Leeds South Indian restaurant celebrates 13 years of loyal customers in the city – new venue coming soon

Within days of opening Tharavadu was forced to turn customers away, as it was fully booked such was the clamour to taste this new sensation in the city.

Fast forward from 2024 to 2026 and the once 70-seater Mill Hill restaurant (now a 120 cover venue) is as popular as ever, and the love for the Keralan restaurant, its food and its staff, keeps growing, as does the brand.

Tharavadu – a legend in Leeds

Tharavadu was originally set up by five friends – three of whom were chefs. Co-founder and co-owner Siby Jose said the same five are still at the helm of Tharavadu, and it is this consistency which has contributed to its longevity and success.

As the city has grown and developed so has Tharavadu. Now the original restaurant has been joined by sister restaurant UYARE by Tharavadu, a massive rooftop restaurant and premium bar located in the Victoria Quarter, and plans are well underway for another Mill Hill venue offering eat in or take out Indo-Chinese food which should open this September.

“When we first saw the John Lewis building going up, we could not imagine that one day we would be opening our own restaurant in the Victoria Gate shopping centre,” said Siby.

Five Stars and Film Stars

From its early days it attracted praise and accolades not just locally but nationally. In 2015

It was listed in the Michelin Guide within a year of opening and continued to be recommended for six years.

From its inception Tharavadu was ranked in the top 10 curry houses in the UK, according to Trip Advisor – and is still in that top 10. Since 2023 it has been in the top 100 restaurants in the country, according to Square Meal, and that includes all styles and restaurant, not just Indian restaurants.

And, it’s been a favourite among Yorkshire Evening Post readers and Oliver Award judges, who voted it Best Indian Restaurant several times, including this year and last year, and won Chef of the Year in 2024.

Bollywood stars have eaten there, and one year the entire Indian Cricket Team took over the restaurant to eat, when they played in Leeds.

From the beginning, Siby said they wanted to be more than just another Indian curry house.

“It’s more than a business,” he said. “We have a special connection with Leeds and with the people of Leeds.” Regular customers return again and again, says Siby, and even after moving away or abroad, they still come back.

“We have customers visit from France, Australia and the US,” he said. “They plan their visits back to the UK to include a meal at Tharavadu.”

He said customers go out of their way to seek him and the other directors and staff members out, to say hello, to catch up on family news.

“At Tharavadu, we’ve created a community where people love to come and chat to us about their families and what’s happened in their day,” explained Siby.“It’s very homely and we have groups of retired friends for example who always visit at the same time and have come to feel more like family to us than customers. We very much value those relationships.

“Sometimes they remember more about what my family is doing than I do,” laughs Siby.

Moving up

A new era was entered with the opening of UYARE by Tharavadu, last year. Not so much an expansion but an extension of the original. The 150 seater UYARE offers the same fantastic South Indian food, the same friendly vibe and consistency and quality of both the dishes and the service, but it’s a different experience.

The 360 degree bar allows for pre and post-dinner drinks – and has over 20 cocktails on the menu. The elevated situation – it’s a rooftop bar with far-reaching views across the city –mirrors Leeds’s own transformation into a modern forward-looking city.

“You might regularly come for a meal at Tharavadu, a family occasion or because it’s just ‘like coming home’,” said Siby. “But you might go to UYARE for a special occasion, for something that bit more elevated.”

It’s also becoming a Sunday staple with its seven-course Sunday feast drawing in the crowds at the weekend. But whilst the venue and surroundings may be a little more flash, the prices are still the same fantastic value and the choice of dishes the same mouthwatering variety as the original Tharavadu.

“It’s not a case of a premium location and premium prices,” said Siby.

To make a booking or enquire about menus or special occasions, visit the website or call the restaurant on 0113 244 0500