Sheffield restaurants Akbar's and Cosmo in line for gongs at Asian Restaurant Awards

Akbar’s Indian restaurants, based in Leopold Square, Sheffield, and Meadow Bank Road in Rotherham, and Cosmo world buffet at St Paul’s Place, are up for the ‘Best Group’ category at this year’s Asian Restaurant Awards.

The shortlist was determined by over 100,000 votes from members of the public.

A panel of judges for the Asian Catering Federation (ACF), which hosts the awards, are currently touring the country to determine the eventual victors.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony, sponsored by Just East and Booker Wholesale, at the Manchester Hilton on Monday, June 27.

ACF’s chairman Yawar Khan says that many curry restaurants are facing an existential crisis, and added: “Soaring food, energy and salary costs, combined with rising National Insurance and VAT rates, plus severe staff shortages, compounded by customers having less money to spend on restaurant visits and takeaways, is seeing record numbers closures.”

He urged customers to support their favourite restaurants by nominating them for this year’s awards via www.asianrestaurantawards.org/scotland-nomination-form and www.asiancurryawards.com

The overall winner at the year’s event will be included in the ACF’s new ‘One Hundred Top Curry Restaurants’ guide, which is being published currently, region–by–region, at www.Top100curryRestaurants.co.uk, with a printed version being available next year.