Inside the world's biggest curry house... in Stockport: 2,000 customers a night, 10,000 poppadoms a week and just £32 a head to feast like a king. How the Royal Nawaab became Britain's unlikeliest success story

Published: 00:59, 9 June 2026 | Updated: 01:24, 9 June 2026 From a distance, it would appear a giant UFO has landed on the edge of Stockport and can’t get home. But this shiny blue, pyramid-shaped edifice next to the M60 ring road, which looms ominously over the Greater Manchester town, is in fact the world’s largest curry house. The Royal Nawaab employs 200 staff, serves around 2,000 customers a night and gets through 15,000 chillies a week. In fairness, curry ‘house’ doesn’t nearly do it justice. Palace would be more accurate judging by its size and glitzy interior. Its owner, restaurateur Mahboob Hussain, 71, prefers ‘destination’. Certainly, curry lovers journey here from afar to attack its upmarket, £31.99-a-head all-you-can-buffet, which stretches 165ft and offers 180 different dishes in an as-far-as-the-eye-can-see line of steaming silver cauldrons. One couple came from Australia after reading about it. Another customer visited from Norway. Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York, a known foodie, is keen to try its chicken biryani and has been in touch with Mr Hussain, promising to swing by when he’s next in the UK. A shame the same can’t be said of the Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, who only lives 20 miles up the road. ‘We’ve invited him several times, but we’ve heard nothing back,’ says Mr Hussain. ‘It is disappointing. You’d think this is something Mr Burnham would be interested in.’ Especially as the restaurant, the subject of a new Channel 4 documentary, is a Northern success story. Make that a British success story.  ‘I wanted to prove a point that in this country we can still produce and manufacture to a high standard,’ says Mr Hussain, who came to the UK with his family from Pakistan when he was 15.  Curry ‘house’ doesn’t nearly do it justice. Palace would be more accurate judging by its size and glitzy interior. Its owner, restaurateur Mahboob Hussain, pictured, prefers ‘destination’ Ian Gallagher enjoys a selection of dishes at the Royal Nawaab, the biggest curry house in the world Curry lovers journey here from afar to attack its upmarket, £31.99-a-head all-you-can-buffet, which stretches 165ft and offers 180 different dishes in an as-far-as-the-eye-can-see line of steaming silver cauldrons ‘We don’t have to go to China for everything. All the tiles come from Preston, the furniture from Knutsford and so on. I wanted to employ as many local tradesmen as possible.’ Previously home to a Co-op bank call centre, the blue glass pyramid is fondly regarded by locals and is easily visible from above by those flying to and from nearby Manchester Airport. Built in 1992, it was meant to be one of five pyramids in Stockport’s own Valley of the Kings – yes, it must have seemed a good idea at the time - but it stands alone after the main contractor for the project went bust. For five years it lay derelict, prompting stories that it was haunted.  ‘No one would go near it,’ says Mr Hussain. When he took it over the building was a shell, with neither floors nor walls, just a mass of wires and broken office furniture. Labourers filled 900 skips emptying the place. Determined that it should be his ‘legacy’ Mr Hussain spent £15million transforming it into something resembling a Dubai hotel, with marble floors, chandeliers and a fountain. 'It was a humongous undertaking, a huge risk,’ says Bilal Jogi, the restaurant’s marketing director. Incidentally, how many curry houses can boast a marketing director? He goes on: ‘It was just after Covid and hospitality was dying.’ The restaurant is on the ground floor. The next floor up can cater for weddings for as many as 1,200 guests. And the floor above that is used for corporate events. A cigar lounge is also planned. It seems Mr Hussain’s gamble is paying off. But then he is a shrewd operator and has been running buffet restaurants since the 1980s, first in Bradford where he grew up, then others down south, including one in the Art Deco Hoover building on the A40 in West London. Determined that it should be his ‘legacy’ Mr Hussain spent £15million transforming it into something resembling a Dubai hotel The restaurant is on the ground floor. The next floor up can cater for weddings for as many as 1,200 guests (pictured, the salad bar) There is also a selection of ice creams on offer, which will delight those who have a sweet tooth Bilal leads me into the dining area which is the size of a football pitch but divided into sections lest it appears too canteen-like. It is just after 5pm on a weekday and it’s already filling up with families. The Royal Nawaab prides itself on exceptional service and employs one waiter for every two to three tables, and that’s despite customers helping themselves. The industry standard is one for every six. More than 30 chefs operate in a ‘theatre kitchen’ while another 65 are ‘out the back’. Mr Hussain shows us around. ‘I love it here in the kitchen,’ he beams. ‘I’ve never lost my love for this.’ Most of the dishes are made to his recipes and at any given moment he is liable to appear on a chef’s shoulder - checking, tasting, seasoning. Some of the machines in the kitchen, he designed himself, including one that grills kebabs. Even when he’s not physically in the kitchen, Mr Hussain keeps a watchful eye over the entire, military-slick operation. It turns out he’s an exacting boss and then some. The pyramid is covered by high-definition cameras, allowing him to examine dishes remotely. If something doesn’t look right, he can call in from afar and order that the dish be sent back to the kitchen. A strict, micro-manager he may be, but his staff appear to revere him. ‘Many of them have been with me for years,’ he says. We encounter a man who peels onions all day long and another three who just make naan bread. The kitchen is open 365 days a year and every week it gets through 1,500kg of rice, 10,000 poppadoms, the equivalent of 1,000 chickens. More than 30 chefs operate in a ‘theatre kitchen’ while another 65 are ‘out the back’. Mr Hussain shows us around. ‘I love it here in the kitchen,’ he beams. ‘I’ve never lost my love for this.’ Some of the machines in the kitchen, he designed himself, including one that grills kebabs The kitchen is open 365 days a year and every week it gets through 1,500kg of rice, 10,000 poppadoms, the equivalent of 1,000 chickens The weekly shopping bill comes to £100,000. Waste is reduced with an early booking system that allows chefs to adapt quantities each day. Walk-ins are accepted but not encouraged. ‘Sometimes we turn away as many as 200 people at weekends,’ says Bilal. The restaurant doesn’t serve alcohol which means traditional scenes of closing time rowdiness are avoided. ‘You must try the mango smoothie – it complements the dishes perfectly,’ says Bilal. A waiter tells me Lisa Nandy, the culture minister and MP for Wigan, is a fan of the restaurant. So too are TV star Paddy McGuinness and 6ft 9 boxer Tyson Fury. I imagine Mr Fury got stuck into the buffet with some gusto? The waiter nods slowly and emits a low whistle. ‘Like you wouldn’t believe, sir.’ Suddenly the genial floor manager, Mo, is at my side bearing delights from the buffet. First, grilled lamb chops, marinated in masala sauce. They are exquisitely tender; I can’t recall tasting finer. All the dishes that passed before me to sample - chicken palak, Lahori fish, karahi lamb, onion pakoras, vegetable samosas, not forgetting the Royal Nawaab’s signature Masala Chips – were delightful.  ‘Do you have a sweet tooth?’ enquires Bilal. I don’t but even if I did, how would anyone find the room? Ah, that’s the trick,’ he laughs. ‘It keeps customers coming back for more. They return to try the things they didn’t have room for the first time.’ I’ll never turn my nose up at a buffet ever again. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. 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