Must-try famous British meals for visitors to the UK

6^th June 2022

The editorial unit

The editorial unit

6 June 2022

The United Kingdom is famous for so many monumental people, buildings, sports teams, restaurants, meals, and so on. It is certainly a country everyone should visit at least once in a lifetime. For anyone who does so, there is a big chance of repeating the feat and returning there because of everything mentioned before and much more.

This article deals with British cuisine. Here’s a list of the famous British meals to try whenever the opportunity arises to visit this country. There are also mentions of some of the most popular restaurants and bars in the United Kingdom (spoiler alert, the main focus in on London as the country’s capital, but it’s easy to enjoy the vast majority of the following in plenty of other English, Welsh and Northern Irish cities).

Tea at the Ritz

We all know England for the culture of tea drinking. Nobody else pairs tea, cakes and sandwiches better than the Brits. The ritual dates back to the start of the 1990s when the seventh Duke of Bedford arranged a special tea meeting with her acquaintances to fill in the gap between breakfast and supper. This meeting has become a regular habit for many people in the United Kingdom. Nowadays, the most luxurious hotels and shopping malls across the country offer this unique service to their guests. You can find over 250 distinct afternoon team shops in London alone, these days. The complete experience begins with so-called “finger sandwiches” with fillings like cucumber, eggs and smoked salmon. The next in order is a cake or scones, usually involving some jam, and tea to wash it all down with. To get the full tea-time experience in London, it’s worth visiting one of the luxurious hotel complexes that do a phenomenal job in securing the magnificent blend of tradition and the present era (the Savoy, the Ritz, the Dorchester and Claridge’s belong to this category). Alternative, yet still fabulous options include the National Gallery, Kensington Palace and the Sanderson Hotel. Those who are looking for a more budget-friendly experience should head over to Wallace Restaurant or the Museum of Fans in Greenwich.

Traditional roast dinner

Lots of Britons eat a traditional roast dinner on Sundays. The meal is quite simple but it comes with much more than food. The ritual was first enjoyed by King Henry VII’s guards back in the 15^th century. They ate roasted pork every Sunday after returning from regular prayers at the church. This tradition has quickly expanded to all regions in the United Kingdom as roast dinner became a favourite meal. It involves roasted meat, roasted potatoes and vegetables, and a series of juicy sauces. Interestingly, visitors will often find roast dinner on the menu in most pubs and many bars all over the United Kingdom on Sundays.

Jellied eels

Anyone who’s ever found themselves in the east of London has seen jellied eels because this local recipe is still present on many a corner in this part of the English capital. Diners will either love this meal or skip it completely upon the first taste – there is no middle ground. The eels are served with water, vinegar, lemon and other spices (the combination known as “liquor”). Eels were particularly among Jewish workers in London in the 18^th century when they represented a cheap, but fantastic source of nutrition from the Thames. Nowadays, jellied eels are no longer as popular as some other meals on this list (outside of East London), To give them a shot, the popular M Manze pie and mash shop or Poppies in Spitalfields offer great examples.

Pie and mash

M Manze pie and mash shop is mentioned in the paragraph above and it is only appropriate to continue the article with famous pie and mash street food places, dating back to Victorian London. This food was served to working-class people who sold their products in the eastern and southeastern districts of London. The recipe is simple and includes minced beef pie, mashed potato, and a gravy or the parsley “liquor” kept from the jellied eels. The aforementioned M Manze is the oldest existing pie and mash shop in London. They opened back in 1891 and have made famous recipes ever since. Besides them, Goddard’s in Greenwich deserves a mention as they serve handmade pies based on old family recipes.

Fish and chips

Last but not least, meals in the United Kingdom can’t be discussed without mentioning the famous fish and chips. Nowadays, it is one of the favourite combinations for British people all over the country, particularly after a night. Nevertheless, when it originated it was only served to poor Jewish refugees from Portugal and Spain, whose immigrant cultures introduced the exciting combo to English people. The inaugural fish and chip shops in London saw daylight in 1860, also starting in the East End. The emblematic English meal consists of fried fish in crispy batter and is regularly served with chipped potatoes. The oldest active fish and chip restaurant in London is Rock & Sole Plaice in Covent Garden. They use old, traditional recipes from 1871. For an authentic experience, Poppies in Spitalfields is also good – a modern restaurant that includes a jukebox, mini red telephone box, red-and-white prints, and some fabulous fish and chips. For a wider array of options when it comes to seafood, Sutton & Sons in Stoke Newington is a must. A fish and chips meal wouldn’t be complete without adequate accompaniments – which means salt and vinegar to enhance the flavour of the chips, as well as gravy or curry sauce to fully complete the gastronomical experience.    

The editorial unit