Despite the UK not being an instantly recognisable cuisine brand, compared to France or Italy, it still has a few iconic dishes which any student should try during their period of study in the UK .
Fish and Chips
Probably one of the most famous of British dishes known to the world, the dish consists of fish deep fried in batter along with deep fried chips. This is usually bought as a takeaway, and packed in a paper wrapping. Salt, vinegar, or ketchup is often used to accompany the meal.
The Sunday Roast
A family favourite in British households, however any decent country pub or restaurant will also do a Sunday roast. The dish itself consists of roasted meat, roasted potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, vegetables, and stuffing, all topped with a rich meat gravy.
Shepherd's Pie
The UK cooks up a variety of pies, with Shepherd’s Pie being the most common. The pie itself will contain lamb mince, vegetables, and gravy, complete with a crust of mashed potatoes.
A very similar pie, called a Cottage Pie, uses beef mince instead of lamb mince.
Afternoon Tea
Although more of a tradition than a set meal, afternoon tea usually consists of tea brewed from a teapot, along with small sandwiches, scones, or other pastries and cakes. Afternoon tea usually takes place between the hours of 3 and 5.
Bangers and Mash
Another iconic dish, bangers and mash translates to sausages and mashed potatoes. The sausage variety varies, but might be a Lincolnshire or Cumberland, however pork sausages are almost always used. A range of herbs and spices are used to spice up the meat.
Steak and Kidney Pie
Another pie, however this time it’s filled with diced beef, diced kidney, fried onion, and brown gravy. The diced kidney often originates from an ox, lamb, or pig. The entire pie is then baked in a pastry crust. As you can probably tell, pies represent a big portion of British cuisine, and can range in different sizes and flavours.
Cornish Pasty
Another pie on the menu, this time the filling consisting of beef, diced potato, onions and swede. It is recognisable by the fact that it has a D shape to it, setting it apart from its other pastry-based counterparts. It’s not uncommon for this to be eaten when people are out of the office while on their lunch break.
Haggis
A Scottish delicacy, Haggis consists of a sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs that’s minced with spices, suet, salt, onion and oatmeal. It is then mixed with stock and cooked in the sheep’s stomach for three hours.