What to Eat in London (2025)

What to eat in London varies depending on your taste buds, but as locals, we share the best food and food tours the city has to offer.

London is a paradise for food lovers. With its diverse culinary landscape, you can find anything from traditional British dishes to international flavors from every corner of the world.

Whether you’re visiting for a few days or living in the city, knowing what to eat in London can make your experience even more memorable. This guide takes you through the must-try foods in London, from iconic classics to hidden gems, along with recommendations on where to find them.

What to Eat in London

Best London Food Tours

A food tour allows you to know the city in various levels, for you learn about the history of the place, its traditions and culture, but you also get to visit the notorious restaurants, try the best-known dishes and the local hidden gems of the culinary world. If you are searching for a Food tour London, here are some options for you to try:

• East End Food Tour

Known for its varied cultural influences, traditions and tastes, the East End Food tour London includes a lot of the signature dishes of the city: from jellied eels, bagels and English dessert to mash to the East End fish and chips.

You can stroll through Brick Lane, the Spitalfields Market and Shoreditch and enjoy both the historic landmarks, the street art, the buzzling life of the neighborhood and the flavors of the city.

• Soho Food Tour

Bohemian, diverse and tasteful: Soho, Europe’s oldest Chinatown, is known for its musical (mostly jazz and rock and roll) background, which included stars like Coldplay, David Bowie and Jimmy Hendrix, among others.

Make the most of this popular area and its beverage variety, its diverse venues and the wide culinary offer with a food tour of the neighborhood. 

• West End Food Tour

With iconic landmarks such as Trafalgar Square (and the Nelson’s Column monument within), the Seven Dials and Covent Garden, this food tour mixes the history of England with its tastes.

You can choose from more beverage-oriented tours (there are some aimed at pubs and artisanal beer) or those designed for tourists with a sweet tooth, for they include a tour through the most known donuts and cinnamon buns venues.

Best Food to Eat in London

Beef Wellington

A luxurious British dish consisting of a fillet of beef coated with pâté and duxelles (mushroom mixture), wrapped in puff pastry, and baked to perfection.

Where to Try:

• Rules (Covent Garden) – London’s oldest restaurant, serving a fantastic rendition of this dish.
• Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill (Strand) – One of the best places to enjoy a classic Beef Wellington.

Roast Dinner or Sunday Roast

A Sunday roast is a beloved British tradition. It features roasted meat (beef, lamb, chicken, or pork), crispy roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, gravy, and Yorkshire pudding. Even whilst living in the US, I mastered the skill of making a Yorkshire pudding because I missed them so much!

Where to Try:

• The Harwood Arms (Fulham) – The only Michelin-starred pub in London offering a fantastic Sunday roast.
• Hawksmoor (Various Locations) – Famous for its exceptional roast beef and sides.

Fish and Chips

This plate is a symbol of British culture overall, and of London in particular. Simple, effective and historically loaded, it was one of the few items not to be rationed during war years.

No trip to London is complete without indulging in fish and chips. This dish consists of crispy battered fish, usually cod or haddock, served with golden, thick-cut fries and mushy peas.

Where to Try:

• Poppie’s Fish & Chips (Soho, Camden, Spitalfields) – A retro-style fish and chip shop with authentic flavors.
• The Golden Hind (Marylebone) – A century-old institution known for its high-quality fish and chips.

English Breakfast

What distinguishes an English breakfast from any other? The serving of baked beans, bacon, sausage, fried egg, mushrooms, tomato and black pudding.

A classic English breakfast is the perfect way to start your day in London. This hearty meal is a staple in many cafes across the city, and needs to be including on your first trip to London.

Where to Try:

• The Regency Café (Westminster) – A no-frills, old-school British café serving one of the best full English breakfasts in London.
• The Wolseley (Mayfair) – A more refined setting to enjoy a luxurious take on this classic dish.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

A cake that is like a moist sponge, which may include raisins or dates, then soaked in toffee sauce and served with custard or ice cream, this recipe became notorious during World War II, when Canadian pilots brought it to England. 

A beloved British dessert, sticky toffee pudding is a moist sponge cake made with finely chopped dates, served with a rich toffee sauce and often accompanied by vanilla ice cream or custard.

Where to Try:

• Hawksmoor (Various Locations) – Their sticky toffee pudding is highly rated and indulgent.
• The Ivy (Covent Garden, Chelsea, Kensington) – A classic British restaurant serving an exquisite version of this traditional dessert.

Afternoon Tea

A quintessential British experience, afternoon tea consists of a selection of delicate finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam, and a variety of pastries, all served with a pot of tea.

Where to Try:

• The Ritz (Mayfair) – One of the most famous places in London for a luxurious afternoon tea experience.
• Sketch (Mayfair) – Known for its whimsical, artistic setting and exquisite afternoon tea offerings.
• Fortnum & Mason (Piccadilly) – A historic department store that serves an elegant and traditional afternoon tea.

Bangers and Mash

Bangers are another name for pork sausages, which exploded when they were being fried. The final presentation is completed with onion gravy and mash.

Where to Try:

• Mother Mash (Soho) – Specializes in various types of sausages and mash combinations, this is one of my favourite hidden gems in London.
• The Guinea Grill (Mayfair) – A traditional pub serving excellent quality bangers and mash.

Jellied Eels

London is crossed by the Thames River, so it always had access to eels. The working class did not take long to make use of them and prepare cheap and effective dishes; ideal for those looking to visit London on a budget.

In this case, the eel is boiled with species, then left to cool. This is when its body becomes like a jelly. Then, it is served with butter and bread.

A traditional East End delicacy, jellied eels are chopped eels boiled in a spiced stock, which sets into a jelly when cooled. It may not be for everyone, but it’s a piece of London’s culinary history.

Where to Try:

• M. Manze (Tower Bridge, Peckham, and Sutton) – One of the most authentic places to try jellied eels.
• F. Cooke (Hoxton) – A long-standing family-run shop serving classic eel dishes.

Pie and Mash

While the pie is said to have been introduced by the Romans, the pie and mash became iconic during the Industrial Revolution, for the working class chose it constantly. Tasty and nutritious, this combination of meat pies (ham, chicken or beef) with parsley sauce, mashed potato and jellied eels has become an English classic.

This traditional dish consists of a savory meat pie, creamy mashed potatoes, and parsley liquor sauce.

Where to Try:

• M. Manze (Tower Bridge, Peckham, and Sutton) – One of London’s oldest pie and mash shops.
• Mother Mash (Soho) – Offers a variety of pies with different fillings and gravies.

Scotch Egg

A British pub classic, the Scotch egg consists of a boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. We recommend you visit Borough Market to enjoy the local and international foods here, with an awesome Scotch Egg stall.

Where to Try:

• The Harwood Arms (Fulham) – Serves an award-winning venison Scotch egg.
• The Devonshire (Soho) – Known for its gourmet take on this traditional snack.