What should you eat in London?

The three that define London

• Sunday roast. Roast beef, lamb, pork or chicken with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, vegetables and gravy, served on Sundays. Where: pubs all over the city, especially in neighbourhoods such as Islington, Clapham and Hampstead rather than the West End. Tip: book for Sunday lunch at popular pubs, and order early; kitchens often run out of the beef by mid-afternoon.

• Pie and mash. A minced beef pie with a scoop of mashed potato and green parsley 'liquor', a sauce once made with eel stock. Where: the old tiled pie-and-mash shops in East and South-East London; a few have been run by the same families for generations. Tip: ask for vinegar and pepper for the liquor, and try jellied eels on the side if you are curious; it is the original East End combination.

• Salt beef bagel. Thick slices of hot salt beef with mustard in a chewy bagel. Where: the bagel bakeries at the north end of Brick Lane in Shoreditch, which stay open very late. Tip: ask for mustard and a pickle; at peak times on a Sunday the queue moves fast, so do not give up on it.

Nine more foods to try in London

• Fish and chips. Battered cod or haddock with thick chips, salt and malt vinegar. Where: neighbourhood chip shops rather than the West End; many also sit in. Tip: vinegar goes on the chips; mushy peas are the classic side.

• Full English breakfast. Bacon, sausage, eggs, beans, tomato, mushrooms, black pudding and toast. Where: cafés (the old-style 'caffs') across the city. Tip: it is a late breakfast; skip lunch if you order the full plate.

• Curry. Britain's curry house tradition, from chicken tikka masala to regional South Asian cooking. Where: Brick Lane is the famous strip, but Whitechapel, Tooting and Southall are where many South Asian Londoners eat. Tip: order from the regional or specials section rather than the generic menu.

• Scotch egg and pork pie. A boiled egg in sausage meat and breadcrumbs, and a cold raised pie of seasoned pork in hot-water crust pastry. Where: pubs, delis and Borough Market, as our London guide suggests. Tip: the best Scotch eggs have a soft yolk; ask if it is made in-house.

• Afternoon tea. Sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and cakes with tea. Where: hotels and tea rooms in Mayfair, Knightsbridge and the West End. Tip: book ahead and plan it as a meal, not a snack; cheaper versions run in cafés and department stores.

• Dim sum in Chinatown. Steamed and fried dumplings at lunchtime. Where: Gerrard Street and the surrounding streets in Soho. Tip: dim sum is a daytime meal; go between noon and 3pm.

• Cheese. British farmhouse cheese, especially a mature Cheddar and Stilton. Where: the cheese shops at Borough Market and in Covent Garden. Tip: if you continue to Somerset as we did, the Cheddar Gorge area is where the name comes from.

• Sticky toffee pudding. A date sponge with toffee sauce, served hot with custard or cream. Where: pub dessert menus. Tip: share one after a roast.

• Ale in a pub. Cask ale is pulled by hand pump and served cooler than room temperature but less cold than lager. Where: traditional pubs across the City and Southwark. Tip: ask for a taste before choosing a pint; pubs will usually offer one.

Markets and food streets

Borough Market, by London Bridge on the South Bank, is the city's best-known food market: cheese, bakeries, butchers and hot-food stalls. It is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, Saturday from 9am to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, with changed hours over Christmas and on bank holidays. Arrive before noon on Saturdays to beat the worst crowds.

Brick Lane in Shoreditch has the bagel bakeries, curry houses and, on Sundays, street-food stalls. Chinatown in Soho is for dim sum and roast duck. For neighbourhood pubs with good roasts, look outside the centre. For a supermarket run, our guide to English supermarkets covers meal deals, cheese and what to take home.

London's transport makes it easy to cross the city for a meal; our Oyster vs contactless guide explains fares and daily caps.

Tipping and ordering in London

Most sit-down restaurants add a discretionary service charge of 12.5% to the bill. It is legally optional, and if it is there you do not tip on top; if it is not, about 10% is normal. In a pub you order and pay at the bar and do not tip. Our England tipping guide has the details.

Pubs often stop serving food earlier than they stop serving drinks, especially on Sundays when the kitchen may close after the roast. Book restaurants for Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday lunch.

If you only have one day: a London food plan

Morning: a full English in a caff, then Borough Market for cheese and a Scotch egg.

Lunch: pie and mash with liquor in an East London pie shop, or dim sum in Chinatown.

Afternoon: walk the South Bank toward Westminster, or take afternoon tea if you have booked one.

Evening: a pint of cask ale, then fish and chips or a curry in Whitechapel, and a salt beef bagel on Brick Lane late at night. On a Sunday, swap lunch for a pub roast. For planning the rest, see how many days in London, where to stay in London, our 3 days in London itinerary and the England food guide.

Frequently asked questions