As a tour guide in London, I am always getting asked for recommendations on places to eat as well as where to get 'traditional' British cuisine.
Below is my review of the 15 traditional British foods and cuisines that you need to try when you are in London, including a few places where you can taste them.
The foods listed below have origins in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
And in this post, I list great places to get them in London, as well as which tours offered by Tours By Foot London either includes a restaurant or takes you nearby.
Some of these foods and locations can be found on my East London Food Tour.
And in the video below, Jessica, a tour guide with us, goes over 10 of the most London foods that you need to try when in town.
Fish & Chips
There’s nothing that says ‘British Food’ like Fish & Chips.
Known the world over, this traditional British dish is at the top of any foodie list for visitors to London and the U.K.
Although most locals prefer to get fish & chips from the seaside, there are places to get it in London.
My top note, however, is to never get fish & chips at a pub! I always head to a traditional chippy instead.
My Recommendation: Poppies - They have branches in Camden and Soho, although the original - and my favourite - is in Shoreditch.
On a Budget?: Poppy's is happily affordable with a massive portion of fish & chips (easily split by 2) for under £7.00 each!
Read my on the top fish and chip shops in London.
Sunday Roast with Roasted Meat and Yorkshire Pudding
Sunday roast is a true British classic, and a weekly tradition for many families - including my own!
Traditionally this meal is eaten any time from noon to 5 pm (17:00) on Sundays.
Traditional roast is meat based with beef being the classic but lamb, chicken and pork are also popular choices.
Most pubs usually have a vegetarian option as well.
I love a good nut roast but I have also seen vegetable wellingtons and vegetarian pies take the place of the meat.
In addition to the main, a classic roast comes with vegetables, roast potatoes, gravy - and my favourite - Yorkshire pudding.
Traditionally served with beef, Yorkshire puddings are a true British classic and can often be added to any Sunday roast order.
Personally, I always order an extra and I find sometimes staff are happy to add one free of charge.
Ideally, this meal should be so large you find it difficult to walk afterward!
While many people love making their own Sunday roast or heading to their nan’s (grandmother’s) house, some of the best traditional Sunday roasts can be found in local pubs.
My Recommendation: I think the best traditional Sunday roasts are found in local pubs and my favourites are:
- The Three Stags, Kennington
- The Windsor Castle, Notting Hill
- Anchor & Hope, Waterloo
- Blacklock Chop House, Soho, and Shoreditch
- The Old Red Cow, Farringdon
- The Bull and Last, HighgateThe Stag, Belsize Park (near Hampstead Heath)
Full English Breakfast
The full English breakfast is a mighty meal...and, in my opinion, a great cure for a hangover to boot!
Traditionally, you need to find a dish that incorporates: sausages, eggs, bacon, baked beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, mushrooms, potatoes, and toast.
The classic full English also comes with black pudding (also known as black sausage, or blood sausage).
A full English is a great traditional British dish – easy, tasty, and usually inexpensive!
Again, it is very easy to find vegetarian versions of a full English too.
My Recommendations: You can’t go wrong with a filling Full English at The Breakfast Club for a great example.
But if you do decide to go there, be ready to wait!
I've queued for nearly an hour to get in before on a Sunday morning.
On a Budget? Be like Anthony Bourdain and head to E. Pellici in London’s East End (a Full English is £13.40) or find yourself one of the thousands of cheap and cheerful “builders’ cafes” throughout the city.
Pie, Mash + Liquor
Did you know that pie is one of the most ancient British foods?
It’s true! Romans brought pies here to Londinium nearly 2000 years ago.
They became really popular in Victorian times, particularly in working-class areas, as the combination of mashed potatoes and meat pies was filling, cheap, and delicious.
A truly classic pie is either filled with beef, chicken and ham (or eel!), but today you can get all sorts of flavours, including chicken tikka masala!
And again, I ave noticed vegetarian and vegan options appearing at more and more venues.
Pie shops became cultural institutions in the East End, where eel pies and mashed potatoes were served up with a pale green sauce called ‘liquor.’
Originally made from the broth (or liquor) left over after boiling eels, it’s loaded with parsley and onion.
Keep in mind that liquor is only usually available in a proper pie shop - I very rarely see it on a pub menu.
Similarly, once you leave Essex or London, liquor disappears from the menus.
If you choose to get your pie and mash at a pub (an equally valid choice), it will come with ladlefuls of gravy instead.
My Recommendations:
For a traditional pie shop, head to G Kelly, F Cooke, M Manze, or the other authentic options listed in this handy guide.
A full plate of pie, mash, and liquor will cost you around £6.
I also like Mother Mash in Soho for a more modern take on this classic dish.
Bangers and Mash
Another classic of British cuisine with mashed potatoes as a side is Bangers and Mash.
Essentially sausage and potatoes, this is a hearty British staple that is guaranteed to keep you full, happy, and warm on a cold London day!
My Recommendation: Mother Mash, Leadenhall, and Soho
On a Budget?: Mother Mash will give you a bangers and mash meal fit for a king for £13.00.
Cockles
Oftentimes reserved for the more adventurous eaters, cockles are a small type of clam, and are traditionally associated with London’s East End where they were a cheap, staple food for decades.
Today cockles can be found at the seaside, in grocery stores, but also in some of London’s tastiest markets!
My Recommendation: Borough Market - particularly Wright Brothers which is my go-to.
On a Budget? Cockles are one of the cheapest, and most authentic, foods going at Borough Market - so load up!
Eton Mess
This is one of my favourite foods full stop!
A simple and delicious dessert, Eton Mess is named after the prestigious boys' school of the same name.
A fabulous mix of crushed meringue, cream, and strawberries, Eton mess is a classic British treat.
Keep an eye out for variants made with different kinds of fruit or with ice cream instead of cream.
Although, I still believe the classic strawberry is the best kind.
My Recommendation: This is a seasonal dish so you are most likely to find it in the summer months at gastropubs.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Originating in Scotland, sticky toffee pudding consists of a moist sponge cake (sometimes stuffed with raisins or dates) drenched in a toffee sauce and served with custard or ice cream.
You almost can't go wrong with this - I find that even a 'bad' sticky toffee pudding is still delicious.
It's a must try! My recommendation is to go for the custard over the ice cream, although your palate may vary.
My Recommendations:
- The Queens Arms, Kensington
- The Holly Bush, Hampstead (This is one of my favourite pubs in the city full stop, and time spent in Hampstead is never a waste so consider visiting!)
On a Budget?: Both these pubs are run by the same - affordable - company so get your dessert fix for around £8.50.
Afternoon Tea
The ultimate British tradition, afternoon tea is a fabulous way to while away the time and enjoy true British delicacies.
Traditionally comprised of finger sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, pastries, and your choice of tea, afternoon tea is meant to be a full experience.
I always give myself a minimum of 2 hours but you may find yourself taking even longer to enjoy and indulge.
It’s also a lot more filling than you might expect, so I always like to book it at around 16:00 (4 pm) and treat it as an early dinner.
It usually includes small sandwiches, petits fours (small pastries and sweet treats), and scones served with clotted cream and jam.
Strawberry jam is the classic but I find different flavours at different locations.
Some establishments include a savoury selection of elevated snacks, such as Scotch eggs (boiled eggs covered in sausage meat and bread crumbs, then fried) or sausage rolls.
Oh, and if you’re having afternoon tea, you may as well add a glass of champagne as well - I always do!
I have a whole post on afternoon tea in London.
My Recommendation: Fortnum & Mason’s Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, Piccadilly
On a Budget?: If Fortnum & Mason is a bit out of your price range, get a classic tea and a cake or scone at Brigits where you can order as much - or as little - as you like, all with prices anybody can afford.
Oysters
Did you know that people have been eating oysters in London for thousands of years?
In fact, the Romans thought that Londinium had the finest oysters, and they packed them in barrels and shipped them throughout the Roman Empire!
In the 19th century and earlier, oysters were considered food for the poor because they were plentiful, fiddly to open, and of course, potentially dangerous.
After all, in the era before refrigeration, eating certain foods was a gamble.
My Georgian ancestors would be shocked to see wealthy people chowing down on shellfish!
Today, oyster houses can be found throughout London, and tourists and locals alike enjoy them on the half shell.
My Recommendations:
For a decadent experience, treat yourself to a seafood tour (including raw oysters) at Randall and Aubin in Soho, or really splash out at Bentley’s in Mayfair.
On a Budget? If you’re on a budget and craving oysters in London, you’re still in luck.
Plenty of oyster bars do an ‘oyster happy hour’ in the late afternoon where oysters are ‘a pound a pop’ – just £1 each.
I’ve also had great experiences at Wright Brothers (various locations), The Seafood Bar in Soho, and Oystermen in Covent Garden.
Chicken Tikka Masala
If you want the best Indian food outside of India, London is the place to be and the most popular dish here by a landslide is Chicken Tikka Masala.
This beloved dish is a true fusion of cultures – the spices of South Asia meet a mild and creamy British sauce.
While I love a truly authentic Goan, Gujarati, Sylheti, or Punjabi meal, nothing says British curry house more than chicken tikka masala.
Originally popularised by South Asian chefs working in Britain in the 1970s (some say Glasgow, some say Birmingham), the dish combines classic chicken tikka (chicken dry rubbed in spices and cooked in a tandoor oven) with a sweet, creamy tomato sauce.
Based loosely on the Punjabi butter chicken masala, the dish is beloved across the country.
And, it’s now even on menus across India, Pakistan, and Nepal!
But as good as it is, don't miss out some other delectable Indian dishes.
Some of the most famous include aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower), lamb rogan josh (tender lamb in a spiced sauce), and chana masala (spiced chickpeas).
My Recommendation:
You can’t go wrong with Tayyabs - it's a London institution and my top recommendation for visitors wanting to try some authentic Indian food.
It's also within walking distance of Free Tour By Foot's Jack the Ripper and East End Street Art Tours!
On a Budget? If you’re looking for great chicken tikka masala on a budget, you’re in luck – every street food market will have a cracking one!
Jellied Eels
Yes, you read correctly: jellied eels are one of the most traditional working-class foods of London!
The Thames River used to be heaving with freshwater eels, and they made for a cheap and plentiful meal for London’s dockworkers.
Eels, pie, and mash became a beloved combination (hence the ‘liquor’ sauce detailed above), heavily associated with the East End.
A naturally gelatinous fish, when boiled with spices and left to cool, they would set like a jelly. Eager Londoners would then eat them cold alongside bread and butter.
Throughout the 20th century, eels were a threatened species, but the Thames is once again clean enough to support an eel fishery.
That said, they’ve mostly fallen out of favour with modern customers, but you can still get them from some pie and mash shops and chip shops.
My Recommendations: Head to one of London’s classic pie and mash shops or chippies, as most serve up jellied eels.
M Manze in Bermondsey, F Cooke in Hoxton, or G Kelly in Bethnal Green are all solid recommendations and affordable!
Salt Beef Beigel
Salt beef beigels are an East London institution, perfect for soaking up your pints from earlier in the evening or as a meal in its own right.
Salt beef beigels were brought to London by waves of Eastern European Jewish immigration in the late 19th century.
While bagels (note the different spelling) are often associated with New York and Montreal, London’s beigels are slightly softer and sweeter; they rise higher, closing up the hole.
As a result, they’re the perfect canvas for a hearty sandwich, and nothing is heartier than salt beef.
Salt beef is very similar to corned beef – in fact, ‘to corn’ is an old-fashioned way of saying ‘to salt!’
It’s a brisket, simmered in water, peppercorn, bay, onion, and saltpeter until it's tender and pulls apart.
The saltpeter, which is a nitrite, helps maintain its bright red colour.
Salt beef is served on a beigel with English mustard (which packs a punch like wasabi) and a sweet gherkin (cucumber pickle).
If you're a vegetarian, you'll find the beagles delicious with various spreads rather than as a sandwich.
My Recommendation: My recommendation is the recommendation – it’s gotta be the Beigel Bake on Brick Lane.
And at £8.18, it’s as budget-friendly as it gets. A plan beigel is just .69p.
I oftentimes pop in for one before or after my tours.
Also Beigel Bake is open 24 hours which is unusual in London but very convenient after a night on the town!
Make sure you grab one after the Street Art Tour or Jack the Ripper, or while you’re on the East End Food Tour.
Victoria Sponge
Britain is known for its wonderful cakes and baking – after all, this is the nation that brought you the Great British Bake Off (also known as the Great British Baking Show)!
One of the most classic British cakes is a Victoria Sponge Cake.
It’s a light and delicate yellow sponge cake slathered with strawberry jam and a thick layer of whipped cream.
On rare occasions, you might even hear it called “Victoria Sandwich” – Queen Victoria herself enjoyed a slice in the afternoon with a cup of tea.
While it’s not a traditional pairing, I love my Victoria Sponge with a healthy serving of vanilla custard on the side.
In fact, I try to add vanilla custard to any British dessert.. (all desserts are called pudding, by the way!).
My Recommendations: I love the Victoria Sponge at Lola’s Cupcakes (locations throughout London) and Primrose Bakery in Primrose Hill.
On a Budget? Head to any grocery shop for their take on the classic sponge – the version from Marks and Spencer is particularly nice and I always find it's a great addition to a picnic.
Beef Wellington
Perhaps the item with the most British name on the list, beef wellington is made up of filet steak, oftentimes covered with pate, which is then wrapped in puff pastry and cooked.
Moorish, flaky, and filling, beef wellington is a standard British classic, despite the fact it is now believed that the dish was NOT named after the Duke of Wellington, but instead after the town of Wellington, New Zealand.
But I won’t say anything if you don’t!
My Recommendation: I like Bob Bob Ricard (and the button they place next to every table so I can 'push for champagne.) and
On a Budget?: Beef Wellington is notoriously expensive but The Grenadier has a £30 version that will definitely hit the spot.
