(L - R): Gaurav Dayal and Shah Amin.

‘Britain’s Best Takeaway’ winner to create 20 local jobs with Sunderland restaurant

A team of restaurateurs who recently tasted success on a popular BBC cooking show are now serving up a new offering for Sunderland city centre.

Newcastle’s My Delhi has opened a second restaurant, in Sunderland, after it was triumphant on ‘Britain’s Top Takeaway’ hosted by Sara Cox earlier this month. The restaurant opened its first outlet on Newcastle’s Clayton Street in May 2019 serving an array of authentic Indian street food dishes inspired by the “streets and markets of Delhi”.

Elahi said: “We had a vision to create a new kind of Indian dining experience, bringing the true flavours and atmosphere of dining in Delhi to central Newcastle.

“When we set up, we knew we had to create an experience that people really bought into. There are so many fantastic Indian restaurants in the North East and we knew it had to be something that was going to take people on a journey.

“We hired a chef who hails from Delhi and we invested heavily in creating an experience where, when people visit, they aren’t just eating food, they’re also getting an immersive experience through the décor and atmosphere.

“We had to battle during the two years of the pandemic but we’re still here. Before Covid, we were doing really well. We built a great reputation very quickly. People just got it. They understood what we were about. It’s not just the taste, it’s what you see, what you hear. Diners hear the sounds of the street and they feel the ambience. It’s a real experience.”

Following their early success in Newcastle, the owners, brothers Shah and Elahi Amin, Gaurav Dayal and husband and wife Garry and Neha Goyal set about expanding their concept and the search for a second venue got underway.

After receiving a tour of Sunderland city centre by Sunderland BID and the business investment team at Sunderland City Council, the founders were shown around the former Funky Indian and Café 420 site adjacent to the Winter Gardens and immediately made their decision.

Since signing the lease in January, the venue has already been trading as a takeaway but will officially open its doors to the public on Wednesday June 8, creating 20 jobs.

Cllr Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, added: “My Delhi is a fantastic success story for the North East and we’re confident it will provide a huge boost to the city’s evening economy.”

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