Maham Khan

ISLAMABAD: In a world of Michelin stars, molecular gastronomy, and heated debates over whether pineapple belongs on pizza, the British Kebab Awards quietly remind us that nothing sparks joy&mdash;or friendly rivalry&mdash;quite like meat on a skewer. The 14th annual ceremony, held on February 24, 2026, at the Park Plaza Westminster Hotel, gathered Britain&rsquo;s kebab elite, an industry contributing roughly &pound;2.8 billion to the UK economy, according to the British Kebab Awards 2026 report. That&rsquo;s a lot of spice and a lot of votes for extra mint&nbsp;sauce. Founded by Ibrahim Dogus, the awards honor everything from Turkish doner and shish to restaurants brave enough to serve kebabs with a side of haute cuisine. Scotland&rsquo;s Shawarma King retained its crown for the fifth consecutive year (2022&ndash;2026), proving that consistency &ndash;&nbsp;like a good marinade &ndash;&nbsp;is everything. Belfast&rsquo;s The Sphinx won Best Kebab House in Northern Ireland, while Gillingham&rsquo;s Master Kebabs earned Takeaway of the Year, showing that you can be both quick and legendary, a rare talent in any kitchen. Finalists included Liverpool&rsquo;s Kemal Coskuncay of Casa Rima, a two-time Chef of the Year, and Coventry&rsquo;s Istanbul, the city&rsquo;s oldest kebab house, established in 1984. With over 20 award categories, no skewer went uncelebrated&nbsp;&ndash; from regional honors across Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to specialty awards for Greek, Lebanese, and Kosher shawarma. Service and innovation prizes, including Kebab Van of the Year and Best Vegan Kebab, proved that kebabs are as adaptable as they are delicious &ndash; yes, even kale can be on a skewer now. While Turkish cuisine remains the backbone, South Asian and Persian restaurants are increasingly staking their claim on the podium. London&rsquo;s Persian Palace (North and West London finalist, 2026), Newtownards&rsquo; Lahore Kebab House (Northern Ireland finalist, 2025), Glasgow&rsquo;s Asian Tandoori and Real Spice Cumbernauld (Scotland semi-finalists, 2025), Bellshill&rsquo;s Spices Bells Hill (Scotland finalist, 2025), and Enniskillen&rsquo;s Chaska (Northern Ireland finalist, 2025) show that kebabs can be as colorful as your spice rack &ndash;&nbsp;and just as bold. The awards may lean Turkish/Middle Eastern (doner, shish, and meze dominate) but South Asian chefs shine in parallel celebrations like the Asian Curry Awards, ARTA, and Curry Life Awards, honoring tandoori, mixed grills, and seekh kebabs. In other words, Britain&rsquo;s kebab culture is now a buffet of multicultural excellence, with every region bringing its own marinade to the table. This year also welcomed newcomers like Arslanbey Kebab (Best Newcomer) alongside fine-dining innovators like Beybaba Turkish Restaurant and Pircio, proving that kebabs can be street food, supper, or haute cuisine &ndash;&nbsp;sometimes all at once, and sometimes with Instagram-worthy flair. Following the 2025 ceremony, which celebrated Shawarma King, The Mantl, Losh Bar &amp; Grill, E.G Charcoal Grill, and Grove Kebab Van, the 2026 awards reminded everyone that skewers are about more than meat. They are about community, creativity, and the occasional friendly rivalry. And let&rsquo;s face it: they make a mean Instagram story, too. Whether Turkish, Persian, or South Asian-inspired, a good kebab is proof that flavor knows no borders &ndash; and good grill etiquette is always appreciated.

 A food inspector examines the kebab grill during an inspection in a snack bar in Stuttgart. (AFP)

Food

The 14th British Kebab Awards celebrated Britain’s finest skewers, from Turkish doner to South Asian and Persian flavors, proving that kebabs bring spice, skill, and a dash of friendly rivalry.

Articles tagged with "south asian cuisine"

The British Kebab Awards 2026: Skewers, sauces, and slightly competitive grins

The British Kebab Awards 2026: Skewers, sauces, and slightly competitive grins