I had the opportunity to study (and eat) at Oxford University this summer, and along the way I learned that Great Britain’s menu is much more than “bangers and mash” and “bubble and squeak.” Here are just five British meals that will make you sing “God save the Queen!” before the last bite.
1. Fish and Chips
Fish and chips is probably one of the first things that comes to mind when you think of traditional British food. Fried fish, usually a cod or haddock, is served with fries and a side of mushy peas (think mashed potatoes but with peas instead of potatoes). If you’re looking to dine a little more like the British do, switch out your traditional tartar or cocktail sauce for some malt vinegar, the typical condiment used.
British Lingo: There is a difference between “chips” and fries. Chips are typically a chunkier fried potato, while fries are thinner.
2. Savory Pie
It isn’t uncommon to find on a pub’s menu some sort of savory pie, but I like to try to find a place that specializes in them. Pieminister is a small chain with 12 shops in the UK, including a location at Oxford’s covered market. They offer more variations on meat pies than I thought were possible, and include yummy vegetarian and gluten-free options as well.
If it’s a meat pie, usually it’ll contain some sort of meat with a gravy or sauce baked into a nice, flaky crust. Other savory pies could include mushrooms or onions, or feature some sort of cheese. Order with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy for a delicious meal.
3. High Tea
If you want to pretend to be part of the royal family, take an afternoon to go to a tea room and try their high tea. Your afternoon “snack” is closer to a small meal. Typically, a 3-tiered tray of goodies is dropped in front of you with a tea pot of your choice beside.
Most afternoon teas include a selection of finger sandwiches, typically with cucumber, egg salad, or salmon. Then the sweets—such as scones with clotted cream and jam along with a large selection of other sweets like tea cakes, macaroons, and eclairs.
If a full tea service is slightly out of your budget, most cafes offer what’s called a “Cream Tea” which skips the extra parts and just serves a pot of tea with a scone and condiments.
British Lingo: Clotted cream, while it doesn’t sound that appetizing, actually tastes something like butter with whipped cream. Yum!
4. Ethnic Food
Similar to the States, England is home to many diverse cultures, making for some great ethnic food. In my stay, I’ve had some authentic Indian and Thai food.
If you’re vegetarian or vegan, this is a helpful option, because a lot of traditional British food involves meat. However, don’t feel like you’re missing out on the culture—some consider chicken tikka masala to be a national dish of Great Britain.
5. A Full English Breakfast
When you go out for breakfast, it’s common to see a “Full English Breakfast” on the menu. Similar to a breakfast special in America, one includes your choice of eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns; along with some not-so-American sides, such as grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, fried bread, baked beans and sometimes even black pudding.
British lingo: Black pudding is a type of sausage made up of pork fat and pork blood which is grilled, fried, baked, or boiled. And fried bread isn’t just toast-it’s literally deep fried bread, and many places will serve toast separately on the side.