10 best places in London to eat classic British dishes

A roast dinner is an ideal way to spend time with family and friends – or nurse a hangover – on a Sunday afternoon. And, if you’re not in the mood to go through the trouble of making one from scratch, your favourite local pub is the best place for it. The Drapers Arms is a cosy neighbourhood pub in Islington where the food is so good it’s earned a spot on the Michelin Guide, so you really can’t go wrong with their roast dinner. You’ll find a lot of the classics at The Drapers Arms – think pork and beef – but if you want to make an occasion out of it, their sharing roast is unmissable. This way you can get a full roast chicken, lamb shoulder or cote de boeuf with as many sides as you could wish for (including vegetables, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings) to feast on as a table. Sound up your street? Just make sure you request it when you’re booking, as they’re very popular. thedrapersarms.com

For bread and butter pudding: The Regency Cafe

This beloved cafe in Pimlico has been a stalwart of the neighbourhood since 1946 and has clung onto a lot of its original features, menu items and clientele for decades. As befits a classic caff, The Regency opens early (7am) and closes early (2.15pm) and is best known for its full English breakfasts, but its daily specials are just that: special. They’re no slouches on the pudding front either: serving up proper sweet treats, like their bread and butter pudding. Made by baking buttered bread and raisins together in a custard scented with spices like nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon, it's instant comfort food. At The Regency Cafe, it’s served as a big slab, slathered in more custard, reminiscent of British school dinners (in a good, nostalgic way). Fair warning: as The Regency Cafe has such a cult following – and such reasonable prices – expect a bit of a queue. It’s well worth it, though. regencycafe.has.restaurant

For fish pie: Sweetings

We British love a pie and have been known to put almost everything in a pastry casing (kidneys, anyone?). But some of our pies come topped with mashed potato rather than pastry: cottage pie (made with beef mince), shepherd’s pie (made with lamb mince) and fish pie. Sweetings, in the City, has been around since the late 19th century, making it a no-brainer if you’re looking for traditional British cooking. The legendary Sweetings fish pie is made with white fish – which can vary depending on the catch of the day – in white sauce, topped with mashed potato and baked until golden. The traditional drink here is a tankard of 'black velvet' (Guinness and champagne) and, for dessert, a baked jam roll served by delightfully bossy women in an incredible vintage interior. sweetingsrestaurant.co.uk

For fish and chips: The Fryer’s Delight

While you might feel best off taking a trip to the seaside for some fish and chips from a traditional chippy closer to the source, there are still plenty of great spots serving the British classic in London. If you’re after a real old-school experience, The Fryer’s Delight in Holborn has got to be on your list. This classic chippy opened back in 1958 – founded by Italian brothers Giovanni and Giuseppe Ferdenzi – and not a lot has changed about it since. They still deep-fry their battered fish in beef dripping (which is a lot less common nowadays, with other chippies opting for vegetable oil – and the taste is a delicious eye-opener) and the interiors are distinctly not-of-this-century. It’s an affordable option too – you can grab a takeaway cod and chips for £7.50 – which makes it an even rarer find given its handy central London location.

For sausage and mash: The Hero

In comparison to some of the restaurants and cafes on this list, The Hero is much newer on the scene, having opened in 2024. But it didn’t take long for the Maida Vale pub to become one of the hottest tables in London, having come from the same team who brought us The Pelican – another fast favourite – in Notting Hill. Though it feels glamorous, with its banquette seating and white tablecloths, you’ll still find classic pub grub here, just done exceptionally well. One famous British stalwart always on the menu is sausage and mash. It’s simple, but fine sausage and well-executed mashed potato is not something to be sniffed at. Here, sausages are plump, the mash is almost impossibly creamy and there’s onion gravy on the side. theherow9.com

For Welsh rarebit: St. John

If cheese and carbs are your thing, Welsh rarebit will be too. It’s essentially cheese on toast boosted with mustard, Worcestershire sauce and booze: a cheese lover’s dream. St. John in Clerkenwell does it brilliantly – justifiably famous, it’s been on their menu since the earliest days. Their recipe calls for butter, flour, English mustard powder, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, John Smith’s ale and mature cheddar cheese to make the topping, which is spread thickly over toasted white bread and grilled until golden and bubbly. The dish is only served in the bar, which is a bonus for those of us who aren’t big fans of booking in advance (you’re more likely to get a walk-in table in the bar), and are also fans of extra large negronis (called 'Fergronis', after owner Fergus Henderson). Though it’s worth visiting this London institution for their Welsh rarebit alone, don’t forget what may be their most famous dish: roast bone marrow on toast. Anthony Bourdain called it his death row meal. stjohnrestaurant.com

For treacle tart: Rules

Rules, first opened in 1798 as an oyster bar, has a pretty good claim to the title of London’s oldest restaurant (it’s certainly the oldest that’s remained at its original location). Seated in this venerable space, you do feel transported back a century or two, surrounded by wood panelling, lattice windows, plenty of oil paintings and antiques and served by formally dressed waitstaff. Rules specialises in British classics, especially game and beef from their own estates. But it would be a mistake to miss out on dessert. Post-steak and kidney pie or venison hotpot, what could be more perfect than treacle tart with a dollop of clotted cream? Treacle tart is shortcrust pastry filled with golden syrup, breadcrumbs and either lemon juice or zest, baked until alluringly fudgy inside. At Rules, they recommend pairing their treacle tart with a small glass of 2023 Moscato d’Asti “Nivole”, Michele Chiarlo. And why not? rules.co.uk

For a full English breakfast: E. Pellicci

The great classic cafes of London are becoming rare, so we should treasure E. Pellicci in Bethnal Green, which dates back to 1900 when it was opened by Priamo Pellicci and named after his wife, Elide. Though you’ll find classic Italian dishes here – a range of pastas, garlic ciabatta and homemade gelato – the full English breakfast is still a major draw. Choose their ‘classic set’ and it delivers sausage, egg, bacon, mushrooms, beans and tomatoes with either fried bread or toast for under £15. Or upgrade to ‘have the lot’ to get a hash brown and some black pudding added to your plate. There are vegetarian options, too, and if you’d like a souvenir with a genuine Italian flavour, take home a pot of their freshly homemade pesto: that’s dinner sorted. epellicci.co.uk

For scones with cream and jam: Rosewood London

It’s the perennial debate: cream or jam first on your scone? Frankly, who cares when the scones are as good as they are at the Rosewood. The five-star Holborn hotel serves them up at afternoon tea alongside cakes and pastries that are almost too beautiful to eat (they’re often made in collaboration with big names in art and design). The fluffy, slightly sweet scones are baked in-house every day, then spread with your choice of Cornish clotted cream, homemade lemon curd and English strawberry jam. You’ll never be able to go back to store-bought again. rosewoodhotels.com/en/london

For sticky toffee pudding: The Marquee Moon

Sticky toffee pudding is a traditional British dessert that’s truly stood the test of time. Though you’ll be hard pressed to find spotted dick on most menus in London, sticky toffee pudding still makes a regular appearance even in new restaurants. The Marquee Moon is a restaurant, cocktail and hi-fi bar on Stoke Newington Road from the same team behind other uber-cool east London spots, nightclub The Cause and cocktail bar All My Friends. Its menu blends British pub classics with East Asian-inspired flavours, so you’ll find a unique sticky toffee pudding served with a miso crumble on the dessert menu. It’s a memorable dessert at a memorable pub where the martinis are served with a full pickle on top, and music is always central to an evening. themarqueemoon.uk