Asian Neighbourhoods

Green Street, E13

Bustling with people who come here to buy everything from glittery fabrics to make bespoke salwar kameez to 24-carat gold jewellery to wear at Indian weddings, Green Street is almost like being in India. Dozens and dozens of food shops, sari shops, restaurants and cafes line the long, snaking street, and unlike other Indian neighbourhoods, the crowd is a real mixture of Muslims, Bangladeshis, Gujaratis, Punjabis, Sikhs, the local African-Caribbean community, and tourists from abroad. What's more, everything is very cheap.

Tooting, SW17

The area between Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway tube station is where the local Tamil, Keralan and Sri Lankan communities rub shoulders with Londoners of all colours and religious denominations. It's very multicultural, with a completely different look from other Indian neighbourhoods, especially because it attracts a lot of young people and students from nearby colleges. Start your day with a breakfast of traditional south Indian pancakes and strong Mysore coffee in one of the many laid-back eateries.

Wembley, Kingsbury, Kenton and Harrow

Wembley was once the central hub of the capital's Gujarati community. But, as local Gujarati businessmen became more affluent, they began migrating to Kingsbury, Harrow and Kenton, leaving south Indians, Sri Lankans and Somalis to flock to the area in large numbers. As a result, these parts of northwest London have no shortage of Gujarati, south Indian and Sri Lankan eateries – particularly vegetarian ones. Ealing Road, the stretch of road between Wembley Central and Alperton tube stations, is particularly lively. Alongside restaurants and cafés, there are excellent shops selling fresh tropical fruit and vegetables, saris, jewellery, and household goods. It's worth visiting just for chaats (Indian street food, very fashionable right now) and vada pau (Indian-style burgers made from potato fritters, also very popular). You'll also find pavement stalls selling boxes of mangoes in season and freshly made sweets and snacks, as well as ice cream vans selling kulfi.

Southall, Middlesex

Home to the capital's Punjabi, Sikh and Sindhi communities, Southall is as loud, bold, colourful and extroverted as a Bollywood movie. The main reason to visit the area is to eat in one of the many north Indian cafes that sell delicious samosas, curries and naans. Do try Southall's 2 signature dishes: naan kebabs (meaty kebabs wrapped in hot, freshly made naan breads with pickles and relishes), and makki di roti aur sarson ka saag (cornmeal flatbreads with mustard leaf curry) –  rustic, home-style Punjabi dishes that are widely available in the area, and rarely found elsewhere in London.