London ethnic restaurants: Best global eats in the city

When you think of London ethnic restaurants, diverse, authentic food spots run by immigrant communities that serve true regional dishes. Also known as global cuisine spots, they’re not just places to eat—they’re cultural hubs where you taste history, family recipes, and decades of tradition. This isn’t about fusion gimmicks or Instagrammable bowls. It’s about the uncle who’s been making dumplings since 1987, the woman who grinds her own spices every morning, the kitchen that opens at 5 a.m. because that’s when the shift workers need their breakfast.

Across London, you’ll find clusters of these spots—Chinatown, London’s oldest and most concentrated Chinese food district, centered around Soho—where you can get hand-pulled noodles, crispy Peking duck, and sweet red bean buns without leaving the street. Then there’s Brick Lane, the heart of London’s Bangladeshi community, famous for its curry houses and fresh roti, where the best curries aren’t on menus with pictures—they’re whispered about by locals who know which stall serves the spiciest jalfrezi. And don’t overlook Southall, a West London neighborhood packed with Punjabi bakeries, tandoori ovens, and chai stalls that never close, where the air smells like cumin and cardamom all day long.

It’s not just about Asia, either. In Brixton, you’ll find jerk chicken so smoky it lingers on your clothes. In Harlesden, Ethiopian injera arrives with a basket of stews that taste like they’ve been simmering for hours. In Camden, you can grab a shawarma wrapped in fresh pita, dripping with garlic sauce, for under £6. These aren’t hidden. They’re just ignored by guidebooks that only list places with white tablecloths and wine lists.

What makes these places work? They don’t chase trends. They don’t need fancy lighting. They rely on repeat customers—locals who come every week, sometimes every day. The food doesn’t change because it doesn’t need to. It’s good because it’s real. And that’s why you’ll find the same people here year after year, even as the city around them changes.

What you’ll find below is a curated list of posts that dig into these spots—not just the top 10, but the ones locals swear by. From the best dim sum in Chinatown to the hidden kebab shop in Wembley that only takes cash, you’ll get the real scoop. No fluff. No hype. Just where to go, what to order, and how to eat like someone who’s lived here for decades.