My Delhi eyes major UK expansion following North East Fastest 50 success

Founded in 2019, the business now has three restaurants in Newcastle, Sunderland and Leicester. It’s preparing to open its largest restaurant to date in Leeds, while the group has also acquired Birmingham fine-dining restaurant Itihaas.

Turnover has risen from just under £1m in its first year of trading to a projected £5m for the current financial year, with around 100 people now employed across the group.

For co-founder Elahi Shah Amin, the past seven years have been about building a restaurant brand with a clear identity rather than simply adding more restaurants.

He explains: “We never set out to open just another Indian restaurant. We wanted to create a brand that could stand alongside some of Britain’s biggest dining names, but with its own identity, personality and a different approach to Indian food and hospitality, while staying true to the food and culture of Delhi.

“Seven years on, we’ve built a strong, recognisable brand with a loyal following. We started with street food, but My Delhi has grown into something much bigger. Delhi is a melting pot of food cultures from across India, and that’s what makes our menu so exciting.”

That identity runs through the food, service and atmosphere, with My Delhi’s core chef team from Delhi and spices and marinades prepared in-house.

“From day one, we’ve had a real obsession with the guest experience,” says Elahi. “The food is at the heart of everything we do, but we’ve always believed that everything around it should be just as good. The atmosphere, the energy, the hospitality and the smallest details are all important.”

After opening in Sunderland in 2022, My Delhi moved outside the North East a year later with Leicester – a city with an established Indian restaurant scene.

“Leicester was a deliberate choice,” says Elahi. “It’s a city that knows Indian food, with some fantastic restaurants and customers who have high expectations. We wanted to challenge ourselves and see how My Delhi would be received in that market. The response has been fantastic and has given us even more confidence in the strength of our brand and its ability to succeed in different cities.”

The next step is Leeds, where the company is making its biggest investment so far.

Elahi continues: “Leeds is the next evolution of My Delhi. It will be our largest restaurant and biggest investment yet. We’ve already built a successful brand beyond the North East, and now it’s about taking everything we’ve learnt and reaching a much bigger audience.”

The business has grown without outside equity investment, despite approaches from investors, and has been strengthening the team and infrastructure behind further expansion.

“As we’ve grown, we’ve realised just how important it is to have the right people around us,” says Elahi. “You can’t do everything yourself, and you certainly can’t grow a business like this without a great team. We’ve invested a lot in our people, our leadership and the systems behind the business. Opening more restaurants is one thing, but making sure every restaurant delivers the same experience is what really matters.”

Alongside My Delhi, the group has acquired Itihaas in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, while a My Delhi restaurant in Birmingham is also planned. Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh are among the other cities being targeted, and the group is launching a catering arm for weddings, conferences and events.

Luca Iannotti, a solicitor in Ward Hadaway’s Real Estate Team, said: “My Delhi has spent seven years building a distinctive restaurant brand and has already shown that it can succeed beyond the North East. Its 12^th place ranking in this year’s Fastest 50 reflects that sustained growth, while the investment now being made in people, infrastructure and new locations points to the scale of its ambition.

“That combination of a clear identity and strong commercial growth is exactly what the Fastest 50 was created to recognise.”

Elahi added: “Our ambition is to make My Delhi a household name, with restaurants in every major city in the UK. We’ve already built a strong brand and proved it can succeed beyond Newcastle, and I genuinely believe there’s a much bigger opportunity ahead.

“I want people to walk into a My Delhi anywhere in the country and experience that same energy, hospitality and attention to detail that made us successful in the first place. That’s how you build a brand that lasts.”