts of the United Kingdom, is closely tied to the immigration patterns that brought people from South Asia to the region. Indian restaurants started to appear in Cardiff during the mid-20th century. These early establishments primarily catered to the local British population and often served adapted versions of Indian dishes to suit British tastes.
The 1960s and 1970s saw an increase in immigration from countries like India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, leading to a growth in the number of Indian restaurants in Cardiff. Many of these immigrants brought their culinary skills and traditional recipes with them, contributing to the diversification of the local food scene.
Cardiff’s City Road became particularly known for its concentration of Indian and South Asian restaurants, earning it the nickname “Curry Mile.” Over the years, the quality and variety of Indian cuisine in Cardiff have continued to evolve, with restaurants offering a range of dishes from different regions of the Indian subcontinent.
India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan have all produced outstanding chefs who are in strong demand. The culinary talent can come from all over these countries. The subcontinent’s cuisines are incredibly diverse, with each region having its own unique flavors and cooking techniques. Here are some general culinary regions known for their contributions:
- India:
- Punjab: Known for its rich and flavorful dishes like butter chicken and tandoori items.
- Kerala: Famous for its seafood dishes and the use of coconut in curries.
- Bengal: Known for its use of mustard oil and distinct use of spices in dishes like fish curries.
- Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Renowned for its traditional Awadhi cuisine, including kebabs and biryanis.
- South India: Offers a wide range of dosas, idlis, and other dishes with a focus on rice and lentils.
- Bangladesh:
- Dhaka: The capital city known for its spicy and flavorful curries.
- Chittagong: Known for its distinct seafood dishes and the use of mustard pastes.
- Pakistan:
- Punjab: Similar to Indian Punjab, known for dishes like various forms of kebabs and rich curries.
- Sindh: Known for its flavourful Sindhi biryanis and unique spice blends.
Wales’s first Indian restaurant was The Bombay which first opened on West Bute Street in Cardiff Bay in 1953 having closed in the 1980s, it was reopened this year by the grandchildren of the original owner. Chicken masala is the UK’s favourite curry mirrored in Wales some experts believe the secret allure is in the chilli.
Chilli peppers contain a compound called capsicum, which temporarily burns out the pain sensors in our mouth. It comes from the same chemical family as morphine, perhaps that is why curries are so addictive. In our Cardiff Curry directory you can use the tags for heat to find the curry strength you like.
Often the basic ingredient is sheep meat so perhaps it’s a genetic thing.In Wales you’re brought up on lamb with gravy and so it’s not hard to make the jump to a curry sauce of some kind then add the breads and poppadoms they use, Welsh people are well we are used to stuffing ourselves with bread, so that’s not unusual.
1. Mint and Mustard: Mint and Mustard is a critically acclaimed Indian restaurant known for its innovative approach to Indian cuisine. It gained popularity for its modern take on traditional Indian dishes and its focus on using high-quality ingredients.
2. The Cinnamon Tree: The Cinnamon Tree is another popular Indian restaurant in Cardiff, known for its diverse menu featuring dishes from various regions of India. It’s known for its elegant atmosphere and flavorful curries.
3. Purple Poppadom: Purple Poppadom is a restaurant that combines traditional Indian flavors with modern techniques. It gained attention for its creative dishes and unique presentation. Anand George is the chef behind the acclaimed Indian restaurant “Purple Poppadom.” He’s known for his creative approach to Indian cuisine, blending traditional flavours with contemporary techniques.
4. Spice Quarter: Spice Quarter offers a wide range of Indian dishes in a contemporary setting. It’s known for its buffet-style lunch and dinner options, which include various curries and tandoori items.
5. Chai Street: Chai Street is known for its street food-inspired Indian dishes, offering a more casual dining experience. It gained popularity for its affordable and flavourful options.
You can of course find in addition to the Cardiff Curry directory a comprehensive directory of the Curry restaurants in Wales on the Curry Wales site.
Cardiff Curry directory – Favourite Curry Types
- Chicken Tikka Masala: Often considered a British invention, this dish features marinated and grilled chicken pieces served in a creamy tomato-based sauce. It’s known for its mild and slightly sweet flavor.
- Korma: A mild curry dish made with yogurt, cream, and various spices. It’s known for its rich and creamy texture.
- Rogan Josh: This Kashmiri curry is characterized by its deep red color and is often made with tender pieces of meat cooked in a flavorful sauce.
- Jalfrezi: A spicy curry dish made with marinated meat or vegetables, cooked with bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. It’s known for its vibrant flavors.
- Madras: A hotter curry that originates from the South of India. It’s known for its intense spiciness and robust flavor.
- Vindaloo: Originally a Goan dish, vindaloo is a fiery and tangy curry known for its use of vinegar and a blend of spices. It’s often associated with very high levels of heat.
- Balti: While it has origins in Pakistani cuisine, the balti curry has become popular in the UK. It’s a stir-fried curry cooked in a flat-bottomed wok-like pan called a “balti.”
- Saag (or Palak) Curry: A curry made with spinach or other greens, often paired with meat or paneer (Indian cheese).
- Paneer Tikka Masala: Similar to chicken tikka masala, this version features paneer (Indian cheese) in a creamy tomato sauce.
- Lamb Bhuna: A slow-cooked curry dish known for its intense flavor and thick, rich sauce.
Find a great place to Eat Curry in Cardiff
If you live in the UK you know that our favourite food is CURRY. Use the curry directory to find yours today in Wales.
Restaurants are listed by town then by area, if you have one you feel should be listed please get in contact.
Several restaurants let you READ THE MENU, BOOK A TABLE online and also ORDER A TAKEAWAY You can do this from your phone or tablet at the bottom of the listing if it is available
Select a town for your curry in our curry directory or search using names or keyword. Listings have links to WEBSITES, ORDER ONLINE or BOOK A TABLE.
Use the TAGS to find similar items e.g. clicking on the Street Food tag will show all street food items as a list.
Use the food tags to select your preferred strength of curry from the tags below:
Mild curry Slightly hot curry Medium hot curry Hot Curry Very hot curry
Towns at the head of a welsh valley include towns further down the valley as a sub category.
Roti Roti is a type of flatbread served with Indian food. It is served with curries instead of rice or can be rolled with a filling inside. Made without yeast, this bread is just a simple mixture of flour (white, wholemeal or half and half), salt, vegetable oil or ghee it is very quick and easy to make. Our unique restaurant serves up dishes with delicate flavours from the north east of Bangladesh and India. You will be amazed at the tasty dishes that we can create. Red Chilli Indian Restaurant can hold sixty five people in the main dining area and ten people in the lounge. We are one of the finest Indian Restaurants in Cardiff with some unique menu items, a warm welcoming atmosphere with modern settings you will enjoy our hospitality and food. A curry from the punjabi region and is perfect for vegetarians or anyone searching for a meat-free option. It’s a tasty tomato-based curry based on kidney beans as the primary ingredient. It has a thick sauce and is usually served with rice. Tends to be creamy and is masala hot. Indian Cardiff Cosy Casual Groups Opens at 17:30 Closed unless you know otherwise! Indian Imaginative reinvention of classic Indian curries in a colourful contemporary restaurant. Purple Poppadom is a multi-award winning restaurant pioneering innovative Indian cuisine in Cardiff Located in Canton, near Cardiff city centre, Purple Poppadom has received many honours including being named runners up in the Observer Food Monthly awards for Best Restaurant 2018 and Indian Restaurant of the Year in the South Wales Echo Food and Drink Awards 2017. Michelin Guide and Good Food Guide listed, our cuisine is based on innovative modern twists on authentic Indian food, always grounded in traditional ingredients and spices. From nouvelle style dishes, to thalis, Indian style tapas and classic street food, we offer a many and varied menu. Generally puri is a deep-fried bread, it can be made and used in different ways but is often eaten at breakfast ut can be a snack food with a curry or bhaji. Punitha's is a south Indian Gourmet Restaurant exclusive of its Kind in the South West. Punitha's believe in kindling all 6 senses to enjoy the complete dining experience, hence carefully prepared food is presented well in a delightful surrounding. For People on the move and informal diners, Punitha's Tiffin corner is a treat. Curry lunch from around £4.25 is a real give away. PERMANENTLY CLOSED Puri is the name of an indian bread which is flat and lightly fried – also called poori in some regions. The prawns are a combination of the hot, spicy masala with the sweetness of the tangy prawns. Ponnuswamy Restaurant is a south Indian Gourmet Restaurant exclusive of its Kind in the South West. We believe in kindling all 6 senses to enjoy the complete dining experience, hence carefully prepared food is presented well in a delightful surrounding. Casual wear Good for kids, Phall is considered the hottest curry in the world it is a British Asian curry which originated in British Bangladeshi restaurants in Birmingham, UK. It is ridiculously hot and comes with a severe allergy warning. These are some of the comments from the creators and dinners: "We wanted to create a dish that combined Indian spices with the world’s hottest chillies." "The curry does have flavour but it has a spice that continues to burn your mouth for a long time.” "It was like chewing on a live grenade, knowing any second it was about to detonate and when it did, my head felt like it was being blown off, my body went into survival mode and sweat poured down my face." "I could eat only four mouthfuls of the chicken curry before gasping for air." It generally is made using ten different peppers – ranging from the comparatively mild habanero and scotch bonnet (both 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units) to the infamous bhut jolokia. The dish is a tomato-based thick curry with ginger and fennel seeds. Alternative: fall, faal, fahl, phaal, phal or paal Pathia doesn’t taste like any of the regular restaurant curries. It’s medium hot and spicy, Its sour and it is sweet with a tamarind zing It has a characteristic sauce to mix with rice or your favourite bread works well with chicken, lamb, shellfish, paneer. Chili peppers, tamarind, lime, jaggery (concentrated product of cane sugar juice), garlic and coriander Pasanda is a popular meat dish from North Indian, Hyderabad and Pakistan. It is said to be from a meal served in the court of the Mughal emperors. The meal was a particular favourite and the meal gets its name from a variation on the Urdu word "pasande" which means "favourite". There is no need for this to be a meat dish with chicken and lamb popular. A really popular is a beautiful crisp unleavened flatbread. They are flaky, chewy and denser than chapatis the paratha’s flaky, chewy texture is made by ghee-layering and folding in the same way as making of puff pastry. Parathas are baked on a hot tava before getting shallow-fried off. Goes well with dry and thick curries. A really popular Indian street snack. Pani which means water (flavoured one) and puri deep fried circular dough balls, they are filled with a of mashed potatotes. The water is a mixture of coriander leaves, chillis, black pepper, mint leaves (pudina patta), black salt, Alternative names: Pani puri Mumbai, golgappa in the north and puchhka in the east. Panama is an intimate yet stylish 5* Tandoori restaurant in the heart of Cardiff, serving dishes with delicate flavours from India and Bangladesh since 1976.
A description of Main Courses (20)
A description of Side Dishes and Deserts (22)
Curry in Adamsdown (3)
Curry in Birchgrove (5)
Curry in Canton (16)
Curry in Cardiff Bay (5)
Curry in Cardiff centre (7)
Curry in Cardiff outskirts (1)
Curry in Cathays (16)
Curry in Gabalfa (1)
Curry in Grangetown (2)
Curry in Lakeside (3)
Curry in Llandaff (4)
Curry in Maindy (1)
Curry in Rhiwbina (2)
Curry in Roath (9)
Curry in Rumney (2)
Curry in St Mellons (1)
Curry in Taffs Well (1)
Curry in Whitchurch (4)
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CF24 3BPWelcome to Ponnuswamy Restaurant, Cardiff
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