Must-Try London Food: Best Dishes and Where to Find Them

When it comes to must-try London food, the real culinary soul of the city isn’t found in fancy Michelin stars but in the steam rising from a pie cart, the sizzle of jerk chicken in a South London kitchen, and the smell of fresh bread from a family-run bakery. Also known as London’s authentic eats, these are the dishes that keep locals coming back—not because they’re trendy, but because they taste like home.

London’s food scene isn’t one thing—it’s dozens of them layered over centuries. You’ve got traditional British food, like pie and mash with liquor, jellied eels, and Sunday roasts that haven’t changed in 100 years. Then there’s the London street food, a global mix of jerk pork from Jamaica, ramen from Tokyo, and sourdough flatbreads from Syria—all served from wagons in markets like Borough, Broadway, and Maltby Street. And let’s not forget the London food markets, where you can grab a £3 dumpling next to a £12 cheese board, all under one roof, with no reservation needed. These aren’t just places to eat—they’re where cultures meet, and where London’s true identity is served on a plate.

You don’t need to spend a fortune to eat like a local. Skip the restaurants with signs in three languages. Instead, head to a pub with a chalkboard menu that changes daily. Try the beef and ale pie at a spot where the owner’s dad used to work the same stove. Eat a Jamaican patty at a bakery that’s been there since the 70s. Walk through a food market and follow the line of people who clearly know something you don’t. That’s where the best bites live.

What you’ll find below isn’t a list of the "top 10"—it’s a real collection of places and dishes that people actually talk about over coffee, not Instagram. Whether you’re looking for the crispiest roast duck, the most comforting bowl of ramen, or the only place in town that still makes proper sticky toffee pudding from scratch, these posts point you to the real stuff. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just food that matters.