Watch Video
Podcasts
Blogs
Cuisine Category
Food Category
Key Ingredient
English Cuisine
About English Food
Beef is historically and culturally tied to the British national identity. It has been such an integral part of English culture that it has been elevated to the status of a national symbol.
The rallying cry of ‘Beef and Liberty’ has been used by Englishmen since the eighteenth century. Perhaps the most recognised English culinary tradition is the Sunday roast: featuring a large joint of roasted meat (generally beef, lamb, pork or chicken, and more rarely duck, goose and game), accompanied by roast potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and gravy.
Many other meat-focused dishes abound in English repertoires, from cottage pie and Shepherd’s pie (utilising beef and lamb mince respectively covered with mashed potato) to toad-in-the-hole (sausages cooked in a batter in the oven). Sausages alone are a source of culinary pride. There are particularly famous regional varieties, such as Lincolnshire, the curled Cumberland and black pudding (filled with dried pig’s blood and fat).
Another popular culinary tradition is fish and chips purchased from a “chippie”. A popular take-out meal dating back to the industrial revolution, the fish (cod, haddock, plaice) is deep fried and predominantly served with chips dressed with malt vinegar, but may also come with a side of mushy peas. The mushy peas are served alongside the other ubiquitous English takeaway – the meat pie.
British Imperialism has had a strong impact on English food. Influences from North America, China and India are testament to this. For example, a night out in London is rarely complete without a visit to the “curry mile”, while kedgeree, a breakfast dish, also finds its origins in India.
WWII had a significant impact on the diet of the English. “Bangers and mash”, a popular pub meal is so named because during the rationing the sausages were often filled with so much water that they would explode when cooked. The rationing system in Britain achieved much more than simply maintaining the health of the nation. It was responsible for a cultural revolution, which paved the way for chefs such as Elizabeth David and Jane Grigson, to find their post-war audience.
English cuisine has long been the butt of culinary jokes due to is stodgy nature. Nowadays the reputation of English food is on the up, largely thanks to the culture of the celebrity chef. Personalities such as Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson and Gordon Ramsay have put English food back on the map. Meanwhile the best London restaurants will rival any in the world. These restaurants often serve the contemporary, fusion-style food and some are even harking back to the traditional English dishes that have been the previous cause for the jokes – but is now being reinvented and becoming a source of pride.
Key Ingredients
English Food
Make sure your kitchen is stocked with these essential ingredients.
MoreSpecial Utensils
English Utensils
Find out which special utensils you’ll need on hand during cooking.
More
Latest Recipes
00:00:30
English Restaurants
Displaying 10 of 27 English Restaurants.
| Restaurant | Suburb | |
| 1. | Prince Albert Bar | Broadbeach |
| 2. | Chesser Cellar | Adelaide |
| 3. | Restaurant Balzac | Randwick |
| 4. | Slug 'n' Lettuce Tavern | Parafield Gardens |
| 5. | Four In Hand Hotel | Paddington |
| 6. | The Lord Dudley Hotel | Woollahra |
| 7. | Moon and Sixpence | Perth |
| 8. | Pig 'n' Whistle Indooroopilly | Indooroopilly |
| 9. | Alchemy 731 | Mosman |
| 10. | Old George & Dragon Restaurant | East Maitland |
Featured Recipes
Hot Tips
Using a Tajine
Layer celery stalks on base of tajine before filling with meats etc. This acts as a trivet, lifting the meat off the base of the dish and prevents burning.
Glossary
Polenta
A cornmeal porridge that is the traditional basic dish of northern Italy. Polenta can be eaten fresh or, when set, cooked in a variety of ways.
