Food in London: 11 Quintessentially British Dishes and Where To Eat Them

No list of traditional British meals would be complete without mentioning a roast dinner. During the long winter months (which in London can sometimes stretch until late March), no Sunday is complete without one.

Also known as a Sunday roast (for obvious reasons), the centerpiece of this warming feast is usually pork, beef, chicken, or a nut roast. Typical trimmings include cheesy cauliflower, crisp Yorkshire puddings, roasted parsnips, and lashings of gravy. Brussels sprouts are a popular addition to a roast dinner during the holiday season.

Where to try a roast dinner in London: The top spots for a high-end roast dinner in London include Blacklock (a chophouse), Temper (a Mexican steakhouse), Hawksmoor (also famous for its steak), and the Pig & Butcher (a traditional pub often hailed as having the capital’s best roast dinners).

Quite the opposite of its European counterpart, the Continental, this hearty start to the day is perhaps one of England’s most famous exports—but it’s not for the faint of heart. Sausages, bacon, beans, hash browns, and black pudding—plus mushrooms, tomatoes, and fried bread—are sure to fuel you up for the day (or send you back home for a nap).

On the weekend, heading out to either a greasy spoon (traditional café) or a quirky brunch spot for a full English is one of the top dining experiences in London.

Where to try a full English in London: Head to 338 Cafe in Bethnal Green for a traditional take or visit the chic Caravan in King’s Cross for a more modern variation. Dishoom also does a fabulous Indian version of the British breakfast with masala baked beans and akuri (spiced scrambled eggs).

Simple and satisfying, pie and mash have been served in the shops of east London since the Victorian era—the thick crust of the pie protected the filling from the grime of London, so they were a popular lunch for laborers.

While fillings can range from the more traditional steak and kidney to vegetarian-friendly goat’s cheese and sweet potato, this dish is usually only served with either gravy or parsley sauce (known as liquor). The most traditional pie makers, particularly those in the East End, still serve them with jellied eels, one of the most unique foods to try in London.

Where to try pie and mash in London: Visit Holborn Dining Room for an elevated take on the dish or the ultra-traditional Goodards at Greenwich for a side of jellied eels if you’re feeling brave.

Whether you want to eat out or enjoy it from the comfort of your sofa, you can try curry in all its glorious iterations and spice levels across the capital. In fact, this dish is so popular in London that it even has its own name in Cockney rhyming slang—you might hear locals also referring to it as a ”ruby murray.”

The heart of the city’s Indian and Bangladeshi community is Brick Lane in Shoreditch, where numerous curry houses sit beside street art, vintage clothes shops, and the famous Brick Lane Beigel Bake.

Where to try curry in London: Dishoom is one of the capital’s most popular options, but if there’s a large line outside (which there almost always is), head to Gunpowder or Kricket for more modern dishes. For Sri Lankan–style curry, Hoppers is an excellent choice.

Along with cheese and pickle, and tea and cake, fish and chips are one of Britain’s best culinary duos. Even though this fried pairing is best by the beach, don’t miss the chance to eat one of England’s best dishes in London—plenty of “chippies” in the capital serve crispy battered cod and thick chips to rival any seaside spot.

While you can happily pair it with a strong cup of tea, it's equally as good washed down with a pint of real ale. And adding a healthy amount of salt and malt vinegar to the fish and chips is optional but encouraged.

Where to try fish and chips in London: Stop into a traditional pub near Charing Cross or London Bridge, or sample the famous fries of Poppies, a 1950s-style chippy with locations in Camden, Soho, Spitalfields, and Notting Hill.

For a satisfying selection of British produce, order a Ploughman’s lunch. Traditionally eaten by farmers (or plowmen, as the name suggests), this hearty mix includes but isn’t limited to pork pies, scotch eggs, crumbly cheese, roast ham, and crusty bread, accompanied by something acidic such as pickled onions or piccalilli (pickled cauliflower and carrot in a mustard sauce). It travels well so it makes for a lovely picnic in the English countryside.

Where to try a Ploughman’s lunch in London: While not everywhere serves the lunch as a whole, you’ll definitely be able to find the components in almost every pub. The Ship Tavern pub in Holborn serves the whole shebang, alongside traditional British bar snacks.

It would be remiss to omit cheese from a list of the best British cuisine in London. While it’s most often associated with France, England has a wealth of great cheeses too. Take pungent and creamy Stilton, crumbly Cheshire cheese—which is also the name of one of London’s oldest pubs—or Wensleydale (Wallace and Gromit, anyone?), which is most wonderful when studded with dried cranberries and apricots.

Where to try cheese in London: Make your way to the posh Mayfair neighborhood to find London’s oldest cheese shop, where you can sample tasty morsels of cheese from around the country. Another great spot for cheese sampling is Borough Market, where dozens of vendors sell delicious products. You can always let an expert lead the way on a London cheese crawl instead.

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Beef Wellington is one of Britain's most refined dishes, so it’s most often served at special occasions such as weddings. Most traditional recipes see a boneless joint of beef filet smothered in minced mushrooms and wrapped in flaky pastry, which turns gloriously golden in the oven. The meat should be pink in the middle and served with a glossy red wine sauce and a medley of steamed vegetables.

Where to try beef Wellington in London: With its opulent art deco interior and iconic “Press for Champagne” buttons, Bob Bob Ricard—which often features on lists of where to eat in London—is a great place to try this luxurious dish. The Ritz is also famous for the Beef Wellington it serves in its Michelin-starred dining room.

In London, afternoon tea is a cultural institution that’s remained beloved since its “invention” in 1840—and for good reason. What’s not to love about dainty finger sandwiches, pretty pastries, English tea, and flutes of Champagne? Everywhere from the London Shard to Kensington Palace offers this treat, so it’s a popular addition to food tours in London.

Quintessentially British bites you’ll likely find on your 3-tiered stand include coronation chicken (roast chicken with curry and sultanas invented for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II) and Victoria sponge, a delightfully airy cake with cream and jam in its center.

Where to try afternoon tea in London: Two of the top spots to enjoy this English tradition are The Savoy and Fortnum & Mason. You can also grab an afternoon tea on a double decker bus, in the Kensington Palace gardens, or on a Thames River cruise.

Related: Know Before You Go: Experiencing Afternoon Tea in London

All of the must-try restaurants in London are bound to have a tempting selection of British desserts—or puddings as they’re better known to locals. Most often slathered in custard or served with a dollop of clotted cream, the best British puds are sweet and spongy.

The hilariously named Spotted Dick traditionally features suet pastry and currants, while sticky toffee pudding is made with dates for extra sweetness. Make sure you try Bakewell tart, too, a delectable cherry-and-almond cake from the Midlands, and jam roly poly, whose name is as sweet as its flavor.

Where to try puddings in London: Tufnell Park's Norman’s Cafe is a British café with a fashionable twist; its syrup sponge and custard are a delight. The classic Quo Vadis in Soho has a long-established selection of sponges on its dessert menu.

Rather than being encased by pastry, a shepherd’s pie is topped with creamy mashed potato; many Britons grew up eating this comforting dish for dinner in winter. While cottage and shepherd’s pie are used interchangeably, shepherd’s pie traditionally features ground lamb, while cottage pie has beef. Both feature a gravy sauce and diced vegetables, and many people add cheese and sliced tomato to the top for a golden finish.

Where to try shepherd’s pie in London: At The Ivy there's a shepherd’s pie that’s fast become a staple of London’s dining scene. Apparently, even world-famous British chef Gordon Ramsay is a big fan.