This post was written by Ralph Starks, a blogger and traveler who enjoys exploring the world in the best ways possible.
A visit to any place cannot be complete without indulging in the local cuisine. If you find yourself in London, one of the many things you must do there is enjoy the local food scene. Due to the rich history of the city of London, there are a lot of different types of foods that you can enjoy here. Here’s a list of the must-visit food locations and must-try foods that you should experience before you can call your visit to the capital of the UK complete.
Camden Food Scene
From its renowned market to the rich music scene and vibrant restaurants, Camden needs to be on the list of any London goers. Owing to the wide variety of cuisines available in this North London district, you’ll be spoiled for choice when selecting what to eat in Camden.
If you are not willing to try something new, you can always head to the typical fast-food chains like KFC, McDonald’s, and Pret a Manger. However, we don’t recommend you do that because there’s no fun in that.
You can find specialists of everything here, for example, The Cheese Bar, an entire restaurant dedicated to cheese, Voodoo Ray’s for a classic New York-style pizza on a budget, Mildreds if you have specific dietary requirements, to name a few. The top restaurants in Camden have something for everyone looking for a delicious bite to eat.
The food scene in Camden includes ramen bars, casual cafes and every other type of restaurant you can think of. If you are not into formal dining, street food vendors are present throughout the town, serving Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai, Spanish and English cuisines. Tasting everything Camden has to offer will require staying in a hotel in the area for sure.
Fish and Chips
Talking of the dishes that you should try while you are in London, Fish & Chips need to be on the top of the list. There’s no other dish that is truly more British than traditional Fish & Chips. There are a lot of places that serve this but do try it from Poppies or Shoreditch.
Sunday Roast with Yorkshire Pudding
This true British classic is eaten any time between noon and 5 pm on Sundays. You can get Sunday Roast with turkey, beef, pork, chicken, lamb, or even vegan options, but do not forget the Yorkshire Pudding. Even though the pudding is traditionally served with beef, you can add it to any Sunday Roast order.
The Roast is served with meat, potatoes, gravy, and vegetables, and the quantity is quite generous. The best places to get this British classic are The Three Stags, Kennington, The Windsor Castle, Notting Hill, and Anchor & Hope, Waterloo.
Pie and Mash
Pie and Mash had evolved a lot from when they used to be simple steak and pork or kidney pie. The modern British pies are a wide range of different options for you to choose from.
Pie served with lots of creamy mashed potatoes and gravy is the real British treat you ought to try while in London. For the most authentic taste, head over to The Windmill Mayfair. This classic London-style pub serves the best pie and mash in the city.
Bangers and Mash
Another British classic served with mashed potatoes as a side is Bangers and Mash. A combination of sausage and potatoes, this British staple will keep you happy, full, and warm on a cold London day.
You can try this dish at Mother Mash, Leadenhall, and Soho.
Eton Mess
Named after the prestigious boys’ school of the same name, Eton Mess is a simple and tasty dessert. This classic British treat is a mix of crushed meringue, cream, and strawberries.
There are several variations of the dish too. Some replace strawberries with other fruits, and others ditch the cream for ice cream. The most authentic version is the one with cream and strawberries, though.
You can get the authentic taste at The National Café, The National Gallery.
Afternoon Tea
This is one of the must-do things while you are anywhere in the UK, especially London. Afternoon tea is a great way to spend quality time while enjoying a British delicacy.
The pivotal part of this cuisine is the tea, but there are many other things served with it that make it really great. These include finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, pastries, and more. The tea itself can be of more than one type. The key here is to enjoy the whole afternoon tea experience, so spare a couple of hours for that. It’s not like grabbing a cup of tea and going on with business as usual. You can always grab a glass of champagne after you’ve had the tea.
One of the best places to experience afternoon tea is Fortnum & Mason Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.
Beef Wellington
The dish with the most British name on our list is beef Wellington. It is made up of filet steak, covered in pate, wrapped in puff pastry and cooked. A little fun fact: Beef Wellington is not historically a British dish. It is not named after the Duke of Wallington but rather Wellington, New Zealand. A great place to catch this dish is Simpsons on the Strand.
Conclusion
The Uk has a lot of things to offer, one of them being the rich food scene. If you are in London, you should spare some time to enjoy traditional British food. The first place where you should go for that is the town of Camden in North East London. This place offers all types of food, not only British but also Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai and Spanish. The dishes you must try in London include Fish & Chips, Sunday Roast with Yorkshire Pudding, Pie and Mash, Bangers and Mash, Eton Mess, Afternoon Tea, and Beef Wellington.
