United Kingdom Food & Drink Tours
Britain’s food is having a moment – Borough Market and the food halls, a Sunday roast in a proper pub, fish and chips by the sea, the great ritual of afternoon tea, and a drinks scene of cask ale, London gin and, increasingly, award-winning English sparkling wine from the vineyards of Kent and Sussex. This is our UK hub, starting with London. Choose an experience below and read our notes.
Top-rated food and drink experiences in the UK
Where to start: London is the country’s food capital – Borough Market and Soho food tours, afternoon tea, cooking classes and historic-pub crawls, plus day trips to the English sparkling-wine country of Kent and Sussex.
What to eat & drink: fish and chips, a full English breakfast, the Sunday roast, pies and cheese; cask ale, London dry gin, and English sparkling wine.
British food, reconsidered
The old jokes are long out of date. Britain now runs on world-class markets – London’s Borough Market above all – a serious cheese tradition, proper fish and chips, the Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding, hand-raised pies, and the endless multicultural street food of its cities, from Brick Lane curry houses to Caribbean Brixton. And then there is the great British ritual: afternoon tea, scones with clotted cream and jam, finger sandwiches and cake.
What to drink
Beer is the backbone – cask real ale and bitter pulled in the country’s historic pubs – but the modern British drinks story is bigger: a London gin revival with distillery tastings across the capital, and, most surprising of all, English sparkling wine. The chalk soils of Kent and Sussex mirror Champagne’s, and their traditional-method fizz now beats it in blind tastings – an easy day trip from London.
Where to go
We start in London, the food capital – its markets, food tours, afternoon teas, cooking classes and historic-pub tours. Edinburgh and Scotch whisky, and more of Britain, will follow.
FAQ about United Kingdom Food & Drink Tours
Frequently asked questions
What food is Britain known for?
Fish and chips, the Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding, the full English breakfast, pies, a great cheese tradition, and the ritual of afternoon tea - plus the multicultural street food of its cities.
Does England make wine?
Yes - and increasingly good wine. The chalk soils of Kent and Sussex are the same as Champagne's, and English traditional-method sparkling wine now wins blind tastings. Vineyard visits are an easy day trip from London.
What should I drink in a British pub?
Cask real ale or bitter, served cool not cold and pulled by hand - the heart of British pub culture. London is also the home of a gin revival, with distillery tastings across the city.
Where should I go first for food in the UK?
London - its markets (Borough Market above all), food tours, afternoon teas, cooking classes and historic pubs make it the country's food capital and the natural place to start.