Walk into any Indian home around late April, and there’s usually a box sitting somewhere near the kitchen door. Not even opened fully yet. Someone has already checked one Indian mango, pressed it slightly, smelled near the stem, then put it back like it needs another day. That’s how the season starts.

In the UK, it used to mean waiting for someone to bring a box from India or asking around which local shop got a decent batch. Now it’s mostly done through an Indian grocery online store. A couple of clicks, then tracking the delivery like it’s something fragile. Because it kind of is.

Anyway, if you’re ordering this summer from an asian grocery online platform or just scrolling through an indian groceries shop online, these are the ones people keep going back to.

Alphonso Mango

The first thing people do after opening a box of Alphonso Mangoes is smell it. Not even cutting it immediately. There’s this strong, sweet smell that hits before anything else.

The skin looks neat, slightly golden with a bit of red sometimes, but it’s the inside that matters. No fibers getting stuck in your teeth. Just soft pulp. When it’s fully ripe, it almost feels like it’ll collapse if you press too hard.

Usually eaten straight. Some keep a bowl underneath because the juice drips down the wrist. Kids don’t bother; it just gets messy. If you’re ordering from an Asian supermarket online, Alphonso is the one people search for first without thinking too much.

Kesar Mango

Kesar looks brighter. More orange than Alphonso once cut. Slightly firmer too, so it doesn’t fall apart the same way.

Someone usually slices this one properly instead of squeezing it open. Cubes, clean cuts. It holds shape better, which is why it ends up in desserts a lot. Kesar Mango shrikhand, thick shakes, or even just mixed with a bit of curd at home.

A mild tang is hiding in the sweetness. Not sharp, just enough to notice after a couple of bites. When browsing an Indian grocery online store, people who don’t want something too rich usually go for this.

Banganapalli Mango

These are big. Like noticeably bigger when you line them up next to others. Smooth skin, no weird patches most of the time.

Peeling it feels easier because the skin comes off in long strips. Inside, the flesh is firm. Not hard, but it doesn’t turn into pulp immediately. So people slice it and eat slowly, piece by piece.

It doesn’t overpower with sweetness. That’s probably why it ends up in breakfast bowls or just cut and left in the fridge for later. Someone opens the fridge, sees it, and takes a few pieces without thinking.

For anyone trying Banganapalli mangoes for the first time through an Indian grocery shop online, this one doesn’t surprise too much. It’s steady.

Brazil Mango

These show up everywhere in the UK. Big boxes, usually stacked high in stores, are now listed across every asian grocery online site.

The taste isn’t exactly like Indian varieties but is close enough that most people don’t complain. Slightly fibrous sometimes. Juice runs, but not as thick.

What usually happens is that people buy these in bulk. They sit on the counter, ripening at different speeds. One gets cut today, another tomorrow. If one turns out a bit off, it’s fine; there are more in the box.

Not fancy, just practical.

Totapuri Mango

This one looks different immediately. The pointed end gives it away. Someone always picks it up and says it looks like a parrot’s beak.

It’s not the one you eat expecting sweetness. The first  bite usually confirms that. Slightly sour, sometimes more than expected.

So it goes into the kitchen instead. Chopped up for pickles, or blended into juice with a bit of sugar added. Some slice it thin, sprinkle chili powder and salt, and eat it like that. That sharp taste actually works there.

When scrolling through an Asian supermarket online, people don’t always pick this unless they already know what they’re going to do with it.

Raw Mango

Raw mango isn’t about sitting and eating quietly. It’s more active than that. Cutting it takes effort. The knife hits that hard center seed and stops for a second.

The smell is fresh, slightly sour even before tasting it. Someone slices a small piece, dips it in salt, maybe chili powder, then hands it over to someone else to try. Reaction is immediate. Either a nod or a face scrunch.

It goes into dal sometimes, or chutneys. In summer, it ends up as aam panna. Boiled, mashed, mixed, then chilled. You open the fridge, pour a glass, and it hits differently after being outside in the heat.

Most Indian grocery online store platforms in the UK stock raw mango during the season, and it usually sells out quicker than expected.

Ordering mangoes online here isn’t just about convenience. People check delivery slots carefully. Some avoid weekends because boxes sit in transit longer. When the box arrives, it’s opened almost immediately, even if everything else is left aside for later.

A few are taken out and spaced on the counter. Not touching each other. Someone always says they’ll ripen better that way. One is checked the next morning, pressed lightly, and then left again.

Lakshmi Stores UK has been part of that routine for a lot of households. The same process repeats every season. Browse, order, wait, open, check. Then the first mango gets cut, and the rest follow over the next few days.