Eastern Spice in Ipswich has been named a finalist in the Restaurants awards run by ARTA 2026, putting the Woodbridge Road takeaway in the running for Regional Takeaway of the Year in East Anglia. Siddesh Vaze, who owns the business, now moves into the shortlist stage ahead of the ARTA 2026 Grand Finale.
Mohammed Munim, founder and CEO of ARTA, said: "Congratulations to every restaurant and takeaway named as a finalist of ARTA 2026." He added: "Being a finalist is a remarkable achievement and reflects the passion, resilience and dedication of the businesses shaping Asian hospitality across the UK."
Woodbridge Road in Ipswich
The shortlist places Eastern Spice among more than 1,250 restaurants and takeaways across the UK that were nominated by diners and food enthusiasts this year. The category line-up is built from those nominations, which means the finalist stage narrows a wide field into a smaller group judged for regional recognition.
Eastern Spice serves mild, medium and hot curries including masala, balti and vindaloo, along with rice, sag aloo and naan bread. That local menu now sits behind a national awards entry, with the business carrying Ipswich into the East Anglia category.
ARTA 2026 Grand Finale
The ARTA 2026 Grand Finale will take place at the London Hilton on Park Lane on Monday, October 12. Samantha Simmonds and Paul Sinha will host the event, where regional winners will be recognised alongside other finalists.
Munim also said: "At a time when rising employment costs, inflation and increasing overheads continue to challenge independent hospitality, Asian restaurants and takeaways remain vital to communities and the wider UK hospitality industry." For Eastern Spice, the immediate next step is the final stage in London, where its East Anglia nomination becomes part of the wider national awards line-up.
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