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A selection of sweets at Pooja’s.
Diya Mukherjee

Where to Enjoy Mithai This Diwali in London

Sugary barfis, syrupy jalebis, creamy sandesh — enough to satisfy even a picky sweet tooth

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A selection of sweets at Pooja’s.
| Diya Mukherjee

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is upon us once again, with the biggest festivities falling on 24 October this year. Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs across the world celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and London is no exception.

Families and communities all have their favourite rituals: Lighting a row of earthenware diya lamps along doorways and window ledges; setting off the biggest, scariest fireworks they can find; or dusting off their spangliest salwar kameez for a family party. But nearly all of us will be prioritising one thing: food. No Diwali meal is complete without mithai, or South Asian confectionery — turning up at a party with a brightly-coloured box of London’s freshest sweets is a failsafe way to ensure a return invitation next year. There may be cries from the weak-hearted that South Asian sweets are just too sweet, sugary to the point of excess, and that one cannot eat more than a small cube of milky barfi. Ignore these naysayers, charge ahead, and throw down the gauntlet to dental health — after all, if not for Diwali, then when?

With one of the largest and most varied South Asian communities outside the subcontinent, London is a fantastic place to immerse oneself in the world of mithai. Here are eight great places to pick up Diwali sweets to nibble at home, or to gift friends and family.

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Praan Sweets & Savouries

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Sandesh, a milky sweet with a thousand iterations, is a Bengali institution. There are excellent Bengali sweets to be found across London, especially towards East Ham, but the best sandesh this writer has tried outside of Kolkata was from Praan Sweets’ Turnpike Lane branch. Praan offers two types of chennar sandesh: An off-white chinir sandesh made with sugar, and a pale golden gurer sandesh made with jaggery. Both are exceptional, taste of fresh cream, and are less sweet than one might expect. 

Praan offers two types of chennar sandesh
Diya Mukherjee

Suraj Sweet Mart Wembley

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Suraj Sweet Mart’s cosy red interior and diya-shaped fairy lights draw hungry customers in, away from the bustling Ealing Road. The deep-fried balusahi are delicious, and look like glazed doughnuts, but have a dense, crumbly texture. Added sugar is widely considered to be the point of Diwali mithai, but for those seeking something without, try the anjeer barfi. It’s made with figs and is studded with cashews and pistachios: Imagine a health food energy ball, but actually good. 

Suraj Sweet Mart’s cosy red interior and diya-shaped fairy lights draw hungry customers in, away from the bustling Ealing Road.
Diya Mukherjee

Gupta's - Indian Sweets and Savouries

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Don’t be deterred by the festive chaos and the slightly erratic queuing system: Gupta’s in the festive season is busy for a reason. A stone’s throw from Euston, Gupta’s Drummond Street branch does a roaring trade, with patrons picking up orders by the kilogram. For a (relatively) light option, try the kacha golla, a lightly sweetened milky ball with the texture of a crumbly feta. Even rosewater sceptics have been converted by the rose sandesh, which tastes clean, bright, and lightly aromatic without being overpowering. 

Gupta’s Drummond Street branch does a thriving trade, with patrons picking up orders by the kilogram.
Diya Mukherjee

Ambala Southall Broadway

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This stalwart of the South Asian confectionery world is everywhere, with almost every one of the shops on this list having an Ambala store lurking around the corner. Established in 1965, Ambala has become a household name among South Asian communities in the UK. Sweets can be purchased in the iconic maroon and gold Ambala packaging, or in one of twenty-seven gift tin options. Consistent, dependable, and easily accessible across the capital, Ambala is a failsafe option for rapid sugary gratification.

Jalebi Junction

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Like most of the places on this list, Jalebi Junction offers all the regulars of the South Asian sweet world. It’s clear that most customers come here for one thing, however: the jalebi. The gentleman frying these syrupy tangles of golden batter at the front of the shop will not sell less than a 250g bag, so come hungry or with a friend. There are few simpler pleasures than enjoying them warm and crisp straight from the fryer, eaten out of a brown paper bag, while taking in the bright lights of Southall Broadway. 

There are few simpler pleasures than enjoying jalebis warm and crisp straight from the fryer, eaten out of a brown paper bag.
There are few simpler pleasures than enjoying jalebis warm and crisp straight from the fryer, eaten out of a brown paper bag.
Diya Mukherjee

Panji Sweets & Savories

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Panji does the classics well — coconut barfi, gulab jamun, kesar peda — but it is something else altogether that captures the eye: the malai gajar barfi. This sweet looks like a miniature rectangular slice of carrot cake, but delightfully extra: A thick bottom layer of tender grated carrots cooked with milk and sugar, topped with malai (a kind of clotted cream), silver leaf, and rose petals. 

Panji’s coconut barfi and the malai gajar barfi.
Diya Mukherjee

Prashad Sweets

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Prashad’s visitors are greeted by several “CASH ONLY” signs dangling from the ceiling at eye-level, and a throng of loyal customers waiting to be served. Like many of the places on this list, Prashad is also popular for its savoury snacks, particularly of the deep-fried variety. It’s wise to line the stomach with a few reasonably-priced Gujarati street snacks and Indo-Chinese favourites, before then diving into the sweets selection at the front of the store on the way out. 

Pooja Sweets & Savouries

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Come early to Pooja Sweets’ flagship store in Tooting — by midday in the run-up to Diwali, there are usually queues down the road. It has a huge selection of confectionery, and friendly staff offer samples and endless patience to consumers overwhelmed by choice. A standout option is the kesar peda, a melt-in-the-mouth golden sweet made with milk and saffron. For those in need of a savoury accompaniment, look behind the counter for chevdo — a moreish Gujurati snack mix of crunchy rice flakes, potato sticks, and nuts. 

A standout option here is the kesar peda, a melt-in-the-mouth golden sweet made with milk and saffron.
Diya Mukherjee

Praan Sweets & Savouries

Sandesh, a milky sweet with a thousand iterations, is a Bengali institution. There are excellent Bengali sweets to be found across London, especially towards East Ham, but the best sandesh this writer has tried outside of Kolkata was from Praan Sweets’ Turnpike Lane branch. Praan offers two types of chennar sandesh: An off-white chinir sandesh made with sugar, and a pale golden gurer sandesh made with jaggery. Both are exceptional, taste of fresh cream, and are less sweet than one might expect. 

Praan offers two types of chennar sandesh
Diya Mukherjee

Suraj Sweet Mart Wembley

Suraj Sweet Mart’s cosy red interior and diya-shaped fairy lights draw hungry customers in, away from the bustling Ealing Road. The deep-fried balusahi are delicious, and look like glazed doughnuts, but have a dense, crumbly texture. Added sugar is widely considered to be the point of Diwali mithai, but for those seeking something without, try the anjeer barfi. It’s made with figs and is studded with cashews and pistachios: Imagine a health food energy ball, but actually good. 

Suraj Sweet Mart’s cosy red interior and diya-shaped fairy lights draw hungry customers in, away from the bustling Ealing Road.
Diya Mukherjee

Gupta's - Indian Sweets and Savouries

Don’t be deterred by the festive chaos and the slightly erratic queuing system: Gupta’s in the festive season is busy for a reason. A stone’s throw from Euston, Gupta’s Drummond Street branch does a roaring trade, with patrons picking up orders by the kilogram. For a (relatively) light option, try the kacha golla, a lightly sweetened milky ball with the texture of a crumbly feta. Even rosewater sceptics have been converted by the rose sandesh, which tastes clean, bright, and lightly aromatic without being overpowering. 

Gupta’s Drummond Street branch does a thriving trade, with patrons picking up orders by the kilogram.
Diya Mukherjee

Ambala Southall Broadway

This stalwart of the South Asian confectionery world is everywhere, with almost every one of the shops on this list having an Ambala store lurking around the corner. Established in 1965, Ambala has become a household name among South Asian communities in the UK. Sweets can be purchased in the iconic maroon and gold Ambala packaging, or in one of twenty-seven gift tin options. Consistent, dependable, and easily accessible across the capital, Ambala is a failsafe option for rapid sugary gratification.

Jalebi Junction

Like most of the places on this list, Jalebi Junction offers all the regulars of the South Asian sweet world. It’s clear that most customers come here for one thing, however: the jalebi. The gentleman frying these syrupy tangles of golden batter at the front of the shop will not sell less than a 250g bag, so come hungry or with a friend. There are few simpler pleasures than enjoying them warm and crisp straight from the fryer, eaten out of a brown paper bag, while taking in the bright lights of Southall Broadway. 

There are few simpler pleasures than enjoying jalebis warm and crisp straight from the fryer, eaten out of a brown paper bag.
There are few simpler pleasures than enjoying jalebis warm and crisp straight from the fryer, eaten out of a brown paper bag.
Diya Mukherjee

Panji Sweets & Savories

Panji does the classics well — coconut barfi, gulab jamun, kesar peda — but it is something else altogether that captures the eye: the malai gajar barfi. This sweet looks like a miniature rectangular slice of carrot cake, but delightfully extra: A thick bottom layer of tender grated carrots cooked with milk and sugar, topped with malai (a kind of clotted cream), silver leaf, and rose petals. 

Panji’s coconut barfi and the malai gajar barfi.
Diya Mukherjee

Prashad Sweets

Prashad’s visitors are greeted by several “CASH ONLY” signs dangling from the ceiling at eye-level, and a throng of loyal customers waiting to be served. Like many of the places on this list, Prashad is also popular for its savoury snacks, particularly of the deep-fried variety. It’s wise to line the stomach with a few reasonably-priced Gujarati street snacks and Indo-Chinese favourites, before then diving into the sweets selection at the front of the store on the way out. 

Pooja Sweets & Savouries

Come early to Pooja Sweets’ flagship store in Tooting — by midday in the run-up to Diwali, there are usually queues down the road. It has a huge selection of confectionery, and friendly staff offer samples and endless patience to consumers overwhelmed by choice. A standout option is the kesar peda, a melt-in-the-mouth golden sweet made with milk and saffron. For those in need of a savoury accompaniment, look behind the counter for chevdo — a moreish Gujurati snack mix of crunchy rice flakes, potato sticks, and nuts. 

A standout option here is the kesar peda, a melt-in-the-mouth golden sweet made with milk and saffron.
Diya Mukherjee