A Local's Guide to Indian Grocery Shopping in London

TL;DR

• London's South Asian grocery scene is anchored in East London, with solid options in South and North London too 🛒
• Elaka Food City in Herne Hill is open every day from 7 AM to 11 PM — one of the longest windows in the city
• Mas Wala in Forest Gate, Bangla Bazar on Globe Road, and Rahims in Mile End form a reliable East London circuit
• Sri Lankan specialists like Ceylon Supermart and Kannan's Store fill a gap that Indian-focused stores often leave
• Several stores also offer online ordering for pantry staples and bulk spices 📦

The East London Grocery Belt

The stretch running from Forest Gate through Bethnal Green to Shadwell and Mile End is where London's South Asian grocery infrastructure is densest. If you are part of the Indian or broader Desi community in the city and have not yet mapped this corridor, a dedicated trip is worth planning.

Mas Wala on Upton Lane in Forest Gate (E7 9PA) is one of the more reliable all-rounders in this zone. The store carries South Asian fresh produce, whole and ground spices, dried pulses, atta flours, and a selection of pickles and chutneys that covers most subcontinental cooking traditions. It is the kind of place that experienced home cooks in the area circle back to on a fortnightly basis. For ingredients like fresh curry leaves, drumstick vegetables, raw banana, or brinjal varieties not available at mainstream supermarkets, Mas Wala is consistently the answer. The phone number listed for this store is +44 1582 730411.

Globe Road in Bethnal Green hosts Bangla Bazar at 161 Globe Road, London E2 0LJ. This is a well-stocked Bangladeshi grocer whose product range overlaps substantially with Indian and Pakistani cooking needs. The spice aisle is particularly well-stocked, and the fresh fish and vegetable sections cater specifically to South Asian household cooking. Regulars report it is a good source for large-format toor dal, whole coriander, and dried shrimp. The contact email is londongloballink@gmail.com and the phone is +44 20 4619 2082.

Heading toward Mile End, Rahims (Atlas Wharf Branch) is a Bangladeshi-run store in the E3 postcode area with a loyal local following. Like Bangla Bazar, Rahims covers the basics well and stocks the kinds of branded products — whole spice mixes, canned goods, and flour varieties — that are otherwise difficult to source outside of specialist grocery runs. The store can be reached at +44 20 8985 3335, and the email listed is info@rahims.net.

In Shadwell, Amani Bazar operates from the Shadwell Railways Arch and serves the mixed South Asian community in that part of East London. It is a convenient mid-week top-up stop, particularly for fresh produce and pantry items.

South and North London Options

South London is less saturated with South Asian grocers than the east, but Herne Hill offers one genuinely useful store. Elaka Food City at 163 Herne Hill, London SE24 9LR is a Sri Lankan and South Indian grocery with some of the most practical opening hours in this category: every day from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. That daily consistency matters more than it sounds — it means you can make a grocery run before work, after a late shift, or on a Sunday morning with equal ease. The store can be reached at +44 207 018 7150 and the email is info@elakafoodcity.com.

Elaka Food City's range leans into Sri Lankan specialties — jackfruit, moringa, specialty rices, canned fish, and coconut-based products — but it serves the broader South Asian pantry well enough that Indian home cooks across South London have adopted it as a regular stop.

Ceylon Supermart is another Sri Lankan-focused option operating in London, with an online presence at ceylonsupermart.com that is useful if a physical trip is not practical. For Tamil Nadu-style cooking or Sri Lankan-specific ingredients like dried Maldive fish or roasted curry powder, these two stores are the most targeted options in the city.

Up in North London, Kannan's Store in Edmonton operates under the Kannans Kitchen umbrella and focuses on Sri Lankan and Tamil grocery needs, including hard-to-find specialty items. It draws shoppers from across North and East London who treat it as a monthly destination for stock-up runs on items unavailable closer to home.

West London and the Halal Grocer Network

West London has several halal-focused grocers that double effectively as Desi pantry stores. West Ealing Halal Meat and Grocers at 62 Broadway covers fresh halal meat alongside South Asian dry goods, and the store can be reached at +44 20 8621 9361. No. 1 Halal Meat Grocery & Vegetables at 25 Craven Park Road offers a similar range, and is reachable at +44 20 8965 0299. Lalbagh Halal Foods Store at 7 Market Way rounds out the West London halal grocery picture and is a solid option for families who want their protein and pantry run in one place. That store can be reached at +44 20 7987 3500.

For those who prefer to order ahead or buy in bulk, New Al Madina Grocers (halal-international range), VhaniGrocery (Bangladeshi focus), and Alli Bhavan (Indian pantry, at allibhavan.com) all maintain online ordering channels. VhaniGrocery is worth bookmarking for bulk orders of Bangladeshi specialties, while Alli Bhavan covers a broader South Asian grocery range if you are based in an area where physical South Asian stores are sparse.

Insider Tip 💡

The best per-unit prices in almost every store on this list sit in the bulk spice and flour sections, not the branded-packet aisle. Buying a 1 kg bag of coriander seeds and grinding small batches at home consistently outperforms branded pre-ground coriander on both flavour and cost. A dedicated spice grinder — kept strictly away from coffee beans — pays for itself inside three months for any household cooking South Asian food twice a week or more. Ask staff at Mas Wala or Bangla Bazar which items they restock most often — that is a reliable signal of what experienced home cooks in the area are actually buying.

FAQ

Which Indian grocery store in London has the longest opening hours? Elaka Food City in Herne Hill is open every day from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, one of the most consistent windows in the city.

Where can I find Sri Lankan groceries in London? Elaka Food City in Herne Hill, Ceylon Supermart, and Kannan's Store in Edmonton are the main options.

Are there Indian grocery stores in West London? West Ealing Halal Meat and Grocers and No. 1 Halal Meat Grocery & Vegetables both serve West London with South Asian dry goods alongside fresh halal meat.

Can I order Desi groceries online in London? New Al Madina Grocers, VhaniGrocery, and Alli Bhavan all have online ordering. Ceylon Supermart also sells online.

Is there a good Indian grocery in South London? Elaka Food City in Herne Hill is the most reliable South London option for South Asian and Sri Lankan products, with the widest opening hours in the category.

Bottom Line

London's Desi grocery infrastructure is built into the fabric of the city, but knowing where to look matters. East London — Forest Gate, Bethnal Green, Mile End, and Shadwell — remains the core, with Mas Wala, Bangla Bazar, Rahims, and Amani Bazar forming a practical circuit that covers most South Asian pantry needs. Elaka Food City in Herne Hill is the standout South London option by virtue of its hours and Sri Lankan range. Kannan's Store in Edmonton fills a gap for Tamil and Sri Lankan shoppers in North London. Online channels from VhaniGrocery, Alli Bhavan, and New Al Madina Grocers are worth using when physical travel is not practical. Taken together, these stores make it possible to maintain a well-stocked South Asian pantry in London year-round, on any budget, from almost any part of the city.