Rolling hills, dairy farms, village spires and pork pies. But also a joyful fusion of global cultures – home to generations of Indians, Italians, Pakistanis, Afro-Caribbeans, Poles, Chinese, Turks and so many others.
Each nationality has brought its distinctive cuisine, transforming Leicester and Leicestershire into an explosion of flavours – from Indian curries to Korean rice bowls, from delicate sushi to Turkish kebabs, from authentic Naples-style pizzas to artistic French patisserie. A wander down Leicester’s Narborough Road – officially the UK’s most diverse street according to the London School of Economics – will reveal all these and more.
With so much variety, planning a ‘global’ food tour is easy. For example, you could start with Indian street food, from classic samosas at Chaiiwala – founded in Leicester and now a rapidly growing international brand – to ‘Mumbai toasties’. Then you could move on to Leicester’s famous curry houses. An excellent place to start is Belgrave Road – known as the Golden Mile. This unique road is the focal point of Leicestershire’s Asian community and crackles with energy – its annual Diwali celebrations are said to be the largest outside India!
The food on the Golden Mile reflects the origins of its business owners: you’ll find vegetarian Gujarati cuisine galore, including a rich variety of mouthwatering chaats (savoury Indian snacks), but also fulsome, buttery Punjabi curries, light and airy dosas from southern India, and unique dishes forged in Uganda by Asians who sought refuge in Leicester following their expulsion in 1972. Men and women from Antigua, Barbuda and Jamaica who put down roots in Leicester after the war also influence the culinary scene, along with more recent arrivals from Eastern Europe, Somalia and Eritrea.
In addition, the city’s universities attract students from all over the world, particularly from East Asia, which means even more food and drink variety, including restaurants serving sushi, ramen, Korean rice bowls, African food and even Uyghur cuisine. Finally, there’s the opportunity of a mouthwatering European voyage, taking in divine French pastries at unique bakeries, special Italian gelato, Portuguese Pastel de Nata, spicy Hungarian goulash and spectacular Spanish tapas.
Whatever world food you want on your plate, you’ll find it here in Leicestershire.
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