1. The Brilliant, Southall, Middlesex, London

The Brilliant lives up to its name. Princess Diana has dined here, as has Prince Charles, numerous prime ministers (Blair, Major, Heath) and a multitude of Bollywood stars. Although they specialise in Punjabi food, many of the dishes have a uniquely Kenyan twist. Having turned down a deal to make a million jars of their celebrated mango pickle for Sainsbury's, the restaurant has a family feel and was the first in the UK to obtain a licence to hold civil marriages. The Kenyan/Indian owner, Mr Anand, once gave me a good piece of advice: "If a place has 100 dishes on the menu, walk straight out." At The Brilliant there are never more than 12. Indian food is about quality, he says, not quantity.
Vicky Baker

· The Brilliant Restaurant, 72-76 Western Road, Southall, Middlesex; +44 (0)208 574 1928.

2. Tayyabs, Whitechapel, London

A Pakistani restaurant on a Whitechapel back street behind the East London Mosque. The hoards of people that stand and wait outside to get a table on a daily basis are testament to the fact that this is one of the best curry houses in London. The prices are cheap, the food excellent, from grilled meats to curries and there's an excellent sweet counter for after-dinner treats.
Robert English

· Tayyabs, 83-89, Fieldgate St, London E1; +44 (0)207 247 9543.

3. Nawaab, Bradford

Fantastic food and genial service make this a winner in my book (and that of quite a few other Bradfordians). It is a little more expensive than other curry houses in the area, but hardly bank-breaking, and I have enjoyed every meal I have ever had there. The Nawaab tandoori mix is an excellent starter, not only for its variety of flavours but also because it is served on a impressive "sizzler" dish, which looks to be hotter than the surface of the sun. The huge range of main dishes caters for all tastes, although I almost always go for the slow-cooked and hugely tasty (but not that powerful) chicken haandi, one of the chef's specialities.
Mat Smith

· Nawaab, 32 Manor Row, Bradford; + 44 (0)1274 720371

4. Moon Restaurant, Manchester

Forget Bradford, Birmingham and Leicester, and even forget the mile of curry houses down the road in Rusholme ... the best Indian food to be scoffed is at the Moon. Their tarka dhal is better than my late Mum's and they do, hands down, the best naan breads I have ever tasted. The dishes are spicy but not fiery. The ingredients are fresh and fragrant. It's a proper curry house with flock wallpaper, naff sitar music and pictures of the Taj Mahal that light up. But trust me, the only dubious thing about it is the decor; the food is as good as any that came out of our kitchen at home where several sari-clad ladies would spend hours chatting and cooking. The chicken karahi deserves a mention, too — perfect with a Moon pashwari naan (which is crisp and balanced with only coconut — none of that sultana nonsense!)
June Uppal

· Moon Restaurant, 450-452 Wilmslow Road, Withington, Manchester M20 3BW; +44 (0)161-448-8700

5. Sangam Restaurant, Manchester

Named after the Indian word for "meeting place", one of the people you might possibly meet here is Jason Orange from Take That who, after choosing the restaurant as one of his favourite Mancunian haunts back in the '90s, created a whole new customer base in the form of teenage girls. It is situated proudly at the start of Manchester's infamous curry mile and promises "Indian food for the 21st century – light, delicate and full of the most subtle flavours". The biryani is as tasty as its most famous customer.
Anita Sethi

· Sangam Restaurant, 9-19 Wilmslow Road, Manchester; +44 (0)161 257 3922

6. Al Frash, Birmingham

You can't go far wrong (certainly not in terms of value for money) eating in any of the curry houses in Brum's famous Balti Triangle, the area of balti houses clustered along Ladypool Road, Stoney Lane and Stratford Road south of the city centre. Everyone has their favourite, but one of the best is undoubtedly the Al Frash, famous for its aubergine pakora and house specials such as balti chicken and mushroom and "Afrodesia", finely minced chicken or prawn cooked with ginger garlic and mushroom. Of course everything comes sizzling in black steel balti bowls and is accompanied by delicious doughy coriander naans. BYO.
Gavin McOwan

· Al Frash, 186 Ladypool Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham; +44 (0)121 753 3120.

7. Manzils, Southampton

Manzil's in Bevois valley, Southampton (beavis valley to the locals, bev-wah to the everyone else) is a perfect late-night curry house, or great for an evening meal. Cheap and cheerful with friendly staff, you'll find (most importantly) some of the best curry available in Southampton — and it tastes even better at four in the morning! It has passed into near legendary status among the local student community.
Jack Arnott

· Manzils, 54 Onslow Road, Southampton; +44 (0)23 8022 7423

8. Simla, Kimberley, near Nottingham

Slightly off any kind of beaten track, the Simla in Kimberley, near Nottingham, delivers just about the best curry I have ever had. It's a smart, modern restaurant, with excellent staff and a really wide-ranging menu featuring the dishes you'd expect and a few you wouldn't.
Paul Cockburn

· Simla Indian Restaurant, 5 James Street, Kimberley +44 (0)1159 459350

9. Akash Tandoori Restaurant, Leicester

A Bangladeshi place on the London Road, it bills itself as Leicester's legendary price-busting resturant and is ever popular with students because of its specials at £6 in the evenings, £2.95 at lunch. Décor is a bit rough and ready, but the service is friendly and the lamb bhoona is mouth-watering.
Gavin Brammell

· Akash Tandoori Restaurant, 159 London Rd, Leicester; +44 (0)116 255 9030

10. The Dhabba, Glasgow

Authentic north Indian cuisine right in the heart of the Merchant City, so, as you might expect, it's done with a rather trendy twist — sleek, modern décor and eye-watering prices to match (mains come in over the £10 mark). But then our curry houses have always been a bit keen compared to those south of the border. Nevertheless, I've had to queue when I've been, so we're obviously not complaining about the quality of the food. In fact, the Guardian said: "If we're lucky, this could become the model for 21st-century UK curry houses"
Dave Turner

· The Dhabba, 44 Candleriggs, Glasgow; +44 (0) 141 553 1249