Where to Buy Authentic West African Ingredients in London

Barking is located in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in East London. It is serviced by the District line, Hammersmith & City line and the C2C National rail, and buses which run to and from the surrounding areas, and all the way to central London. There are a good number of shops, as well as the local market at the town centre where West African ingredients can be bought. This comes as no surprise given the active West African community in the town. Food supplies such as yam, plantain, cassava, garri, okro, peppers, live snails, garden egg (aubergine), egusi seeds, dried stock fish, crayfish, and even more seasonal fruits such as agbalumo (also known as the African star apple) and sherry mango can be found in specialist shops. In addition to the local shops, independent sellers at Barking Market itself, which runs on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, sell a variety of West African ingredients for anyone looking to recreate a taste of home. The market is situated at East Street, a five-minute walk from the train station.

Dalston Market is also known as Ridley Road Market. It has been situated in the heart of Dalston since the end of 1880s. It initially began with only 20 stalls but has since grown to host more than 150 stalls offering a diverse range of international goods and food produce. It is located opposite Dalston Kingsland train station, next door to the Kingsland Shopping Centre. You’ll be sure to find all your West African ingredients and foods while you dance to the energetic sound of Afrobeat and reggae music.

Queen’s Market is one of London’s most diverse and cheapest markets. It is located on Green Street, right next to Upton Park Underground Station. The market hosts a thriving community of people from diverse cultures who are able to purchase foods and ingredients for their home-cooked dishes on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. West African ingredients are varied and abundant at this market, whether it is imported smoked or dry salted fish, yam, ground fufu, okro, cassava, curry, thyme or alligator peppers used to make a spicy jollof rice. The market has hosted Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food television programme, been visited by BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme and has also been featured in national newspapers and magazines.

Brixton is known for its thriving African and Afro-Caribbean community, so it comes as no surprise that its market is also home of Europe’s largest Caribbean and African market. Plenty of African foodstuffs are sold at the stalls along the street market and in the shops in its arcade.

The Africa Shopping Centre is located on Electric Avenue in Brixton. Although similar to the other groceries in the shopping centre, the Africa Shopping Centre itself is unique because of the speciality of West African ingredients it provides for its customers. It is known for having a wider choice of foods from smaller African communities such as the Ivorian attieké (a side dish made from fermented cassava pulp), which is not easily found elsewhere.

The range of West African foods and beverages at this store is worthy of note. From alligator pepper, jumbo, pounded iyan, a vast variety of peanut paste, ogi, okra, garri, attiéké, and vegetables particular to West Africa such as potato leaf, bitter leaf, scent leaf, can all be found at this grocery store. In addition to these, African masks, bowls, hats and pearls can be found on sale here.

Located between Goldhawk Road and Shepherd’s Bush Underground Station, Shepherd’s Bush Market is renowned for its wide variety of fabrics and multi-cultural offerings of fresh produce. Fruits and vegetables from West Africa can be found here, as well as a rich mix of African textiles. For people living in West London and the neighbouring areas, Shepherd’s Bush Market is the place to go to source the best West African ingredients when a trip down south or east is implausible.

Kumasi Central Market sells a variety of West African food and ingredients. You’ll find all you need to cook the local delicacies that conjure the memory of home for many West Africans in the capital. Living in north London and craving banku? Then Kumasi Central Market is arguably the best place in north London to get cassava dough and fermented corn.