Bradford’s Curry Titans: Celebrating the Icons of Leeds Road
Leeds Road has long been recognised as one of the great food destinations of Bradford, a place where families, friends and visitors come together to enjoy the dishes that helped shape the city’s reputation as the UK’s unofficial capital of curry. For decades the street has been home to the restaurants that defined Bradford’s food culture, set new standards for South Asian cuisine and introduced generations of diners to the rich flavours and traditions that now form part of the city’s identity.
Our latest Love Leeds Road video celebrates three of the most influential establishments on this famous stretch, Aagrah, Akbar’s and Jinnah. These are the restaurants that helped transform Leeds Road into a destination known across Yorkshire and beyond. Each has played a distinctive role in the story of Bradford’s food scene, bringing their own approach, style and heritage while collectively shaping a legacy that continues today.
Aagrah is one of the region’s most respected restaurant groups, known for combining traditional Kashmiri dishes with a warm, welcoming dining experience. Its flagship ‘Midpoint’ restaurant at the top end of Leeds Road is a purpose-built shrine to curry and home to Aagrah’s famous buffet…a true destination for curry lovers. To explore their menu, make a booking or learn more about their history, visit: https://aagrahmidpoint.co.uk/.
Akbar’s has earned a national reputation for bold flavours, generous portions and its iconic presentation style. A visit to Akbar’s on Leeds Road has become a rite of passage for many Bradford food lovers and visitors to the city. Founded by the legendary Shabir Hussain, Aakbar’s helped set the standards for curry in Bradford and now have 10 restaurants across the UK. You can find opening times, menus and booking details here: https://akbars.co.uk/.
Jinnah brings elegant dining, rich culinary traditions and a strong connection to heritage. Its Leeds Road restaurant is one of the corridor’s standout destinations for high quality cuisine and a refined atmosphere. Based on the fringes of Little Germany, it is easily accessible from the city centre and serves as a key gateway destination for Leeds Road. For bookings, menus and more information, visit: https://www.jinnahs.co.uk/.
These three restaurants represent the foundations on which Leeds Road’s food culture has been built. They are part of the history that made Bradford famous for curry and continue to attract diners from across the country. Their influence can be felt in the many independent eateries that have opened around them over the years, each adding new flavours and ideas while contributing to the street’s ongoing reputation as a place of exceptional food.
The video captures this culinary heritage and the people who helped create it. It reflects the pride and passion behind these businesses, the craft that goes into every dish and the traditions that have been shared through generations. These are more than restaurants; they are part of Leeds Road’s story and part of Bradford’s cultural fabric.
By celebrating the area’s food heritage, Love Leeds Road aims to encourage more people to rediscover the corridor and support the businesses that continue to shape its identity. Whether you are a long-standing local, an occasional visitor or someone discovering Leeds Road for the first time, these restaurants offer a reminder of what makes this place so notable in Bradford’s history.
As the campaign grows, we will continue to highlight the flavours, stories and businesses that make Leeds Road a destination worth celebrating. This film is a tribute to the curry houses that put Leeds Road on the map and to the people whose passion and hard work helped establish Bradford as a true city of food.
