The Mahal has become the first fine dining Indian restaurant in Cheltenham to achieve the two AA Rosette award for the high standard of dishes served up by head chef Anuj Thakur and team.
Located on Montpellier Drive, The Mahal commits to contemporary fusion, drawing inspiration from traditional dishes across India. Inspired by a love of progressive Indian cuisine, the innovative menus are brought to life by continuous research into ever-evolving regional recipes. This is combined with a dedication to using the finest British seasonal ingredients.
‘We pride ourselves on the quality of the dishes and the memorable fine dining experience that we strive to provide to all of our guests, says owner Aklasul Momin, ‘so being recognised with two AA Rosettes is an incredible achievement for us.
‘As with everyone in hospitality, this success comes after such a tumultuous period of time. In the case of The Mahal, we made the brave move to launch the restaurant in July 2020 as the first wave of the pandemic came to an end. The next 12 months saw closures, switching to outside dining and adapting to takeaways – it certainly has been a rollercoaster. This award is testament to the team working tirelessly to produce a superior quality of Indian dining.
‘Of course, we couldn’t have achieved this without the support and custom of our guests too. It’s been wonderful to build such a loyal following over the past 18 months.’
Having previously worked in a number of prestigious hotels in the UK – including Dartington Hall in Totnes, and Tewkesbury Park in Gloucester – head chef Anuj is well versed in the quality of cookery it takes to achieve this award. His passion for working with local suppliers and seasonal ingredients is reflected in the dishes at The Mahal.
From the seven-course tasting menu – with both meat and vegan options – to an à la carte and set lunch menu, guests can experience a culinary journey of the subcontinent.
