10 Best English Food to Try in London

Steak and kidney pie is a popular dish in taverns and pubs that features, as the name suggests, diced beef and kidney. The kidney component of the pie often comes from beef, but it may also originate from lamb or pork.

In addition to the titular ingredients, this pie often features brown gravy and fried onion as well, along with black pepper and Worcestershire sauce. You can find it in virtually any pub in London, with some proper sit-down restaurants offering it as well.

The traditional English breakfast, also known as a full breakfast, is treated as a singular dish despite having multiple delicious components. You'll find bacon along with fried, poached or scrambled eggs. Additionally, the breakfast usually features toast, sausages and black pudding.

This dish is so popular that you'll find it in virtually every cafe in London. Most pubs tend to offer it as well, so you'll never have to go far to try it all out for yourself. You'll find, however, that a lot of establishments tend to prepare it a bit differently.

Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding is a traditional meal that's often, but not exclusively, served on Sundays and includes a roasted meat with potatoes, stuffing and pudding. The roast itself can vary quite a bit, with meats like chicken, lamb, beef and pork all being common. Seasonal variations include duck, turkey and gammon.

The pudding side of this dish is made from eggs, flour and milk, though it comes in many different forms depending on the cook. This dish is available in virtually every cafe in London along with local restaurants.

Fish and chips is one of the most popular British dishes in the world, and London lets you taste this casual and simple dish taken to the next level. This dish has been a staple of England for nearly 2 centuries now, and you'll find it in many forms all across London.

You'll find some casual fish and chips shacks throughout town, but you can try a more elevated version at several local restaurants. You may even find it at some fine-dining restaurants that specialise in British cuisine.

Afternoon tea is more of a meal than a drink, as it effectively functions as an umbrella term for all kinds of meals you can enjoy in the mid-afternoon. This particular mealtime can feature all sorts of foods, but they typically include sweet pastries and breads.

As you might imagine, tea plays a major role in this meal, hence the name. You can enjoy whatever kind of tea you like during the meal, but people tend to choose a tea that complements the biscuits they have with it. Just about every cafe and restaurant in London offers this.

Bangers and mash is a combination dish of sausages and mashed potatoes that comes in many different forms and is typically served with onion gravy. The sausages can be made from various meats, including pork, lamb and beef.

For the most part, this dish is widely considered to be pub grub. This is because it's easy to make, and can be made in large quantities at low cost. You can expect it to be available in just about every single pub in London.

Beef Wellington is one of the staples of British fine dining, as it offers a hearty fillet wrapped in a puff pastry to create an unforgettable taste. This is an elevated dish that requires a talented chef to pull off properly, so expect to pay top dollar when you order it in one of London's fine-dining establishments.

While the beef version of this is the most widespread, you'll see some variations around as well that substitute the beef for proteins like sausage and salmon. Vegetarian versions also exist using beets and mushrooms, among other options. You'll find this item typically in more luxurious restaurants.

Ploughman’s lunch is a popular meal centred around bread, cheese and onions, though you'll usually find a few other ingredients mixed in as well. The ingredients are all based on what would be convenient for a rural English person to use centuries ago, though preparation has developed with the times.

This meal is often served with beer, making it especially common around London's pubs and inns. It's generally considered a lunchtime meal, though you'll find it available for far longer than that at most pubs.

Beef stew is a common enough dish almost everywhere, but London offers a unique beef stew that utilises London broil, a lean and tough steak. Typically, beef stew in London features pieces of steak that are cooked medium-rare and thinly sliced after being marinated.

When you combine the London broil with other ingredients in a stew, like hearty potatoes and vegetables, you can enjoy a rich flavour that will make you feel as if you're enjoying fine dining without the posh atmosphere. This stew is available all over town in restaurants both budget-friendly and luxurious.

Sticky toffee pudding is a popular dessert hailing from North West England that features chopped dates in a moist sponge cake topped with toffee sauce. It's often served with custard or ice cream, with vanilla being the most common flavour.

This is the classic British dessert, so it's common in virtually every restaurant in London that serves desserts. It's popular with kids as well, so it's something you won't want to miss out on if you're travelling with the whole family.