Prestigious award for Lucknow Junction Indian restaurant

Lucknow Junction on Higher Market Street, Farnworth, has won the Best Regional Indian Cuisine Restaurant – North Indian at the Indian Restaurant Awards 2026.

Monica with the award (Image: Monica Verma)

Based on the North-Indian cuisine of Lucknow, from where head chef and owner Monica Verma hails, the restaurant won despite a crowded field, with competitors from all across the UK.

Monica said: “We’re absolutely over the moon – very, very happy.

“There were many, many restaurants there, from England, Scotland, Wales – there were jurors from India, restaurants there with Michelin stars.”

(Image: Monica Verma)

Lucknow Junction has been open in Farnworth for around 2.5 years, before which it was a takeaway in Oldham.

“People still talk about that takeaway – it was the takeaway’s popularity that convinced us to open up the Farnworth restaurant,” said Monica.

“If you go round Oldham now everyone still knows us.

The award (Image: Monica Verma)

“I had someone tell me once they used to get all their food from Lucknow Junction before it shut – they didn’t know I was the owner!”

Monica is from Lucknow, which is in Northern India, about 45 minutes away from Delhi.

A serious food hub itself, Lucknow has been named a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, highlighting its importance as an international food production and innovation centre.

(Image: Monica Verma)

Monica is intent on bringing that culture to the UK.

“It’s quite unique, what we do here,” said Monica.

“The incredible galouti kebabs, the basket chaat – if you look on a Saturday, all our tables are filled with the multicoloured basket chaat. It’s beautiful.”

Basket chaat are small bread-like containers which are filled with a variety of toppings, each one different in flavour and colour, like a bouquet of edible flowers.

“It’s very unusual to get proper Northern Indian food in the UK. You have to have a lot of skill – and heart, of course,” said Monica.

(Image: Monica Verma)

“But 70 per cent of English people don’t know about it. I end up giving them a lecture about it at the table. I look back and they’re all sat there drooling!

“I’m extremely passionate about this food. I wouldn’t put anything on the table that I wouldn’t want to eat myself.”

Lucknow Junction is located at 27 Higher Market Street, Farnworth.