Takeaways in the UK
Friday night, nobody wants to cook: find the takeaways near you that are open now, see who delivers and who does collection, check the hygiene rating, and order direct from the shop.
Takeaways by city
Pick a city to see local takeaways ranked by rating — each links to that town's dedicated page.
Highly rated UK takeaways
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Guides & advice for takeaways
Local business Lilo’s closes after devastating roadworks impact
Chloe Evans has closed her pasta takeaway Lilo’s in Pencoed after 11 years, citing a costly road closure over Easter and years of rising costs.
Belfast Takeaway Owner Loses Thousands After Social Media Account Hack
John Ferguson, owner of Belfast Burger, says a Meta account hack that locked him out of Facebook, Instagram and Threads has cost the takeaway close to £20,000 and an 81% drop in takings.
Finding a good takeaway in the UK
Britain's takeaways are its most-used restaurants: the Chinese on the corner, the Indian everyone has an opinion about, the pizza place, the kebab shop, the chippy, and now Thai, Turkish, Caribbean, Vietnamese, Lebanese and a hundred others. Most independent takeaways are family-run and have been for decades, and the good ones are good because the same people have cooked the same dishes for a very long time. Finding them is a matter of knowing what is nearby, what is open, and what other people in your town rate.
Ordering direct — by phone, or through the takeaway's own website or app — is nearly always better than the big delivery apps: the shop keeps the money instead of paying up to 30 per cent commission, prices are often lower, the delivery radius is usually wider, and you are talking to the people cooking it. Most takeaways deliver within two or three miles with a minimum order and a small charge, and offer collection at a discount. Opening hours vary widely; many open late and close late, some close on a Monday or Tuesday, and the listings carry the hours.
Every food business in the UK is inspected and given a Food Hygiene Rating from 0 to 5, displayed at the door in Wales and Northern Ireland and searchable online everywhere. A 5 is normal for a well-run shop; below a 3 is worth thinking about. The listings here show each takeaway's reviews, cuisine, opening hours, whether they deliver, and contact details, so you can see what is open near you and who to ring.
Kinds of takeaway
Chinese: the biggest category in the country, from the classic set menus to Cantonese, Sichuan and hot-pot specialists.
Indian and South Asian: curry houses, Bangladeshi and Pakistani kitchens, Punjabi grills and halal takeaways, with the regional dishes that never reach the chains.
Pizza, kebab and burgers: the late-night staples, independent and franchise, with the doner, shish and chicken shops alongside.
Fish and chips: its own category and its own page, but every town's chippy is a takeaway too.
Everything else: Thai, Vietnamese, Turkish, Greek, Caribbean, Lebanese, Japanese and sushi, Mexican, Korean, and the dessert and milkshake shops that follow them.
Before you order
- Check the hours; many takeaways open only in the evening and close one night a week.
- Order direct by phone or the shop's own site where you can; it is usually cheaper and the shop keeps the money.
- Ask about the delivery area, the minimum order and the charge, or whether collection gets a discount.
- Check the Food Hygiene Rating online if it is not on the door.
- Tell them about allergies when you order; they are required to give allergen information and most are careful.
- On a Friday or Saturday night, expect a wait and order early.
What a takeaway costs in the UK
As a rough guide, a Chinese or Indian main dish costs £7 to £12 with rice or naan £2.50 to £4 on top, so a meal for two runs £25 to £40; a large pizza £10 to £18; a doner or shish kebab £7 to £11; fish and chips £9 to £14. Delivery is usually free above a minimum of £12 to £20 or charged at £2 to £4, and many shops take 10 per cent off for collection. Set menus and meal deals for two or four are the best value at most Chinese and Indian takeaways.
The delivery apps add their own service fees and often mark up the menu; ordering direct keeps the price the shop actually charges.
How do I find a good takeaway near me?+
Look at the takeaways listed for your town by cuisine, check which are open now, read recent reviews for the food and the delivery time, and look at the hygiene rating. Then ring or order through the shop's own site; the price is usually better than the apps and you get the shop's full delivery area.
Which takeaways are open near me now?+
The listings carry each takeaway's opening hours and show what is open at the moment, so you can see who is serving tonight. Most open from five or six in the evening and many close late; some close on a Monday or Tuesday, and hours change on bank holidays.
Is it cheaper to order a takeaway direct?+
Usually, yes. The delivery apps charge the shop up to 30 per cent commission and add service fees for you, so many takeaways keep lower prices, wider delivery and collection discounts for customers who ring or use their own website or app. It also means the shop keeps the money.
How do I check a takeaway's hygiene rating?+
Every food business is rated 0 to 5 by its council under the Food Standards Agency scheme; the rating is displayed at the door in Wales and Northern Ireland and searchable on the FSA website everywhere. A 5 is what a well-run shop gets; a 3 or below is worth a second thought.
Do takeaways deliver?+
Most do, within two or three miles, with a minimum order and either free delivery or a small charge; the listing says who delivers. Collection is always an option and often 10 per cent cheaper. On a busy night delivery can take an hour, so order early.
Can takeaways cater for allergies?+
They must provide allergen information on request, and most independent kitchens are careful if you tell them when ordering. For a serious allergy, ring rather than order online, say exactly what to avoid, and ask how they handle it; a shop that cannot answer confidently is one to skip.
How do I get my business listed?+
It is free. Add your business in about two minutes to appear on this page and your local town directory. Upgrade to Featured for £2.49 a month to sit above the free listings.