We just can’t help but feel that the world would be a whole better place if there were a gigantic list of British foods. So, we made one. Just because.
If you’ve been desperately looking for a British food list, then you can breathe a sigh of relief. The search is over. We are the people to come to for anything remotely related to British food, after all.
And we’re not just talking the Full English Breakfast, Roast Dinner, Fish & Chips and the like. We’re talking a full A-Z list of traditional British dishes and delicacies for you to tuck into.
Ready? Brace yourself.
Here it is…
The Ultimate British Food List…
- Afternoon Tea
Afternoon Tea is one of the ultimate UK food traditions, involving the eating of sandwiches and baked goods, accompanied by cups of tea. Literally no better way to start a British food list.
- Angel Delight
A famous flavoured powder mixed with milk to give a mousse type dessert. Most common flavours are strawberry, chocolate and butterscotch.
- Apple Crumble
Apple Crumble is quite possibly the most famous and tastiest of the classic British desserts.
- Arbroath Smokie
Smoked haddock from the town of Arbroath in Scotland.
- Arctic Roll
Arctic Roll is an amazing ice cream and sponge based dessert.
- Bacon butty
A.k.a. the bacon sandwich, which is most often eaten at breakfast time in the UK (with ‘red’ or ‘brown’ sauce).
- Bakewell tart
Bakewell tart is a truly delightful cherry and almond flavoured dessert.
- Banbury cake
A spiced pastry from Oxfordshire, filled with currants, not dissimilar to an Eccles cake.
- Bangers and mash
A.k.a. Sausages and mash. A famous and popular traditional British meal.
- Banoffee pie
Banoffee pie is another top notch British dessert.
- Barmbrack
Barmbrack is an Irish fruit bread.
- Battenberg cake
A traditional, creatively designed cake of a marzipan flavour.
- Bara brith
A nice bit of traditional Welsh grub; Bara Brith is a spiced fruit bread.
- Beans on toast
Beans on toast is a true British food staple. Homemade beans are a thing, but Heinz baked beans from a tin are certainly most common.
- Bedfordshire clanger
A Bedfordshire clanger is a regional meat filled pastry snack, like a cross between a sausage roll and Cornish pasty.
- Beef stew and dumplings
A hearty main dish eaten for dinner, particularly in winter.
- Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington is a retro but classy main meal. Beef steak wrapped in mushroom duxelle and pastry.
- Blackburn cake
Another pastry item, this time with a filling of stewed apples, from Blackburn in Lancashire.
- Black pudding
Black pudding is a pork blood sausage usually eaten as part of a British breakfast.
- Boxty
An Irish potato cake.
- Brandy snaps
A crispy and brittle dessert or snack made from golden syrup (not brandy). Usually served with cream (which can be flavoured with brandy).
- Bread and butter pudding
Bread and butter pudding is a classic British dessert comprising of bread and butter cooked amongst English custard and dried fruit.
- Bridie
A Scottish pastry dish with meat filling.
- Bubble and squeak
Bubble and squeak is a potato and cabbage side dish, or a feature of the Fry Up.
- Casserole
A meat and vegetable dinner course.
- Cauliflower cheese
Cauliflower cheese is usually eaten as a side dish and served with a Roast Dinner.
- Champ
A simple and delicious mashed potato and scallion dish from Ireland.
- Cheddar cheese
Cheddar is a type of cheese, from a place called Cheddar in England. Easily the most popular cheese in England.
- Cheese board
A savoury dessert option.
- Chicken Tikka Masala
A curry dish adopted from India. So popular, it’s widely considered to be one of Britain’s national dishes.
- Chip butty
A chip (French fries) sandwich.
- Chorley cake
A shortcrust pastry treat from Lancashire.
- Christmas cake
A fruit cake, eaten at Christmas.
- Christmas pudding
Christmas Pudding is traditional spiced fruit dessert served after the Christmas Roast Dinner in most households in Britain. Also known as ‘Figgy Pudding.’
- Clapshot
Clapshot is a mashed vegetable dish from Scotland; the vegetables being swede, turnip and potato.
- Cockles
Cockles are a shellfish delicacy, traditionally eaten with one of Wales’ classic dishes, Laverbread.
- Coddle
Coddle is an amazing sausage, bacon and potato dish from Dublin, Ireland.
- Colcannon
Similar to bubble and squeak, colcannon is an Irish dish of potato and kale or cabbage.
- Cornish pasty
The Cornish pasty is a regional British food; a meat filled pastry dish / snack from Cornwall.
- Cornish hevva cake
A traditional cake from Cornwall (also known as ‘heavy cake’).
- Coronation chicken
Coronation chicken is a curried chicken dish. Particularly popular in Britain as a cold sandwich filling.
- Cottage pie
A main course of minced beef and vegetables, topped with mashed potatoes. Similar to Shepherd’s Pie.
- Crempog
Crempog is a thick pancake from Wales, also known as ‘Ffroes’ in Welsh.
- Cranachan
Cranachan is a Scottish dessert made of fruit, cream and whisky.
- Crumpets
Crumpets are a popular breakfast alternative to toast in the UK.
- Cullen skink
Cullen skink is a haddock, potato and onion soup, being a part of traditional Scottish cuisine.
- Cumberland sausage
The Cumberland sausage is a pork sausage originating from a place historically called… you guessed it… Cumberland. It’s traditionally rolled up into a spiral shape before cooking.
- Custard
Custard is an egg, sugar and cream based dessert food (a.k.a in France as ‘Creme Anglaise’). Used as a filling for pies and tarts, or as an accompaniment with various desserts.
- Custard tart
A quintessentially British dessert / sweet treat, the custard tart.
- Deep fried Mars bar
A genius Scottish invention involving the battering and deep frying of our beloved Mars bar (candy bar).
- Devilled kidneys
A spiced lamb kidney dish dating to the Victorian era, most commonly eaten for breakfast.
- Dripping cake
A bread similar to Lardy cake made from animal fat. Also called a ‘dripper.’
- Drisheen
Drisheen is a sausage made from cow, pig or sheep blood from Ireland. Similar to black pudding.
- Dublin Bay prawns
Prawns. From Dublin Bay (in Ireland).
- Eccles cake
An Eccles cake is a fruit filled pastry.
- English muffin
A soft baked breakfast item, used in the popular Eggs Benedict dish.
- Eton Mess
Eton Mess is a classy English dessert of meringue, strawberries and cream. Nothing ‘messy’ about the taste!
- Eve’s pudding
Eve’s pudding is basically a combination of the apple crumble and Victoria sponge – what could be better!?
- Faggots
Faggots are pork meat and offal meatballs.
- Fish and chips
Maybe the most famous British food outside of the UK. Battered cod with chunky chips and mushy peas is just the best.
- Fisherman’s pie
Fisherman’s pie is a famous seafood dish with a mashed potatoes topping (not pastry).
- Fool
A fool is a refreshing puréed fruit and cream based dessert.
- Full Breakfast
The ultimate way to start your day in Britain! Different variations of the Full Breakfast are available in each country, i.e. Full English Breakfast, Full Scottish Breakfast, Full Welsh Breakfast, Full Irish Breakfast.
- Game
Britain is home to some awesome game such as rabbit, pheasant and venison and there’s no better way to enjoy it than in a pie!
- Garibaldi biscuits
A fruit filled biscuit. Basically a biscuit sandwich – incredible!
- Gypsy tart
Gypsy tart is a very sweet dessert from Kent in England, made from evaporated or condensed milk and sugar.
- Haggis
Scotland’s national dish is Haggis. Minced sheep heart, liver and lung mixed with spices, suet and oatmeal, traditionally cooked in the sheep’s stomach casing. Tastier than it sounds!
- Ham, egg and chips
Ham, egg and chips is a simple and humble meal commonly found on a UK pub menu.
- Hog’s pudding
Confusingly, this is not a dessert as you might expect from the word ‘pudding.’ Hog’s pudding is a sausage mainly enjoyed in Cornwall and Devon in England.
- Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns are an incredible traditional baked treat, most commonly eaten at Easter time.
- Irish soda bread
Irish soda bread is a quick-bread particularly popular in Ireland, made with baking soda rather than yeast.
- Irish stew
Irish stew is another of Britain’s national dishes, namely a meal of stewed meat and root vegetables from Ireland.
- Jam Roly-poly
Jam Roly-poly is an awesome English dessert consisting of jam rolled up in sponge cake, usually served with custard.
- Jellied eels
One of the true British delicacies, jellied eels are first cooked in a spiced stock which is left to set and form a jelly. Originated in East London.
- Jugged hare
Jugged hare is one of the famous British pub dishes, being a rabbit stew.
- Kedgeree
Kedgeree is a spiced rice, fish and egg dish adopted from India. Traditionally eaten for breakfast in the UK.
- King rib
King rib is a deep fried minced pork patty found in Scotland and Ireland. Normally served with chips.
- Kippers
Kippers is a retro British breakfast fish dish, kippers otherwise known as herring.
- Knickerbocker glory
Knickerbocker glory is a show-stopper of a British dessert, similar to an ice cream Sundae.
- Lancashire hotpot
Lancashire hotpot is a delicious slow-cooked dish from guess where? Yep, Lancashire (in England). Made with mutton or lamb and topped with sliced potatoes.
- Lardy cake
Lardy cake is a classic spiced bread from the south of England, made from lard (rendered animal fat). Similar to Dripping cake.
- Laverbread
Laverbread is one of the best Welsh delicacies made from seaweed (not bread). Yep, another one of those weird British food names.
- Lincolnshire sausage
A sausage. From Lincolnshire.
- Liver and bacon
Animal livers and bacon is a common winter pub dish in Blighty, usually served with fried onions, vegetables and gravy.
- Madeira cake
Madeira cake is a soft sponge cake usually eaten with a cup of tea.
- Maids of honour tart
A traditional sweet tart made with puff pastry and cheese curds.
- Mince pies
Mince pies are fruit filled (not meat) pastries eaten at Christmas in the UK.
- Neeps and Tatties
Neeps and Tatties are mashed swede (neeps) and potatoes (tatties), traditionally eaten with Haggis. We told you, this British food list just keeps on giving!
- Omelette Arnold Bennett
The Omelette Arnold Bennett is named after the famous author, being an omelette containing smoked haddock and topped with melted cheese.
- Panackelty
Panackelty is a northern England casserole dish.
- Pan haggerty
Yet another great one-pot dish from northern England, Pan haggerty is made from potato, onion and cheese mainly.
- Parkin
Parkin is a delicacy from northern England, being an oatmeal and black treacle gingerbread cake.
- Parmo
Parmo is a cheese-topped breaded chicken or pork dish created in Teeside, Middlesbrough (north-east England).
- Pease pudding
Pease pudding is a savoury boiled legume dish, also known as pease pottage.
- Pie and mash
One of the British food staples, Pie and mash is a meat and vegetable filled pastry, served with with mashed potatoes and gravy or liquor (parsley sauce).
- Pigs in blankets
Pigs in blankets are chipolata sausages wrapped in bacon. A traditional Christmas side dish, served with Roast turkey and all the other ‘trimmings.’
- Ploughman’s Lunch
It doesn’t get much simpler than a Ploughman’s Lunch, which is a cold meal of cheese, meat and bread, accompanied by pickles and delicacies like the pork pie and scotch egg.
- Pork pie
The pork pie is maybe the most famous of our pies, being a creation from Melton Mowbray in the north of England.
- Pork scratchings
Way more appetising than they sound, pork scratchings are a traditional British pub food.
- Porridge
An oat breakfast cereal being part of traditional Scottish food, which is cooked with milk or water and finished with toppings of your choice, such as jam, fruit or nuts.
- Potted shrimps
Shrimps are cooked and preserved in butter to give potted shrimps, which are normally served with bread or toast as a pub starter.
- Pound cake
Pound cake is a sponge cake made with a pound (measurement) each of butter, flour, sugar and eggs.
- Prawn cocktail
Prawn cocktail is a classic British starter course consisting of prawns and salad, topped with ‘marie-rose’ sauce.
- Queen of puddings
Queen of puddings is a British dessert made from breadcrumbs, jam and meringue.
- Rag pudding
Rag pudding is a minced meat, onion and suet pastry dish. It’s name comes from rag cloths traditionally being used in the preparation method.
- Red pudding
Red pudding is a ‘takeaway’ meat dish historically popular in Scotland.
- Rhubarb crumble
Rhubarb crumble is a fruit dessert similar to the apple crumble.
- Rice pudding
Rice pudding is a sweet and creamy rice-based dessert that will warm you up in winter!
- Roast Dinner
The Roast Dinner (also known as a ‘Sunday Roast,’ ‘Sunday Lunch,’ or just ‘a Roast’) is one of the most famous and traditional British dishes, consisting of roast meat, usually with Yorkshire pudding, plus vegetables and gravy.
- Rumbledethumps
Rumbledethumps is an incredible cheesy potato dish from Scotland, despite the odd name. If only there were a list of weird British food names!!
- Sausage roll
The sausage roll is one of the GREAT British delicacies. Sausage meat wrapped in puff pastry – an amazing snack or part of a Ploughman’s Lunch.
- Saveloy
Saveloy is a popular pork based sausage eaten from takeaway fish and chip shops (as an alternative to fish).
- Scampi and chips
Scampi and chips is a seafood (crustacean) dish. A great alternative to fish and chips and also one of the traditional UK pub meals.
- Scones
Scones are a famous and popular baked treat forming part of the Afternoon Tea. Sweet scones served with jam and cream are most common, but savoury is also an option.
- Scotch broth
Scotch broth is a chunky and rich Scottish soup.
- Scotch egg
The Scotch egg is surely one of the best British delicacies. It’s a hard boiled egg inside sausage meat and breadcrumbs, deep fried. Enough said.
- Scotch pie
The Scotch pie is a savoury Scottish pie traditionally made with minced mutton inside a hot water crust pastry casing.
- Scottish shortbread
Scottish shortbread is a lovely, buttery biscuit (not bread) from Scotland.
- Scouse
Scouse is a lamb or beef stew popular in Liverpool, northern England.
- Shepherd’s pie
Shepherd’s pie is one of THE classic British dishes. A lovely meal of minced lamb and vegetables, topped with mashed potato and melted cheese.
- Smoked salmon
Smoked salmon is a popular breakfast food (Scottish smoked salmon in particular).
- Spotted Dick
Spotted Dick is one of the retro UK desserts made with suet and dried fruit, best with custard.
- Stargazy Pie
Stargazy Pie is a Cornish fish pie with a peculiar but show-stopping presentation.
- Steak pies
Steak pies are a traditional and popular option of pie choice eaten with mashed potatoes (pie and mash). Variations include the steak and kidney pie, steak and mushroom pie, or steak and oyster pie.
- Sticky toffee pudding
Sticky toffee pudding is a decadent, mouth-watering sponge dessert oozing with toffee sauce. If we had our way (and this wasn’t an A-Z, this’d be at the top of our British food list!)
- Stilton
Stilton is a popular strong type of blue cheese from England. White Stilton is also a thing but lesser known.
- Stottie cake
Also called a ‘Stotty,’ a Stottie cake is a bread product from northern England.
- Stovies
Stovies is a Scottish potato dish.
- Strawberries and cream
Strawberries and cream is a simple but classy English dish really needing no further explanation! Most popular for being eaten at the Wimbledon tennis championships in summer.
- Suet pudding
A suet-based pudding which can be savoury or sweet, depending on your filling choice (examples include steak and kidney pudding and treacle pudding).
- Summer pudding
The Summer Pudding is a gorgeous bread and fruit (berries) based dessert from England.
- Sussex pond pudding
Sussex pond pudding is a suet based dessert from the county of Sussex, England. These days it’s usually cooked with a whole lemon inside.
- Syllabub
Syllabub is a cream and fruit based dessert, originally a drink.
- Tea cakes
Tea cakes are a traditional bread and current ‘cake’ eaten with butter and a cup of tea.
- Toad in the hole
Toad in the hole is not only one of Britain’s most famous dishes, but also one of the weirdly named foods from the UK, made from sausages and Yorkshire pudding batter.
- Treacle tart / treacle sponge pudding
Treacle tart and treacle sponge pudding are two amazing British desserts, made from treacle, believe it or not.
- Trifle
A trifle is a sophisticated English layered dessert, mainly involving fruit, jelly, custard and cream.
- Victoria sponge cake
A Victoria sponge cake is a simple but tasty sponge cake with a cream and strawberry filling, named after Queen Victoria. Also known as the Victoria Sandwich (although not a sandwich in that sense).
- Welsh cakes
Welsh cakes are a flat fruit cake from Wales.
- Welsh Cawl
Welsh Cawl is a hearty meat and vegetable stew or soup from Wales. Also just happens to be one of the national foods of Wales.
- Welsh rarebit
Welsh rarebit is an amazing dish of melted cheese on toast, from Wales in case you hadn’t guessed.
- White pudding
White pudding is a British breakfast delicacy, being a sausage made from oatmeal and pork. Similar to black pudding but made without blood.
- Winkles
Winkles are a shellfish delicacy enjoyed in Britain.
- Yorkshire brack
Yorkshire brack is a fruit cake from Yorkshire.
- Yorkshire pudding
Yorkshire pudding is a famous and popular British savoury batter delicacy, served with a Roast Dinner. Also combined with sausages to make Toad in the hole.
- Yule log
A Yule log is a chocolate sponge cake shaped like a wooden log, eaten at Christmas.
A Very British Food List – Done!
So that’s your very British food list.
Obviously, there’s so much great food in Blighty that we might’ve forgotten some. If that’s the case, the answer is of course to just get yourself to Britain and find a great place to eat…
British Grub Hub
The home of great British food
