Northern Europe
Food of United Kingdom
The 8 most iconic national dishes of United Kingdom — real photos, key ingredients and tasty facts behind every plate.
Europe
Fish and chips
A classic British meal of battered white fish deep-fried until crisp and served with thick-cut chips. It is salty, crunchy, fluffy inside, and often finished with vinegar.
Did you know?
By the 19th century, fish and chips had become a staple takeaway across Britain and was one of the few foods not rationed during parts of the World Wars.
Full English breakfast
A large cooked breakfast typically featuring eggs, bacon, sausages, beans and toast, often with mushrooms and tomatoes. It is savoury, hearty and deeply associated with British café culture.
Did you know?
The modern full English grew out of earlier country-house breakfasts and became a widely recognised national ritual in homes, cafés and pubs.
Sunday roast
A traditional roast dinner of meat served with roast potatoes, vegetables, gravy and usually Yorkshire pudding. It is rich, comforting and central to the British Sunday meal tradition.
Did you know?
For many families, the leftovers from a Sunday roast historically fed meals for the next day as well.
Chicken tikka masala
Chunks of roasted chicken in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce, usually served with rice or naan. Its mild heat and rich sauce made it one of the most recognisable modern British curry-house dishes.
Did you know?
It is widely associated with Britain’s South Asian restaurant culture and is often cited as a symbol of modern multicultural British cuisine.
Shepherd's pie
A baked dish of minced lamb cooked in gravy and topped with mashed potato browned in the oven. It is warming, savoury and a classic example of British comfort food.
Did you know?
Traditionally, shepherd's pie is made with lamb, while the beef version is properly called cottage pie.
Yorkshire pudding
A baked batter pudding with a crisp, risen shell and soft interior, most famously served alongside roast beef and gravy. Though simple, it is one of the most recognisable foods of England.
Did you know?
It was originally used as a first course to fill diners up cheaply before the main roast was served.
Singin' hinnies
A traditional griddle cake from North East England, cooked in a pan rather than baked in an oven. It is lightly sweet, rich with fat, and often eaten warm with butter.
Did you know?
Their name is said to come from the sizzling sound they make on the griddle.
Star-gazy pie
A Cornish fish pie traditionally made with whole sardines or pilchards baked so the fishes' heads protrude through the crust. It is a striking old regional specialty associated with local fishing traditions.
Did you know?
It is classically linked with the village of Mousehole and the tale of Tom Bawcock.