It may seem hard to believe now, but Caribbean food has only been readily available in London since the 1960s. Areas with a high Afro-Caribbean demographic like Brixton, Hackney, and Notting Hill were the first neighbourhoods where Caribbean shops, takeaways, and restaurants opened.

In his book Belly Full: Caribbean Food In The UK, Riaz Phillips writes that these places “became more than restaurants and bars but places of cultural importance that linked communities”. This continues to be true today. Whether you’re tucking into Guyanese pepperpot in a place that feels like a second home, stocking up on Jamaican patties for the freezer, or tearing into Trinidadian doubles on your way home from work.

If you have a craving for jerk and only jerk, then check out our guide, Where To Eat Caribbean Jerk In London.