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London’s iconic South Asian food street gets a summer boost

admin June 29, 2021

The easiest way to make eight-year-old me shut the hell up was to take me to Drummond Street and either the Ravi Shankar or Diwana restaurant – whichever one happened to have a shorter wait for their legendary buffets. 

I would pile my plate high with mini dosas, heaps of mutter paneer, dollops of cucumber raita, endless pakora and poori and then go back for more – and more – before finishing with an excessive amount of syrupys gulab jamun. Absolute bliss, and – in an era before vegan and vegetarian restaurants in the capital were a thing AKA the 1990s – one of the few spots in Central London where you could find a reasonably priced veg-centric meals.

Drummond Street’s South Indian vegetarian restaurants are a vital part of the fabric of London, with many of them there for over 40 years – Diwana opened in 1970. Yet HS2 works at nearby Euston Station, not to mention the legacy of various lockdowns, have rendered the road a site of near constant chaos. 

Step forth then, The Drummond Streatery, an initiative that will inject some love back into the area. As well as a new outdoor dining set-up, a summer of events based in and around Drummond Street is soon to be announced, as well as the appearance of some brand new murals and a shared garden space to tart the place up a bit. 

Says Sultan Chowdhury, owner of Ravi Shankar restaurant: ‘Drummond Street has had a very challenging time, but we are determined to make this neighbourhood a success – it has so much to offer in culture and cuisine. We are a group of independent businesses with our own specialties and authentic family recipes, and the opening of the streatery is a turning point for the area – it has made the street exciting and beautiful, to match all the delicious food available.”

Drummond Street, Camden, NW1 2HL.

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