London Street Food

London Street Food is an integral part of British English cuisine, otherwise known in England as ‘Pub Grub’. Food in London is mostly simple, uncomplicated dishes, with an emphasis on ingredients sourced locally from British farmers, matched with simple sauces to enhance overall flavour. The cuisine of England has come a long way, from a stodgy, tasteless past. Today, British English cuisine is among the most influential worldwide, and has even adapted dishes from its former colonies, such as India, to create many hybrid dishes which are distinctly English.

Food in London can be found along the streets in kiosks or small cafes, in mid-range restaurants and fine-dining establishments. Pubs are popular eating places, and commonly serve beer or wine to accompany food. Common ingredients used in London include potatoes, beef, pork, chicken, bread (white, brown, rye), cheese (cheddar, cottage, stilton), vinegar, mustard, tomato ketchup, fish (haddock, cod, plaice, skate, mackerel, herring, salmon, trout), sausages, onions, gherkins, lettuce, tomatoes, peas, mushrooms, jam (blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, orange marmalade), grapes, rhubarb, sugar, apples, and more.

While snacking isn’t too common in London, having High Tea is still considered a very British activity to partake in on the weekends, as is the traditional Sunday Roast. Desserts are also common, and are often served hot / warm in London, with most locals referring to them as ‘Puddings’. Thursdays in England tend to be termed ‘Curry Day’, with pubs around London offering discounts on Indian / Curry dishes.

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Also known as Sausages And Mash, Bangers And Mash is a traditional British English dish of smooth mashed potates, onions, peas, onion / meat gravy, and sausages. The sausages used in Bangers And Mash are often locally made in England, and the more common varieties consumed in London include beef sausages, pork sausages, Cumberland sausages or Lincolnshire sausages. Chicken sausages and lamb sausages are never used in Bangers And Mash.

The people of England are proud of their locally produced beef, and Beef Steak Sirloin is a favoured cut of beef steak on many London menus. Beef Steak Sirloin is rarely eaten alone, it is served as part of a main dish, usually with mashed potatoes or English Chips, and vegetables or salad.

Beer Hobgoblin is a locally produced England beer, brewed by Wychwood Brewery. Beer Hobgoblin is a ruby coloured ale, with a chocolate and toffee malt flavour, moderate bitterness, and a fruity character. Beer Hobgoblin is a popular beer in London, especially around Halloween due to its name.

Bread And Butter is a traditional and much loved staple in England and London, eaten at almost every meal. The type of bread served varies greatly, though the British English prefer locally produced breads such as Cottage Loaf, Bread Roll, Sourdough, Rye, Bannock, Crumpet, Scone, White, Brown or Wheat.

Voted by the British as their favourite cake, Carrot Cake is a cake which contains carrots mixed into the cake batter consisting of all purpose flour, eggs, sugar, nutmeg, all spice / English pepper and raisins. Carrot Cake is often topped with cream cheese icing or vanilla icing. It can be served as a cake, cupcake, muffin or loaf.

English Cheese is one of the most popular varieties of Cheese worldwide. Some of the more common English Cheese include Cheddar, Cottage, Stilton, Blue, Wensleydale, Derby, Double Gloucester, Red Leicester, Brie and Stinking Bishop.

Chips, sometimes called English Chips, are thick-cut strips of potatoes that are deep fried, and served to accompany a dish.

English Fish And Chips are a typical British English pub grub, consisting of a beer battered fish served with English Chips, peas, and tomato ketchup. The fish used in English Fish And Chips is usually haddock, cod, pollock or coley. Salt and Vinegar is the usual flavouring added to English Fish And Chips.

The typical Full English Breakfast, also known as Scrambled Eggs Breakfast, Continental Breakfast, Traditional English Breakfast, English Fry Up, Full Breakfast, Full Monty or Sunday Breakfast. The difference that makes it a British English dish is that Full English Breakfast uses England sausages such as Cumberland sausages or Lincolnshire sausages, as well as English field mushrooms.

The practice of making Gingerbread Man dates back to the 16th Century in England. Gingerbread Man is a biscuit or cookie made from all purpose flour, butter, eggs, sugar, water, ginger, all spice / English pepper, syrup and milk. The mixture is then shaped into a humanoid form, and is usually decored with facial features and clothing. Gingerbread Man is especially common around festive seasons such as Christmas, Halloween or Easter.

Locally produced British Jams are made from common fruits grown in England, such as Blackcurrant, Strawberry or Orange. Jam Blackcurrant, Strawberry, Orange Marmalade are popular bread spreads in London.

British Milk is delivered by milkman throughout the countryside, using an electric truck known as a Milk Float.

Traditional English Mustard is classified as a Hot Mustard, with a strong, sharp taste, bright yellow colour, and slight burning taste sensation.

Freshly squeezed Orange Juice is a popular breakfast drink in London, made with oranges grown locally by farmers in England.

Legend tells of a British aristocrat, John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who loved playing cards so much that he didn’t want to leave the table for meals. Thus, he ordered his servants to bring him meat between 2 slices of bread, so that he wouldn’t dirty his hands. His fellow card players soon began ordering “the same as Sandwich”, and thus the dish was named. There are many different varieties of Sandwich in England, some of the more commonly consumed Sandwich in London include ingredients such as beef, chicken, ham, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cheese, peanut butter, jam, onions, gherkins, mayonnaise, mustard, butter or bacon.

Seasonal Berry Fruit Salad is made with locally grown fruits including Strawberry, Blueberry, Blackberry, Raspberry. These fruits are usually from sustainable farms.

Shepherd’s Pie, also known as Cottage Pie, is a ground meat pie topped with a crust of mashed potatoes. The meat is usually beef or lamb, and ingredients also include onions, peas, carrots or corn. Shepherd’s Pie / Cottage Pie originated as a poor man’s dish in England. If fish is used (cod, pollock), then it is known as a Fish Pie. In London, a vegetarian version made with chickpeas or lentils or tofu is known as a Shepherdless pie.

Shortbread is a type of hard biscuit, made from plain white flour, white sugar, and a lot of butter. Shortbread gained its name due to its crumbly texture and high fat content. Shortbread is typically made into several shapes, usually either a circle, triangle, or finger. During festive seasons, Shortbread is made into shapes representing the particular festive season.

Dessert Tarts, like Caramel Tart and Lemon Tart, are common pastries served as a dessert, or during high tea.

Considered the number 1 drink in England and London, Tea is not only a drink, but a part of the cultural landscape of the United Kingdom. Classic blends of English Tea include English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and Prince Of Wales. Today, there are many varieties and blends of Tea, though the most common is Black Tea.

Tomato Ketchup is a popular table condiment in England, and is served alongside many dishes in London. Tomato Ketchup is a relatively recent invention, adapted by the Colonial British sometime in the late 17th century.

Treacle Sponge Pudding is a traditional British dessert, consisting of a sponge cake made from all purpose flour, eggs, butter, sugar and water. Treacle Sponge Pudding is served topped with golden syrup / light treacle, and hot custard.

Named after Queen Victoria, who favoured this dessert, the Victoria Sponge Cake consists of raspberry jam sandwiched between 2 sponge cakes. While easy to make, the Victoria Sponge Cake requires precise baking times, leading oven manufacturers to test their oven products by making the Victoria Sponge Cake.

A traditional and popular dessert in England, Bread And Butter Pudding consists of layers of buttered white bread and raisins, covered with milk, sugar and eggs then baked. It is usually served with hot custard, whipped cream or ice cream. Modern versions of Bread And Butter Pudding in London may also include strawberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, orange, raspberry or apple.

Typically eaten during High Tea, a Scone is a simple bread made from wheat, barley or oatmeal, along with sugar and baking powder. Scone may frequently have raisins or cheese within. Scone are served along with a fruit jam and clotted cream or butter.

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