The Most Popular British Dish, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the dish you think is the most popular!
Updated on Apr 26, 2024 06:31
In a nation celebrated for its unique and hearty cuisine, determining the most beloved British dish can often spark lively debates among food enthusiasts. From family dinners to restaurant menus, the dishes serve not just as meals but as stories and traditions passed down through generations. Establishing a clear favorite helps new culinary adventurers understand where to start their gastronomic journey through British cuisine.
That's where our interactive ranking comes in. By casting your vote, you contribute to a dynamic tally that continually adjusts to reflect current tastes and preferences. This ongoing process not only garners appreciation for British culinary delights but also encourages a broader participation in celebrating Britain's rich culinary heritage. So go ahead, cast your vote and see where your favorite dish stands!
What Is the Most Popular British Dish?
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185votes
Andrew Dunn · CC BY-SA 2.0Fish and Chips a classic dish consisting of battered fish and deep-fried chips, often served with mushy peas and tartar sauce. It is widely considered the most popular British dish.Fish and Chips is a classic British dish consisting of fried fish fillets and chips (thick-cut fries). It is typically made with a white fish, such as cod or haddock, dipped in a batter made of flour and water or beer. The fish is then deep-fried until golden and crispy. The chips are also deep-fried until they have a crispy exterior and a soft interior. Fish and Chips is often served with salt and vinegar, as well as tartar sauce or ketchup for dipping. It is a popular take-away food and a staple of British cuisine.- Main Ingredients: White fish fillets, potatoes (for chips)
- Batter: Made with flour, water or beer
- Cooking Method: Deep-fried
- Serving Style: Take-away (often wrapped in newspaper)
- Condiments: Salt, vinegar, tartar sauce, ketchup
Fish and Chips in other rankings- Position 1 of 10 in Most popular lunch in England
- Position 1 of 10 in Most popular food in London
- Position 1 of 10 in Most popular food in Perth
- Position 4 of 10 in Most popular food in Niagara Falls
- Position 5 of 10 in Most popular food in Europe
- Position 6 of 10 in Most popular food in Northern Ireland
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234votesRoast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding a traditional Sunday dinner consisting of roast beef, roasted vegetables, and a Yorkshire pudding made from a batter of flour, eggs, and milk.Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding is a classic British dish that consists of tender, slow-roasted beef served with a crispy and fluffy Yorkshire pudding. The dish is often accompanied by roasted potatoes, vegetables, and rich gravy.
- Main Ingredients: Beef, Flour, Eggs, Milk
- Preparation Time: 2-3 hours
- Cooking Time: Approximately 1 hour
- Serving Temperature: Hot
- Region of Origin: Yorkshire, England
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318votesFull English Breakfast a hearty breakfast consisting of bacon, sausages, eggs, black pudding, baked beans, mushrooms, and toast.The Full English Breakfast is a traditional and hearty breakfast that is popular in England. It is a hearty and substantial meal that typically includes a combination of various components.
- Components: A typical Full English Breakfast includes bacon, sausages, eggs (fried, poached, or scrambled), baked beans, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding (blood sausage), and fried bread. Optional components may include hash browns, fried or grilled onions, toasted bread, or fried or grilled potatoes.
- Bacon: Usually back bacon or streaky bacon is used.
- Sausages: Pork sausages are commonly used.
- Eggs: The eggs can be cooked according to personal preference.
- Baked Beans: A can of baked beans is often heated and served as a side.
Full English Breakfast in other rankings- Position 1 of 10 in Most popular breakfast in England
- Position 2 of 10 in Most popular food in London
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424votesShepherd's Pie a savory pie made with minced lamb, vegetables, and mashed potatoes.Shepherd's Pie is a classic British savory dish that consists of a flavorful meat filling topped with a layer of mashed potatoes, baked to perfection. It is a popular alternative to turkey on Thanksgiving due to its comforting and hearty nature.
- Origin: United Kingdom
- Traditional main ingredient: Lamb
- Modern variations may use: Beef, chicken, or vegetarian substitutes
- Meat filling: Combination of ground meat, onions, vegetables, and herbs
- Topping: Mashed potatoes, often with grated cheese
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513votes
Qwerty Binary · CC BY-SA 3.0Bangers and Mash a dish of sausages and mashed potatoes, often served with onion gravy.Bangers and Mash is a classic British dish consisting of sausages (bangers) served with mashed potatoes (mash) and usually accompanied by onion gravy. It is a hearty and comforting meal that is widely enjoyed in Britain.- Main ingredients: Sausages, mashed potatoes, onion gravy
- Typical serving style: Plated
- Region of origin: United Kingdom
- Popular variations: Vegetarian sausages, caramelized onion gravy
- Serving temperature: Hot
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618votesBeef Wellington a dish of beef tenderloin wrapped in puff pastry and baked.Beef Wellington is a classic British culinary masterpiece made with tender fillet steak, coated with a layer of savory mushroom duxelles, encased in a crisp puff pastry shell, and baked until golden and succulent. This dish offers a perfect combination of flavors and textures, with the flaky pastry providing a delightful crunch against the tender beef and rich mushroom filling.
- Ingredients: Beef fillet, mushrooms, puff pastry, prosciutto, Dijon mustard, egg wash
- Preparation Time: Approximately 1 hour
- Cooking Time: Approximately 40 minutes
- Serving Temperature: Hot/warm
- Serves: 4-6 people
Beef Wellington in other rankings- Position 1 of 10 in Most difficult meat to cook
- Position 2 of 10 in Most difficult dish to cook
- Position 3 of 10 in Most difficult protein to cook
- Position 5 of 10 in Most delicious recipe ever
- Position 7 of 10 in Most popular Christmas dinner in America
- Position 8 of 10 in Most popular roast dinner
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712votes
Robert Gibert · Public domainToad in the Hole a dish of sausages baked in a batter of flour, eggs, and milk.Toad in the Hole is a traditional British dish consisting of sausages baked in a Yorkshire pudding batter. The sausages are placed in a deep baking dish and covered with the batter before being baked in the oven. The result is a crispy, golden-brown exterior with moist and tender sausages inside. It is typically served with onion gravy, peas, and sometimes mashed potatoes.- Main ingredients: Sausages, Yorkshire pudding batter
- Typical serving accompaniments: Onion gravy, peas, mashed potatoes
- Cooking method: Baking in the oven
- Texture: Crispy exterior, tender interior
- Appearance: Golden-brown and puffy
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811votes
Hellahulla (Hellahulla) · CC BY-SA 4.0Steak and Kidney Pie a savory pie made with diced beef, kidneys, and vegetables, often served with gravy.Steak and Kidney Pie is a classic British dish consisting of diced steak, kidney, and onions, cooked in a rich gravy and encased in a buttery pastry crust. It is traditionally served hot and is known for its hearty and comforting flavors.- Main ingredients: Diced steak, kidney, onions
- Gravy: Rich and savory
- Pastry crust: Buttery and flaky
- Serving temperature: Hot
- Texture: Tender meat and soft pastry
Steak and Kidney Pie in other rankings- Position 5 of 10 in Most popular pie in South Africa
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95votes
David Johnson [1] · CC BY-SA 3.0Cornish Pasty a pastry filled with beef, potatoes, swede, and onions, originating from Cornwall.The Cornish Pasty is a traditional British dish notable for its distinct D-shaped pastry shape, filled with a hearty combination of meat and vegetables. The pastry is crimped on one side, leaving a sturdy hand-held crust. It is typically baked until golden brown, resulting in a deliciously crispy outer layer. The dish originated in Cornwall, a county in the southwest of England, and has since become popular throughout the United Kingdom.- Pastry Shape: D-shaped
- Filling: Traditionally a combination of beef, onion, potato, and swede (a type of turnip)
- Crimping: The pastry is crimped on one side to create a seal
- Baking: Baked until golden brown and crispy
- Portability: Intended to be easily carried and eaten by hand
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108votes
Clothahump (talk) · Public domainPloughman's Lunch a cold meal consisting of bread, cheese, pickles, and sometimes ham or other meats.The Ploughman's Lunch is a traditional British dish that originated in the early 1960s. It is a cold meal typically consisting of various ingredients served on a platter. The dish is meant to reflect the simple and hearty meals that farmers in rural areas would have enjoyed during their lunch breaks while working in the fields.- Main ingredients: Cheddar cheese, cold cuts (such as ham or roast beef), bread, pickles, pickled onions, Branston pickle (type of sweet and tangy chutney), butter, boiled eggs, and lettuce.
- Presentation: The ingredients are typically arranged on a platter or a plate, with each component separate.
- Variations: Different regions may include additional elements such as apple slices, celery sticks, cold hard-boiled potatoes, pork pie, or Scotch eggs.
- Accompaniments: The Ploughman's Lunch is often served with a pint of beer or cider.
- Simplicity: It is a straightforward dish that requires minimal preparation, making it a popular choice for casual dining, pub lunches, and picnics.
Ploughman's Lunch in other rankings- Position 2 of 10 in Most popular lunch in England
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Ranking factors for popular dish
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PopularityConsider how many people enjoy the dish and how often it is consumed, both at home and in restaurants.
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Cultural significanceThe dish should have a strong connection to British history, traditions, or regional identity.
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Taste preferencesAssess commonly liked flavors, tastes, and textures that define British cuisine.
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AdaptabilityThe dish should appeal to a wide range of people, including different age groups and taste preferences, and be suitable for various occasions (e.g., family dinners, parties, or formal events).
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Ease of preparationThe dish should be relatively easy to prepare with readily available ingredients, while still being classified as a British dish.
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Availability of ingredientsThe ingredients used in the dish should be easily accessible and produced within the UK, reflecting the country's agricultural and culinary landscape.
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Media coverage and recipe search popularityLook at the frequency with which the dish appears in cookbooks, on TV shows, or online recipe searches. This can provide insight into its popularity among both amateur and professional chefs.
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Iconic restaurants or chefsIdentify any well-known British chefs or restaurants that feature the dish on their menus or are associated with the dish. This can indicate the dish's influence on and contribution to British cuisine.
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Regional variationsAssess whether the dish has any regional variations and how these may impact its popularity within specific areas of the UK or among different communities.
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Global influenceConsider the extent to which the dish has spread beyond the UK and become popular in other countries. This can indicate its recognition as a defining element of British cuisine on an international level.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular British dish. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or Dish is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 1840 views
- 228 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each Dish once every 24 hours. The rank of each Dish is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular british dish
The United Kingdom is home to a diverse and rich culinary tradition that has been shaped by centuries of cultural influences. From hearty stews and pies to delicate pastries and biscuits, British cuisine offers something for every taste. With so many delicious dishes to choose from, it can be challenging to determine the most popular British dish. However, through extensive polling and research, we have found that certain dishes consistently rank higher than others. Join us as we explore the most beloved British dishes and the history behind them.
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