The Most Popular Street Food in the UK, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the street food you think is the most popular!
Updated on May 6, 2024 06:51
Street food in the UK offers a diverse palette of flavors that cater to a variety of tastes, drawing from local and international culinary traditions. It brings together communities and encourages a shared cultural experience through the simple act of eating. Establishing a ranking of popular street foods helps both locals and tourists make informed choices about what to try next.
With the variety of options ever increasing, it becomes essential to have current insights into what is resonating with food enthusiasts. As visitors and residents cast their votes, they contribute to an aggregate score that reflects the real-time preferences of the UK's street food scene. This interactive engagement not only enhances their own culinary journey but also guides new eaters who are diving into this vibrant part of UK culture.
What Is the Most Popular Street Food in the UK?
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152votes
Andrew Dunn · CC BY-SA 2.0Fish and chips
John LeesThis classic British dish is a popular street food item throughout the UK. Made with battered fish, fries, and a side of mushy peas, this dish is a must-try.Fish and chips is a popular British meal consisting of battered and deep-fried fish (usually cod or haddock) served with thick-cut potato chips. It is typically accompanied by tartar sauce, mushy peas, and a sprinkle of salt and vinegar. The dish is known for its crispy and golden exterior, tender flaky fish inside, and soft melt-in-your-mouth chips.- Origin: United Kingdom
- Main ingredients: Fish (cod or haddock), potato, batter
- Serving temperature: Hot
- Accompaniments: Tartar sauce, mushy peas
- Texture: Crispy, tender, soft
Fish and chips in other rankings- Position 1 of 10 in Most popular pub food
- Position 2 of 10 in Most popular food in Liverpool
- Position 5 of 10 in Most popular lunch in Australia
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243votes
Scjessey · CC BY-SA 3.0Sausage roll
GreggsA sausage roll is a savory pastry filled with sausage meat. This snack is a popular street food item in the UK and is often eaten as a lunchtime snack.The sausage roll is a savory pastry item made with a flaky pastry crust that is filled with seasoned ground sausage meat.- Size: Regular (131g)
- Calories: 327
- Protein: 8.8g
- Fat: 24.8g
- Carbohydrates: 17.9g
Sausage roll in other rankings- Position 1 of 10 in Most popular item at Greggs
- Position 3 of 10 in Most popular lunch in Australia
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330votes
NeoBatfreak · CC BY-SA 4.0A jacket potato, also known as a baked potato, is a popular street food item in the UK. This dish is made by baking a potato until the skin is crispy and the insides are soft and fluffy. It is usually served with a variety of toppings, such as butter, cheese, and beans.Jacket potato is a popular street food in the UK. It is a baked potato that is typically served with various toppings and fillings. The potato is cooked until the skin becomes crisp and the inside becomes soft and fluffy.- Origin: United Kingdom
- Preparation Method: Baked
- Potato Type: Typically a floury variety like Maris Piper or King Edward
- Toppings/Fillings: Common options include butter, cheese, beans, coleslaw, sour cream, bacon, or chili
- Serving Style: Served hot, either as a standalone dish or with accompaniments like a salad
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415votesA meat pie is a savory pastry filled with meat and vegetables. This snack is a popular street food item in the UK and is often eaten as a lunchtime snack.The meat pie is a classic Australian lunch dish that consists of a savory pastry filled with minced or diced meat and gravy. It is typically enjoyed on its own or paired with tomato sauce (ketchup). The meat pie is a cultural icon in Australia and is widely loved and consumed across the country.
- Pastry: The pie is encased in a flaky puff pastry that is golden and crisp.
- Meat Filling: Traditionally, the filling consists of minced or diced beef, although variations with other meats like lamb, chicken, or kangaroo are also popular.
- Gravy: The filling is generously combined with a thick, flavorsome gravy, which gives the pie its moist and rich texture.
- Size and Shape: Meat pies are usually individual-sized, round in shape, and fit perfectly in one hand, making them an ideal grab-and-go lunch option.
- Serving: The pie can be enjoyed hot or cold, and it is often served in bakeries, cafes, sports stadiums, and takeaway shops throughout Australia.
Meat pie in other rankings- Position 1 of 10 in Most popular lunch in Australia
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516votesA kebab is a Middle Eastern dish that has become popular in the UK as a street food item. It is made by grilling meat on a skewer and serving it with vegetables and sauces.Kebab is a popular Arabic dish consisting of skewered and grilled pieces of marinated meat, typically lamb or beef, that are cooked over an open fire or on a grill. The meat is often seasoned with a blend of aromatic spices, such as cumin, coriander, garlic, and paprika, which imparts a rich and savory flavor to the kebab. It is commonly served with rice, salad, and bread.
- Meat: Lamb or beef
- Cooking method: Grilling over an open fire or on a grill
- Marination: Meat is marinated with aromatic spices
- Spices: Common spices used include cumin, coriander, garlic, and paprika
- Serving: Often served with rice, salad, and bread
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615votes
Natus · CC BY-SA 3.0A Scotch egg is a hard-boiled egg that is wrapped in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. This snack is a popular street food item in the UK and is often eaten as a snack or as part of a picnic. -
78votesFalafel is a Middle Eastern dish that has become popular as a street food item in the UK. It is made by frying balls of ground chickpeas and spices and serving them with vegetables and sauces.Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern dish made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, mixed with various herbs and spices. It is typically shaped into small balls, patties, or nuggets, and then deep-fried until crispy. Falafel is known for its crispy exterior and soft, flavorful interior. It is commonly enjoyed as a vegetarian or vegan option, served in pita bread or as part of a mezze platter.
- Main Ingredients: Chickpeas or fava beans, herbs, and spices
- Cooking Method: Deep-fried
- Texture: Crispy exterior, soft interior
- Shape: Balls, patties, or nuggets
- Flavor Profile: Savory, aromatic, and mildly spiced
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83votes
David Johnson [1] · CC BY-SA 3.0A Cornish pasty is a savory pastry filled with meat and vegetables. This snack is a popular street food item in the UK and is often eaten as a lunchtime snack.The Cornish pasty is a traditional baked good originating from Cornwall, England. It consists of a golden pastry shell filled with a savory mixture of diced beef, potatoes, onions, and sometimes swede (rutabaga) or turnip. The ingredients are seasoned with salt and pepper before being sealed within the pastry. The pasty is often crimped on one side, creating a distinctive D-shape. It's usually served hot and can be enjoyed as a main meal or a convenient on-the-go snack.- Pastry: Golden and flaky
- Filling: Diced beef, potatoes, onions, and sometimes swede/turnip
- Seasoning: Salt and pepper
- Crimping: Distinctive D-shape with crimping on one side
- Serving: Hot
Cornish pasty in other rankings- Position 5 of 10 in Most popular baked good in England
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910votes
Usien · CC BY-SA 3.0Doner kebab
Mehmet AygünA doner kebab is a Turkish dish that has become popular as a street food item in the UK. It is made by grilling meat on a vertical spit and serving it with vegetables and sauces.Doner kebab is a popular street food originating from Turkey. It consists of succulent, thinly-sliced marinated meat, usually lamb or chicken, which is slowly roasted on a vertical spit. The meat is then shaved off in thin slices and served in a warm pita bread or wrapped in a flatbread along with various accompaniments.- Meat: Traditionally lamb or chicken
- Cooking Method: Slow roasted on a vertical spit
- Accompaniments: Pita bread, flatbread, or dürüm wrap with vegetables and sauces
- Flavor Profile: Savory and aromatic
- Popular Variations: Iskender kebab, Adana kebab, Chicken doner, Vegetarian doner
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108votes
Goddards Pies Limited · CC BY-SA 4.0Pie and mash is a traditional British dish that is often sold as street food. It consists of a meat pie served with mashed potatoes and a side of parsley sauce.Pie and mash is a traditional British street food that consists of a savory meat pie served with mashed potatoes and a parsley liquor or gravy. This comfort food has long been popular in the working-class areas of London and other parts of the United Kingdom.- Pie: A pie typically made with minced beef or eel, enclosed in a pastry crust.
- Mashed potatoes: Smooth and creamy mashed potatoes, often served with a knob of butter.
- Parsley liquor or gravy: A green parsley-based sauce or traditional gravy made from meat stock.
- Served hot: Pie and mash is traditionally served hot, providing a comforting and hearty meal.
- Accompaniments: Some pie and mash shops also offer sides like jellied eels, stewed or liquor soaked eels.
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Ranking factors for popular street food
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AffordabilityThe cost of the food should be reasonable and affordable for the average street food consumer.
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AccessibilityThe food should be easy to find and accessible to a wide range of people.
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VarietyA diverse range of street food options is important. People are looking for different things, so it's important to provide a variety of options.
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Health and hygieneStreet food vendors need to meet basic health and hygiene standards to maintain food safety for consumers.
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Social media presenceSocial media presence can be an important factor in gaining popularity. A business with a strong social media presence can attract a larger customer base.
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Cultural significanceSome street foods are traditional and have cultural significance to certain communities. Therefore, it is important to consider the cultural relevance of street food options.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular street food in the UK. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or snack is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 2254 views
- 199 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each snack once every 24 hours. The rank of each snack is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular street food in the uk
Street food has become a staple in the culinary scene of the UK, with people flocking to food markets and food trucks to indulge in delicious and affordable meals. With so many options available, it can be difficult to determine which street food is the most popular in the UK. From classic British dishes like fish and chips to international flavors like Thai curries and Mexican tacos, there is no shortage of variety when it comes to street food in the UK. In this article, we will explore the most popular street food options in the UK, as voted by the people.
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