The Best British Food to Try in London

The Best British Food to Try in London

• Places To Eat, Visiting London

From pie and mash to battered cod with chips and mushy peas, British cuisine is a cornucopia of rich comfort foods in winning combinations. And no city in the United Kingdom does it better than London, with its trendy gastropubs, smart contemporary British restaurants and traditional bangers ‘n’ mash canteens.Here are seven classic British foods you must try on your next trip to London.

Jellied Eels

Most tourists—and Londoners—recoil in terror at the thought of cold, chopped Thames eels suspended in gelatinous stock. Consequently, it’s rare to find this 18^th-century recipe on contemporary menus. However, adventurous types can still tuck in at London’s no-frills British food stalwart M.Manze, where it’s served as a traditional accompaniment to the restaurant’s rather lovely pie and mash.

Bangers and Mash

The ingenious combination of pork sausage and creamy mash served in a moat of rich gravy is given an impressive makeover at Mother Mash off Carnaby Street. Not for the indecisive, there are eight choices of mash (although bubble and squeak, another British culinary champ, wins) and nine varieties of sausage… and then there’s the five gravies to choose from.

Haggis, Neeps and Tatties

Scottish haggis is not for the faint-hearted. A sheep’s stomach stuffed with its minced and heavily seasoned heart, liver and lungs, traditionally served with turnips (neeps) and potatoes (tatties), those brave enough to try it will be rewarded with its comforting, savoury flavour. Boisdale of Belgravia’s Roast Dumfriesshire Blackface Haggis is a smart option, best washed down with a fine Scottish single malt.

 Sunday Roast

A benchmark for thetraditional British pub is the quality of its Sunday roast. A generous plate of roast meat served with vegetables, various trimmings and gravy, there’s no shortage of the weekend go-to across the capital. But for a roast with a special twist, head up to Oblix West on the 32^ndfloor of The Shard. The suckling pig comes with a generous crunch of crackling, the Yorkshire puddings are soufflé-light and, wow, that view!

Shepherd’s Pie

A warming confab of seasoned lamb mince with a baked crust of mashed potatoes, shepherd’s pie is often confused with cottage pie, a similar dish filled with beef mince. The Ivy’s Shepherd’s Pie is a controversial hybrid of both—a rather savoury recipe that’s definitely worth trying, despite the unconventional recipe.

Full English Breakfast

The true breakfast of champions, a full English comprises bacon, eggs, sausage, beans, mushrooms, the list goes on. London’s best brunch haunts make a mean fry-up, but no one does it quite as deftly as the charming old-fashioned greasy spoon, Regency Café in Pimlico. It has been serving Londoners British food favourites for 80 years, and this beast of a breakfast will keep you going until dinner.

Bread and Butter Pudding

Bread and butter is the bedrock of British cuisine and is traditionally served with, well, everything. Including dessert. Drenched in custard and scattered with raisins, it’s usually found rubbing shoulders with its sticky toffee and steamed pudding siblings. While most British restaurants wheel it out seasonally to complement their winter menus, one place you’ll find it year-round is the lively Borough Market.

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