Akbar's Menu Prices 2026: Full Karahi, Balti & Naan Guide

The original Akbar's flagship is at 1276 Leeds Road, Bradford, BD3 8LF (phone: 01274 773311). Shabir Hussain opened a modest 28-seat canteen at the site in 1995 and named it after his father. It has since expanded to more than 300 covers and remains the group's head office. Bradford held the title of Curry Capital of Britain for six consecutive years (2011–2016), with Akbar's central to that recognition. Use the restaurant locator on akbars.co.uk for directions and current hours.

The naan tree (also called the hanging naan or naan stand) is a metal stand with hooks that Shabir Hussain invented to display Akbar's giant Family Naans upright at the table. The naan itself is roughly a metre long and serves a table of four to six. Hussain later said he regretted not patenting the idea, as it sparked a chain-wide trend across the UK. The Family Naan costs £8.40 and the Family Garlic Naan £9.60. It is one of the most photographed dishes on any Bradford restaurant menu.

The most consistently praised dishes across hundreds of reviews are: Meat Chops (£9.60) -- lamb chops charcoal-grilled in spiced marinade; Chapli Kebab (£7.80) -- minced meat on a tawa griddle, crispy and caramelised outside; Karahi Chicken (£12.00) -- the best-seller main, cooked desi-style with ginger and green chillies; Lamb Shank (£15.50) -- slow-braised in masala gravy; Family Naan (£8.40) -- the giant hanging naan. Liver Tikka (£8.40) and Chicken Nambali (£9.50) are also frequently cited as highlights.

As of 2025, Akbar's operates nine or more locations across the UK. Confirmed branches include Bradford (flagship), Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Middlesbrough, Rotherham, Blackburn, and Glasgow. A Newcastle branch operated for several years. The group was founded and built by Shabir Hussain, who passed away in October 2024 at age 56 after announcing a cancer diagnosis in June 2024. Check akbars.co.uk/restaurants for the current confirmed list and opening hours by branch.

Yes. Akbar's serves halal meat throughout the menu -- this is consistent across all UK branches and is a core part of the brand identity. The chain also holds a liquor licence at most branches, serving Cobra lager, house wines and mocktails alongside the food. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are clearly available but the kitchen is not a separate preparation environment, so cross-contact is possible for guests with severe allergies. Contact the specific branch for allergen details.

A typical meal at Akbar's flagship Bradford runs approximately £20–£45 per head for two courses plus bread and a drink. Hardens puts the average spend around £44. Starters range from around £6 to £12; main courses from £12 to £18.50 for king prawn dishes. The giant Family Naan at £8.40 is genuinely shareable. House wines start around £25.95 per bottle; Cobra lager is around £5.50 a pint. Note: sit-down restaurant prices are higher than the Akbar's takeaway (Balti Edge) equivalent, where mains start around £8.95.

Both are metal-wok cooked dishes, but the styles differ. Akbar's baltis are cooked in a deep, two-handled pressed-steel bowl (the balti dish) with a sauce built on ginger, onions, tomatoes, capsicums and chillies -- a style that originated in Birmingham's Balti Triangle but has Pakistani roots in Baltistan. The karahi (or Desi-Apna style) dishes use a heavy round-bottomed wok over a high flame, yielding a drier, more intensely reduced sauce with visible ginger and green chilli -- this is the traditional Punjabi and North-West Frontier method. The Karahi Chicken is cooked to order and is Akbar's single most-recommended dish.

Yes. Akbar's has a dedicated Vegetarian Specialities section (mains from £9.95) and a Vegetarian Starters section. Popular options include Chana & Paneer Masala, Balti Tarka Dhal, Palak & Paneer Bhuna (all £9.95) and the Onion & Potato Bhaji (£5.90). Several items -- Tarka Dhal, Bhindi & Tomato Dopiaza, Aloo Gobi -- are vegan as served. Bread options include plain Chapati (£2.50) and plain Naan (£2.95) which are vegan. Garlic Naan and cheese-based naans contain dairy. The menu is not certified vegan; cross-contact in a shared kitchen is possible.

Akbar's has long championed dishes rarely seen on standard UK curry-house menus under the heading Rustic Traditional Delicacies. These include Paya (£12.00, slow-cooked lamb trotters), Haleem (£12.00, a slow-cooked wheat-lentil-meat porridge of Central Asian origin), Nihari (£12.00, an overnight slow-stew of beef or lamb, originally a Mughal-era dish), and Maghaz (£12.00, spiced goat or lamb brain masala). The Lamb Shank (£15.50) is also in this section. The menu copy notes that cooking poultry and game on the bone is a tradition stretching back centuries, and describes these as the most authentic, wholesome dishes in the house.