Ali Baba's Restaurant

You'll find yourself on Hillchurch Street in Hanley, walking into a place that doesn't bother with frills but absolutely delivers on flavour. Ali Baba's has built a loyal following over years of doing the basics brilliantly – think fragrant biryanis, richly spiced curries that actually taste like they've been cooked properly, and naan that arrives warm and slightly charred. The vibe is straightforward and unpretentious: booths and tables, a no-nonsense approach to service, and a kitchen that knows what it's doing. This is the kind of restaurant where locals come back because the food's consistently good and you're not paying over the odds for it.