Our Story
Andhra Roots in Leicester
How a passion for authentic Andhra home cooking became a restaurant at 120 Belgrave Gate — and why it's named after a child.
120 Belgrave Gate, Leicester
Every inch designed with care
Our Story
A taste of Andhra, brought to Leicester with care
Our founder came to Leicester from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh in 2019. She brought her love of food — and quickly found it was almost impossible to find Andhra cooking that tasted like it was made at home. The restaurants she tried were crowded, rushed, and the food had been softened far from its roots.
With a passion for cooking and her husband's encouragement, she decided to build the restaurant she couldn't find. Six months were spent designing every corner of 120 Belgrave Gate — not just the food, but the space itself: calm, spacious, and built for families to sit and enjoy a proper meal without distraction. They named it Rana's, after their child.
The menu is rooted in Andhra home cooking — spices imported directly from India, biryanis cooked from scratch, and at its heart, Ulavacharu: a horsegram broth slow-cooked for over 14 hours that our founder grew up knowing as the beloved dish of the farming families of her home district. Rarely found in UK restaurants, it is served here the way it deserves to be.
Roots
Vijayawada, Andhra
Where Shamili grew up and where the recipes, spices, and spirit of this restaurant come from.
Signature
Ulavacharu
A horsegram broth from the farming communities of Andhra, slow-cooked for over 14 hours. Rarely found anywhere in the UK.
The Name
Named for Rana
The restaurant is named after our founder's child — a reminder of who this place was really built for.