Classic British cooking might lean towards hearty over scorchingly hot, but that doesn't mean we aren't partial to a punch of spice in our food. As we've been introduced to new cuisines and ingredients, we've developed a love for fiery flavours, from bottled chilli sauces and oils to ferocious restaurant dishes inspired by the cooking of everywhere from Malaysia to Nigeria. Our fascination with all things spice has even spawned daunting food challenges to test the most devoted of chilli fans.  

Tracking down the spiciest food in the UK is, of course, an impossible challenge – there are countless neighbourhood restaurants and takeaway favourites serving up fiery dishes in every town and city. Instead, we've tried to provide a snapshot of some of the hottest cooking in the UK – we're sure you'll have your own picks. If you're in the mood for more spicy goodness, don't miss our list of some of our very hottest recipes. 

Thai food is notoriously spicy, and Khun Pakin Thai is certainly no exception. At home in Hammersmith’s The Salutation pub, it fires up authentic Thai dishes, with a menu packed with the likes of spicy mango salad, hot and sour tom yum kung pot and fiery pork bone soup. Diners are asked where their dish should sit on spice scale of one to five – tread carefully.

The family-run Kismot restaurant in Edinburgh has long plated up what it bills as the world's hottest curry. It's aptly named The Kismot Killer, and you'll need to sign a waiver before taking it on – although if you finish it, they'll give you it for free. It became particularly notorious after participants in a charity Killer-eating contest ended up in hospital in 2011. Though the exact recipe is a mystery, we know it's made with ferocious chillies including naga morich and ghost pepper (which comes in at around 1,000,000 Scoville heat units). 

Barshu has brought the complex, numbing heat of Sichuanese cooking to London since 2006, and has earned itself a spot in the Michelin guide in the process. It specialises in dishes featuring the distinctive mala seasoning – made from Sichuan peppercorn and chilli – which is often transformed into oils and sauces. Don't miss Barshu's roast sea bass with numbing and spicy sauce and the fragrant chicken in a (in their own words) pile of chillies, both of which fall into the restaurant's 'authentic spicy' category. Sound intimidating? Dishes labelled 'savoury spicy' are very slightly milder.

Phall – or phaal – is a style of curry which originated in the Bangladeshi-owned curry houses of Birmingham; it's fiercer than vindaloo and remains one of the hottest curry styles in the UK, though it's harder to track down. It definitely isn't exclusive to Rumana's, but you can find it on the menu there. Recipes vary, but some of the spiciest takes on phall use up to ten different types of chilli, including ghost pepper, Scotch bonnet, habanero and Carolina reaper. If you visit Akbar's in Manchester, you can take on its 'For the Brave' phall challenge – finish the dish and you'll be rewarded with an ice cream sundae to help you cool down.

Luke Farrell's Plaza Khao Gaeng in Soho channels the flavours of southern Thailand in a fragrant, vibrant and, at times, scorching menu. Luke doesn't shy away from heat, and instead suggests diners use coolants like herbs, rice and sweet drinks to navigate their way through the salads, curries and stir-fries (you can read Luke's tips on upping your spice tolerance here). His second restaurant Speedboat Bar, inspired by Bangkok's Chinatown, is marginally less spicy but still delivers a hefty dose of spice. 

New York-style wings spot Orange Buffalo says most people who take on its Viper hot wings challenge bail out after just one (the goal is to eat eight). The sauce – which they sell separately online – is made of red chillies, Scotch bonnets, naga chillies and a dash of a 6.4 million Scoville capsaicin extract. It's not for the faint of heart – find them at East London's Truman Brewery. 

Bristol's Chilli Daddy has built a reputation for its scorching Sichuan food since it opened on the market in 2011. Choose from its menu of dumplings, hot-pot noodles, cold noodle salads and rice dishes, and specify how much of a kick you're looking for on a scale from one to five (five being the spiciest).

Rosa's Thai Café founder Saiphin Moore first launched Lao Café as a pop-up in 2015, but it proved so popular it later opened in its permanent Covent Garden home. There, she celebrates traditional Laotian cooking – think spicy signature papaya salads (tell the team how fiery you're willing to go), as well as hot pots, curries, grilled meats, stir-fries and spicy sausage and bamboo shoot salads.

Got a taste for spice? Don't miss our guide to the science behind spice.