There aren’t many local restaurants that get the chance to say they’ve been successfully operating for almost half a century, but Yorkshire-born Indian restaurant chain Aagrah is almost there.
Celebrating its 45th anniversary this month, the award-winning chain has been serving delicious Indian food since the late 70s, when it first opened its founding restaurant in Shipley. Today, it’s an institution, operating 10 restaurants across Yorkshire including Doncaster, Wakefield, Tadcaster, Leeds and Skipton – a solid testament to how loved they are across God’s Own Country.
Celebrating in style tomorrow, guests who dine with them on July 5th – the official anniversary – will get the chance to enjoy their delicious food with a whopping 45% off, including on their value-packed annual discount card memberships (which usually cost £25).
If that wasn’t all, diners for the rest of July will be able to enjoy 25% on selected days throughout the month, keeping the 45th-anniversary celebrations going all month long.
So, what’s the secret to their success? According to founder Mohammed Sabir, its authentic approach to bringing Kashmiri cuisine to Yorkshire.
Mohammed said of the celebratory anniversary: “I’ve no idea how many meals we have served up in 45 years, it will [be] hundreds of thousands,
“When we started, we had absolutely no clue how to cook. I don’t mind saying that. I’ve said it many times. That is our biggest strength. The majority of our recipes came from home – we brought home cooking into the commercial environment.
“We are a family-run business; they are chefs as well. It gives us a personal touch and distinguishes us from our competitors. We strongly believe in authentic taste, served in a European style.”
Speaking of the future, Mohammed spoke of aspirations to expand outside of Yorkshire, putting his faith in the younger generation who he’s sure will drive the business forward. Mohammed added: “The younger generation will take it forward. I have no doubt about that. We are content control freaks. We like to control the things especially when it comes to the cuisine. No matter how good you are. If the food is rubbish, so are you.
“I’m not saying we’re the best. There’s always somebody better than you. But we try our best. I’m always looking to healthy cuisine. That’s My nature. We cater more for vegetarians than some vegetarian restaurants do.
“I just want to thanks all our customers for the support they have given us. I learned from them. I’m very proud. We couldn’t have dreamed of where we would be today when we started out 45 years ago. It takes years to build trust with the general public but minutes to finish it.”
Aagrah serves up an extensive menu of classic Indian food, serving warming dishes such as the moderately spicy Jalfrezi, grilled Tandoori meats, Tikka Masala, Rogan Josh and tons of lesser-known, authentic curries, Biryani dishes and more.
The restaurant also prides itself on its fantastic drinks menu, too, which includes cocktails, international beers, and even a collaborative beer with Leeds’ Kirkstall Brewery.
Fancy celebrating with Aagrah? Book your table now and find out everything you need to know about July’s fantastic anniversary offers here.
Aagrah can be found in Doncaster, Garforth, Tadcaster, Wakefield, Leeds, Chapel Allerton, Bradford, Shipley and Skipton. Aagrah Skipton is excluded from the offer.
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