Great Britain for foodies
Once written off by the food cognoscenti, Britain has undergone little short of a culinary revolution in the last few decades.
In recent times, Great Britain has seen creative chefs pick up Michelin stars and farmers’ markets and street food vendors bring artisan know-how and innovative new trends to local food scenes.
Festive flavours
See top chefs in full flow and support independent food producers at a food festival. To tap into the latest trends, bag a ticket for Taste of London, an alfresco jamboree in June in Regent’s Park, or graze to your heart’s content at Abergavenny Food Festival. Other foodie events showcase local specialities: from oysters in Whitstable to cheese in Cardiff to sausages in Lincoln.
Open to the world
Ever since medieval merchants first brought exotic spices to British shores, Britons have absorbed culinary influences from across the globe, and nowadays are as likely to tuck into a Mexican burrito or a Vietnamese banh mi as bangers and mash. Chicken tikka masala eclipsed fish and chips as the nation’s favourite dish some years ago; head to Bradford, London’s Brick Lane and Birmingham to sample the best.
A taste of Britain
From steak and kidney pie to treacle sponge, hearty native dishes are a delight. You’ll find distinctive local flavours on your travels, too. In Scotland, the definitive dish is spicy, nutty haggis, while warming Lancashire hotpot is a favourite in northwest England. There’s even more variety among Britain’s sweet treats, from crumbly Welsh cakes to flaky Aberdeen butteries – salty, sweet and wholly delicious.
Catch of the day
Firm, flaky cod, freshly caught and crisply battered; fat, juicy scallops, tossed in butter with a hint of garlic; delicate oysters, slurped fresh from the shell. With ocean on all sides, it’s little wonder that seafood in Britain is a treat, especially in coastal villages and towns. Fish and chips, of course, is a national favourite – you’ll find a chippy in every town, often with an excruciatingly punning name – and Scottish smoked salmon is legendary. There are plenty of local favourites to try, too, from kippers in Craster in Northumberland to Norfolk crabs in Cromer.
Top 5 British cheeses
Caerphilly
This fresh, mild and crumbly Welsh cheese is a top choice.
Cheddar
Often imitated but never bettered, and nothing else is as good on toast. Somerset produces the best.
Cornish Yarg
Creamy, semi-hard and fresh-tasting cow’s milk cheese with a mouldy nettle rind.
Stilton
Strong, with a creamy texture, this blue- veined king of cheeses is especially popular at Christmas.
Wensleydale
From Hawes in North Yorkshire, this cheese has a crumbly texture and mild but tangy taste.
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