May 9, 2019London’s food scene is an extravagant melting pot of culinary varieties made by some of the most talented culinary masters from all over the world. The result, a city gleaming with vibrant cafes and restaurants teeming with some of the most deliciously unique palatable temptations, yet some rely on traditional recipes handed down for generations for a taste that reflects decades of culinary ancestry.
From the more affordable street eats to the most highly acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurants, London is a city where diet programs has to be impeccably brushed aside if you truly wanted to immerse into its gastronomic vibrancy. This thriving metropolis boasts of over 18000 restaurants catering to famished locals and an even more astonishing number of tourists each year. Even so, some of the most delicious eats we’ve had were from places that were rather inconspicuous from the outside, but you most certainly don’t want to miss what these culinary gems have to offer.
If you are navigating through London’s busy streets looking to grab a bite or to fully indulge on a full scale food adventure, here are some of the city’s most delicious offerings we’ve found that is definitely worth a try when visiting London.
1. Full English Breakfast
E Pellicci
332 Bethnal Green Rd, London E2 0AG, UK
Traditional, yet the Full English Breakfast takes on different forms depending on where it’s served. However, you really can’t miss the basics of this hearty meal. E Pellicci’s serves up an Italian rendition of this English classic. Beautiful over easy eggs on fried bread, savory and mildly spicy Cumberland sausage, bacon slices, mushroom pieces and tomatoes. Pair it up with a lovely cup of coffee and you’re in for a treat.
Note: E Pellicci’s accepts only cash and this modest restaurant is frequented by locals and can get a bit crowded at certain times. However, the food is well worth the experience. Also, a heartfelt gratitude to our server, Hanna, who gave us outstanding level of service and even gave us a slice of their freshly made bread pudding, which by the way tasted absolutely delicious.
2. Minced Meat & Onions Pie
Battersea Pie Station
28 The Market, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8RA, UK
While London bakeries are highly regarded for their tempting fruit pies to satiate your sweet tooth, you need to try their meaty and savory pies as well. Perfectly baked meat pies with a delicate flaky crust and a slightly crunchy exterior. On the inside, delicious fragrant minced meat cooked in onion gravy. You can always top it off with some more of that delicious gravy for some added flavor.
3. Traditional Fish and Chips
Poppie’s Fish and Chips Camden
30 Hawley Cres, Camden Town, London NW1 8NP, UK
What brings out the best in this traditional English dish is the beautifully golden-brown light crunchy batter coating generous portions of fresh flaky white fish. Perfect with a squeeze of lemon and a touch of tartar sauce on the side. Big cuts of golden fried chips (more like French fries) completes the meal with a lovely slightly crunchy exterior and soft starchy goodness on the inside.
4. Salt Beef Sandwich
Northfield Farm, Borough Market
5 Bedale Street, London SE1 9AH, United
Simple, yet extremely flavorful mouth-watering sandwich of fatty, juicy and tender beef served with a slightly tart and sweet red cabbage slaw, slice of pickle and mustard in a bagel bun. Thick slices of beef take center stage as the rest of the ingredients create an elevation of flavors. Definitely a street food must try at the Borough Market.
5. Roasted Pork Wrap
Roast Hog, Borough Market
8 Southwark Street, Borough Market, London SE1 1TL, England
Pig roasted whole and carved as you order. A sight to behold for those who have yet to witness an entire animal cooked in its entirety. Once you get past that, you have a delicious dish with a generous pile of tender, juicy, succulent pork meat wrapped in soft tortilla, served with some fresh greens and sauce. Flavor is spot on and beautifully seasoned. Plus, it’s a great snack and a delicious indulgence of porky bliss.
6. Artisan Scotch Eggs
Scotch Tails, Borough Market
8 Southwark St, London SE1 9AW, UK
Another street food favorite that is both simple yet flavorful. Soft boiled egg wrapped in spiced pork sausage, rolled in bread crumbs and deep fat fried to golden perfection. You have that delicious crunch on the outside, mildly spicy pork sausage around the egg with a slightly runny yolk that adds that addictive creaminess to each bite.
7. Duck Confit Sandwich
Duck Confit – Le Marche du Quartier
35 9AH, The Market Porter Stoney St, London SE1 9AA, United Kingdom
Duck confit is a dish made with duck cooked whole and preserved in its own fat. What you get is some tender, beautifully cooked chopped up pieces of duck meat sizzling away on a hot plate. Standing just a few feet away, and you’ll be overwhelmed by its beautiful aroma. Generous portion of duck meat piled high served in a lightly buttered ciabatta roll. Portions are cooked in small batches to ensure each one is as good as the first. This way, the meat stays tender and juicy bite after bite.
8. Traditional Neapolitan Pizza
L’antica Pizzeria Da Michele
199 Baker Street, London NW1 6UY, England
Contrary to the appeal of the all too familiar supreme pizza with an avalanche of toppings on stuffed crust and melted cheese, traditional Neapolitan pizza excels in elevating simple ingredients of basic dough, vibrant tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and olive oil into an amazing amalgam of flavors. Visually, it looks far too basic to be good, but that first bite will prove otherwise. Somehow, the subtle bitterness from the charred crust plays extremely well with the hint of sweetness and acidity from the tomatoes. The creaminess of the melted mozzarella cheese and the beautiful fragrance of fresh basil adds a depth of flavor that you simply have to experience for yourself.
9. Stir Fried Noodles with Peanut Sauce
Amrutha Lounge
326 Garratt Ln, Earlsfield, London SW18 4EJ, UK
Coming from the top rated restaurant in London on TripAdvisor, this dish from Armutha Lounge is downright phenomenal. Perfectly cooked al dente whole wheat noodles stir fried with garlic, ginger, lots of vegetables, topped with crunchy peanuts and doused in creamy peanut sauce. Vegetables stayed vibrant and still has that delightful crunch. The medley of flavors is strikingly spot on. Without doubt, the best vegan dish we’ve ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Sorry meat lovers, but vegans won this round. On a side note, make sure you call for a reservation ahead of time. The restaurant has limited capacity and is usually packed each night. We ended up ordering a takeaway because the restaurant was fully booked.
10. Freshly Baked Croissants
Dominique Ansel Bakery London
17-21 Elizabeth St, Belgravia, London SW1W 9RP, UK
Perfectly flaky on the outside, fresh, delectable and buttery on the inside. That crust with a slight crunch never fails to give that beautiful textural contrast with the soft light pastry within. It goes oh so perfectly well with a freshly brewed cup of coffee or maybe some hot chocolate. Something about how Europeans make their croissants is simply divine.
11. Bread Ahead Doughnuts
Bread Ahead, Borough Market
Cathedral St, London SE1 9DE, United Kingdom
These delightfully stunning sweet treats are a far cry from your typical fried doughnuts with sweet fillings. They are extremely light and fluffy, as I would imagine is like biting into a cloud of pillowy goodness. The cream filling is outstandingly good, surprising light and not overwhelmingly sweet. Jam filled varieties are also a must try.
12. Marie Antoinette Milk Shake
Saint Aymes
59 Connaught St, St George’s Fields, London W2 2BB, UK
St. Aymes’ pink white chocolate milkshake is made from blending Jersey milk and vanilla ice cream with Ghanaian white chocolate, topped with pink sprinkles, Oreo crumbles, and 24 carat gold flakes. This beautiful pink delight is almost too pretty to slurp down as it complements flawlessly with the cafe’s gorgeous pink flowers. When it comes down to taste, It has that perfect balance of sweetness and richness that makes it more of a refreshing drink, than an overwhelmingly sweet dessert. Gold flakes added a bit of visual allure but nothing to its taste.
13. Raindrop Cake
Yamagoya
49 The Cut, South Bank, London SE1 8LF, UK
This unique dessert is made to look like a giant raindrop and served with a side of soy bean powder and sweet syrup to add flavor. The “cake” is made with agar and has little to no flavor by itself. The appeal of this dish is mainly from it’s unique characteristics and its striking resemblance to a well formed over sized raindrop served on a plate. However sweet you want it to taste depends on how much powder and syrup you add.
14. Foie Gras
Social Eating House
58 Poland St, Soho, London W1F 7NR, UK
Foie Gras is considered a delicacy by the French and literally translates into “fatty liver”. Traditionally made from the livers of ducks or geese that has been especially fattened, what you get is a luxurious cut of liver that is pan seared on the outside, but has that distinct fatty, rich, smooth, almost silky melt-in-your-mouth texture. The flavor of this dish was heightened with Japanese-style Dashi broth giving it a lovely depth of flavor and a delicious umami boost.
15. Bubblewrap Waffle
Bubblewrap Waffle, Camden Market
24 Wardour St, London W1D 6QJ, UK
This head turner of sweet treats will assuredly make you want to have one when you catch a glimpse of it. Comparable to the equally delectable French crepe, this sweet fruity delight is made with freshly made waffle cone piled high with fresh fruits, Nutella, chocolate syrup and whipped cream among other flavor combinations.
16. Earl Grey Tea
El&n Cafe
48 Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1K 1PR, UK
Londoners love their tea. While you are visiting, you can’t really have a truly immersive experience until you have a lovely cup of proper English tea. To some, they love their tea as much as coffee connoisseurs adore a freshly brewed cup of coffee for their caffeine fix. This quintessential British tea has a subtle earthy flavor with a touch of citrus and dare I say tastes almost floral. Fragrant and aromatic cup perfect for that relaxing afternoon of tea and crumpets.
17. Mixed Fruit Tart
El&n Cafe
48 Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1K 1PR, UK
Naturally sweet mixed ripe berries resting atop a bed of luscious cream, brought together by that beautifully baked golden brown crust that is so buttery and flaky. Every bite an explosion of flavor and that cream has that perfect level of sweetness, impeccably complementing the natural sweetness of the fresh fruit.
18. Cotton Soft Cheesecake
Dominique Ansel Bakery London
17-21 Elizabeth St, Belgravia, London SW1W 9RP, UK
This gorgeous dessert is so soft and airy that it almost jiggles. With a name that says “cotton-soft”, we just have to try it for ourselves. My wife and I are not big fans of cheesecake because it is usually too sweet and too rich for our palates. This one is just perfect. The airiness somehow cut down some of its richness, and flavor is just right with a nice balance of sweetness and creaminess in every bite.
19. Devon Crab on Toast
Hawksmoor Knightsbridge
3 Yeoman’s Row, Chelsea, London SW3 2AL, UK
Crab meat on toast. Can’t get any simpler than that. But this dish is just superbly delicious and the freshness of that crab meat is downright otherworldly good. Massive portion of shredded Devon crab meat piled high and seated on a perfectly golden brown and buttery slice of toast. You can really taste the quality and freshness of the crab. Perfectly seasoned and tasted so fresh that you can savor a hint of subtle sweetness with a kiss of brininess.
20. Cronuts
Dominique Ansel Bakery London
17-21 Elizabeth St, Belgravia, London SW1W 9RP, UK
Take a bite of New York City pastry chef Dominique Ansel’s genius creation that embodies the best of doughnuts and croissants into this uniquely delicious pastry. Yes it looks like a doughnut, but made with a croissant-like dough filled with jam and topped with flavored cream. It is extremely flaky with that familiar crunch from a croissant. If you have a sweet tooth, this is a definitely a snack to nibble on.
21. Tiramisu Soufflé
Cha Cha Roll Soho
39 Frith St, Soho, London W1D 5LL, UK
This snack or dessert tastes absolutely amazing. Extremely light, fluffy cakes that taste somewhat like angel food cakes, topped with cocoa power and accentuated by an enticing tiramisu-flavored cream. It’s a delicious embodiment of the classic Italian Tiramisu dessert made with espresso-soaked ladyfingers lightly sweetened with a mix of cream and mascarpone cheese, and dusted with cocoa powder.
