Unassuming Village Curry House Crowned UK's Best Indian Restaurant
South of Warwickshire in the modest village of Wellesbourne lies an understated curry house that has been crowned the Best Indian Restaurant across the entire United Kingdom at a recent prestigious awards ceremony. You might imagine such an accolade would belong to an establishment in one of the thriving metropolitan areas—perhaps Birmingham's famous Balti Triangle, Manchester's renowned Curry Mile, or another town with a substantial South Asian community.
Yet surprisingly, Wellesbourne—the historic settlement east of Stratford-upon-Avon, likely recognised locally for its traditional open-air market—is home to Kolshi Premier Indian Restaurant, now officially designated as the 'finest Indian restaurant in Britain'. This honour comes courtesy of the Oceanic Awards Nation's Curry Awards 2026, which were staged in Huddersfield earlier this month.
Overcoming Cynicism and Tough Competition
Now, I'm aware that cynics who specialise in attempting to diminish others' achievements might argue that there are countless curry awards, so this recognition is scarcely significant. However, Kolshi Premier Indian Restaurant—a family-owned, independent enterprise on our doorstep—has overcome some seriously tough opposition to secure this honour. The award was selected by industry professionals and those in the know, so dismissing it as insignificant is simply wrong.
Nevertheless, we wanted to witness it for ourselves, so we decided to investigate. We dropped by on a peaceful Monday evening. The establishment occupies premises on Warwick Road, adjacent to a substantial pub called the King's Head.
First Impressions and Unique Features
We were greeted by waiting staff and escorted to a table near the rear of a generously proportioned dining space, with a compact bar and service station positioned centrally. At this juncture, it's worth mentioning that the bar stocks exclusively non-alcoholic beverages. Kolshi doesn't offer alcohol. I'd typically suggest this is crucial to know in advance, but we were informed by the team that should we fancy an alcoholic drink, there's a conveniently situated off-licence adjacent—the group of three mates who arrived ahead of us clutching carrier bags brimming with tins of lager suddenly made perfect sense.
Choosing soft drinks, we eagerly devoured poppadums with accompaniments and chutneys whilst studying the menu. The menu is quite comprehensive, offering abundant choices to the extent of being marginally daunting. However, it was pleasing to spot dishes I hadn't encountered before—fare you don't typically find when ordering your Friday evening takeaway from your neighbourhood curry house.
Exploring the Menu and Starters
I enquired with the team about various dishes and discovered that the family operating the restaurant has developed a menu brimming with the staples—your Jalfrezis, bhunas, Baltis, and so forth—but features additional items honouring their Bangladeshi heritage. There's equally a street food dimension, especially amongst the starters. Keen to try as much as our waistlines would allow, we ordered an assortment of starters: lamb chops, chicken pakora, and Chicken 65.
The pakora (£4.95) was quite unlike anything I've experienced elsewhere—rather than a piece of chicken coated and deep-fried, it resembled more of a bhaji texture. The standout champions amongst the starters were undoubtedly the lamb chops (£6.95) and the Chicken 65. Frequently, lamb proves tough and overdone, but these cutlets were blushing within and wonderfully succulent, separating from the bone effortlessly with every mouthful.
Chicken 65 (£4.95), supposedly named because it's prepared using that number of distinct spices, proved equally sensational. Gorgeously arranged in an upright display, I initially tackled these with knife and fork until a server informed me I was approaching it incorrectly. 'Pick it up, mate, it's much nicer that way,' and he was absolutely spot on! Utensils abandoned, the Chicken 65 delivered superior crispness, whilst larger mouthfuls unleashed additional depth of flavour.
Main Courses and Culinary Discoveries
I could genuinely have demolished serving after serving of these appetisers, but progressed to the main courses with my hunger thoroughly awakened. I'm fairly daring, and having established a connection with my server companion over the Chicken 65, I enquired what he'd suggest. He questioned my preferences and typical choices before I entrusted my destiny to him—'I'll sort you out,' he assured me.
I was served something I've not merely never sampled previously, but hadn't even encountered on an Indian menu—king prawns prepared with pumpkin. Remarkable. I learned that cooking with pumpkin represents tradition during festivities and momentous events in Bangladesh—I completely understand why. It arrived in a rich sauce with sufficient spice to make it intriguing, but the consistency and natural sweetness of the pumpkin balanced the warmth to a wonderful conclusion. The ingredient we'd typically link with Halloween never dominated the taste—a side of chilli-cheese naan proved the ideal vessel for scooping up the fruit and the prawns.
We also sampled a xacuti chicken (£8.95), once more entirely unfamiliar to me. This proved fiery, the warmth tickling the palate pleasantly, though never quite prompting you to grab your glass, alongside a chicken tikka masala (£9.50) that was luxurious and velvety.
Why Kolshi Stands Out
Clearly, I haven't dined at every Indian eatery across Britain, so I can't definitively endorse the accolade declaring it the nation's finest. However, Kolshi executes so many elements brilliantly that it's straightforward to understand why it's cherished and admired. The establishment is roomy and elegant, the cuisine is carefully crafted and brimming with diversity using what appeared to be premium produce.
Yet for me, it's the manner in which the team welcome patrons that truly shines. Servers are personable and well-informed—when I posed queries about the dishes, it seemed like I was conversing with the kitchen brigade themselves, and they handle diners with enormous courtesy without appearing obsequious. I observed fellow guests whilst dining; many arrived beaming and exchanged warm first-name greetings with the team—it appears the restaurant has established itself as a beloved fixture since launching in the tight-knit neighbourhood fewer than five years back.
So I can't promise it's Britain's finest Indian eatery, but if you're partial to a curry prepared with attention and delivered with warmth, I can assure you'll be in for something special.
