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Preparing for Leeds: International Food in Leeds

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If there was one thing that every person all over the globe loves, the it is goin to be Food. As international students, we all crave our home cooked food. It can be tricky finding your local and native ingredients for cooking. Harini and Ridhwan have simplified this process by sharing their favourite shops and spots to buy international groceries in Leeds.

Harini-

When I first came to Leeds , I really missed my South Indian food and wondered where I could find the vegetables and groceries to cook it. Surprisingly I had so many options when it came to South Asian , Asian and African cuisine.

Abu Bakr 

Abu Bakr is the most famous shop for South Asian students in Leeds. It is a chain of Supermarkets located very close to the university in the Hydepark area. They sell a wide range of international groceries from Africa to South Asia. They are not only a grocery store but also serve South Asian Food and sweets for takeaway. They also sell fresh fruits and vegetables and their Pakistani Mangoes are very flavourful and delectable.

CC Continental Supermarket 

Continental is another convenient South Asian grocery shop that is located in the Woodhouse area. They sell a wide range of groceries like spices, pickles, biscuits brands like Good-day & Parle G and Snacks. It is also a good place to purchase Halal meat in Leeds. The best part is they also sell specific utensils like pressure cookers and pans. The prices are also comparatively pocket friendly

Nafees Bakers and Sweets  

Nafees is a famous sweet shop in the Hyde park area that sells authentic South Asian sweets and snacks. They also sell yummy savoury dishes called chaat , it is a famous snack in India. Their Ramzan food packs are very famous and contain a wide range of their specialty sweet and savoury dishes. They are one of the best sweet stores in Leeds.

Ridhwan

As a Malaysian and a person who loves cooking, I take food seriously hence I need to get my ingredients right! One thing I remember in my first year, a thought came to my mind that it is impossible for me to get those specific ingredients from Malaysia in the United Kingdom. Though the UK is far away from my home country, surprisingly you can get most of Asian's ingredients, perishable to instant food in Leeds! Many of you might think it is difficult to find fresh southeast Asian ingredients like tofu, tempeh or kimchi. Well, you'll be surprised what Leeds has to offer you. There are notable Asian supermarkets that are worth mentioning here, one of which is Hang Sing Hong Supermarket.

Being located strategically opposite to Laidlaw library which is one minute away from the University campus, makes it convenient for students like me.

  • Many southeast Asian ingredients, pastes and food
  • It has a bubble tea shop inside!
  • Good price and it's 1 minute away from the Parkinson building.
  • As you can expect, Southeast Asian's cuisines share the same ingredients and the majority of them are not available in local supermarkets. So this supermarket provides you exactly what you need to cook your home dishes.
  • It also has snacks, ramen, and instant noodles.

Kirkgate market

  • There are many fishmongers that sell fresh fish from Salmon, red snapper, cod, haddock, prawns, crabs, oysters, squid and octopuses. various types of fish to choose from.
  • They also sell seasonal fish and cod roe.
  • If you are looking for a place to eat for breakfast or brunch, Kirkgate market is where you should go!. Inside of the market, there is a food court with diverse cuisine.
  • Kirkgate market is the largest indoor market in Europe!
  • It is by far the cheapest place to get fresh fruits and vegetables.

These are some of our favourite spots to get international food near campus in Leeds, I hope you will also get to have some memorable food experience in Leeds.