10 Best British Dishes To Try When Visiting The United Kingdom

Ah, Britain.

Despite the political turmoil that is currently engulfing the country, there's no way of denying the fact that there's a lot of great things to be found across the entirety of the United Kingdom.

As you can tell, the focal point of today's piece is going to be the country's food options. A few of these savory dishes are pretty traditional and others might come across as being a bit weird, but either way, you'd be a fool to make the trip over to the British Isles and not try at least half of these fantastic delicacies along the way.

10 Full English Breakfast

There are some beautiful things to behold in this life, but nothing quite satisfies the taste buds like a Full English after a big night out.

It’s just such a common thing to see in cafes around the country, and we love that. The traditional version tends to consist of fried eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, baked beans, toast, tomatoes, and a tea or coffee, but of course, there are alternatives to be found in plenty of different places.

Black pudding and hashbrowns immediately come to mind. Now that stuff is delicious.

9 Chicken Tikka Masala

We automatically understand the reservations behind a chicken tikka masala being listed here, but in addition to some people claiming that it originates from parts of India, there are others that claim it came from the United Kingdom.

This delicious curry is, shockingly enough, made up of chicken and tikka masala with a series of spices and yogurt. Onions, tomatoes and chili powder are added into the mix, with the end result being a lovely blended gravy for all to enjoy.

It’s not that hot, either, at least not in comparison to some alternatives in the world of curries.

8 Cottage Pie

A cottage pie tends to consist of a mashed potato crust (which you could argue is the best part of the whole thing), with a meat filling. While that may sound relatively simple, the different layers make this such a fun dish to enjoy.

A cottage pie, specifically, features ground or minced beef in the middle with onions and an assortment of vegetables – depending on whether or not you enjoy eating your greens.

It’s a bit different to most conventional pies that you’re going to see out there on the market, but that’s kind of the point.

7 Shepherd’s Pie

You can pretty much copy and paste a good portion of what we put for the cottage pie entry here, and yet, the funniest thing about it is that a lot of food fans in Britain tend to have their favorites and ‘pick a side’ so to speak.

This version includes lamb as opposed to beef which, if you've tasted both in the past, can completely change culinary experience.

The tradition for a lot of folks is to grate some cheese over the top of it, but to us, that doesn’t really provide you with an authentic experience. Although we do absolutely adore cheese.

6 Toad in the Hole

Having been born and bred in the North, the famous toad in the hole has spread throughout every single corner of this glorious island.

It features a giant Yorkshire pudding which, in itself is enough of a novelty to intrigue us, with a number of sausages positioned in the middle. It sounds oh so simple but when you add a little bit of onion gravy into the mix, it becomes an absolute revelation.

We tend to think of it as a dish that you’d more commonly see during special occasions, but let’s face it, you can eat it throughout the year if you so please.

5 Haggis

Some would certainly argue that the term ‘British’ doesn’t fit the bill here, with the stereotype being that this is purely a Scottish dish. While that is true, they’re still a part of the United Kingdom (until they decide to have another referendum that is) so we’re going to count it.

Traditionally served with good old neeps and tatties, haggis tends to consist of sheep heart, liver, and lungs. That, in essence, sounds absolutely revolting and ridiculous, but our advice would be don’t knock it until you’ve given it a go.

4 Sunday Roast

You really don’t need to be religious to enjoy a great Sunday meal, and there’s no better form of proof than that than the traditional Sunday roast.

From roasted meat and potato to the Yorkshire puddings, stuffing, mint sauce, vegetables and more, there’s not all too much to dislike here.

If you go to the UK then the majority of locals will tell you that their Mum tends to cook the best Sunday roast in the country, and somehow, each and every one tastes as good (if not better) than the last.

3 Beef Wellington

While you could argue it’s not quite as popular as some of the alternatives, the Beef Wellington is an absolute classic. In essence, it is a fillet steak that is wrapped in parma ham and puff pastry before being baked in the oven. Honestly, if we don’t see this on the Great British Bake Off one day, then we give up altogether.

You’re much more likely see this is England than anywhere else in the UK, but none of that matters. All that matters is that you give it a go.

2 Bangers & Mash

Ah, bangers and mash. Sometimes it’s the simple things that work out the best, and that is certainly the case here. All you need is some mashed potatoes, some high-quality sausages, and the kind of gravy that leaves you wanting more.

If you’re feeling a bit adventurous then you could always throw a few peas on there, but it really depends on how much you enjoy eating your greens.

We can pretty much guarantee that regardless of when you’re reading this, a large portion of the population in the UK are enjoying either prime bangers & mash or some leftovers from the night before.

1 Fish & Chips

How on earth can you go wrong here? Spoiler: you can’t.

A good old fashioned portion of fish & chips is enough to leave anyone salivating at the prospect of having it for their next meal, and that much is just a fact. It’s always preferable to be by the seaside because let’s face it, who doesn’t love having fish & chips down by the seaside?

In general, though, this is an old school classic that’ll never go out of style.

Or, at least, we sincerely hope it doesn’t go out of style.

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