London’s best food & drink

The new wave of cooking in London is known as ‘Modern British’; hearty meat dishes – lamb shanks, casseroles, steaks and pies. For something lighter, bar snacks are a great British tradition; many pubs offer small plates of pork crackling, Scotch eggs (egg wrapped in sausagemeat and breadcrumbs) or sausage rolls. Streetfood is everywhere in London, but nothing beats hot chips, wrapped in paper, drenched in vinegar and salt.

Don’t miss a hearty pub roast on a Sunday – usually beef and Yorkshire puddings, lamb or chicken, and save room for a classic dessert; treacle tart or sticky toffee pudding. And of course, London invented the traditional afternoon tea, which must be experienced in one of London’s most elegant settings.

Street food is everywhere in London, but nothing beats hot chips, wrapped in paper, drenched in vinegar and salt.

Also see our round-up of traditional English foods you must try in England.

London’s culinary scene has undergone a massive reinvention over the last two decades, with Michelin stars peppering the capital, and a street-food revolution offering quick, cheap eats from every corner of the planet.

For upscale, old-school dining, Corbyn and King’s clutch of restaurants – The Wolseley, Zedel and the Delaunay, among others – are an expensive treat, while Rules – the oldest restaurant in London – has old-fashioned glamour in spades.

Gastropubs – classic pubs offering upscale dining – are a great place to try classic British dishes in an informal setting.  Several streetfood markets dot the capital, from the South Bank, by the National Theatre, to Berwick Street in Soho and Boxpark in Shoreditch.