What are some traditional British dishes? What snacks do people normally eat? And what are these strange things you can see on pub and cafe menus? Here’s our guide to British food vocabulary so you can understand menus and talk about food in the UK.
Common British Food Expressions
We have lots
of slang words and abbreviations (short forms) of food that you’ll see and
hear. Some of the common ones are:
butty /
butties (butty = singular, butties = plural)
This means any sandwich or bread roll with butter (butty) and a filling. For example: a bacon butty (bacon roll) or breakfast butty (roll with bacon, sausage and egg).
This means any sandwich or bread roll with butter (butty) and a filling. For example: a bacon butty (bacon roll) or breakfast butty (roll with bacon, sausage and egg).
sarnie = an abbreviation
of “sandwich”
“We’ve got some cheese sarnies for the picnic.”
“We’ve got some cheese sarnies for the picnic.”
toastie = an abbreviation
of “toasted sandwich”
“I’m going to have a cheese and ham toastie. What about you?”
“I’m going to have a cheese and ham toastie. What about you?”
chippy = short for “chip
shop” (where you can get fish and chips, or even just a bag of chips)
“There’s a chippy at the end of the road.”
“There’s a chippy at the end of the road.”
lolly = short for
“lollipop” (a sweet on a stick that you lick)
You can also get “ice lollies” which are frozen fruit ices on a stick.
You can also get “ice lollies” which are frozen fruit ices on a stick.
banger = slang word for
“sausage”
“We’ve got bangers for tea.” (Often accompanied by “mash” – see below.)
“We’ve got bangers for tea.” (Often accompanied by “mash” – see below.)
mash = short for
“mashed potatoes”
“Do you like bangers and mash?”
“Do you like bangers and mash?”
(Mash is also
served with pies or jellied eels – especially in London.)
a cuppa = a cup of tea
“Fancy a cuppa?”
“Fancy a cuppa?”
grub = a slang word for
food
“You get really good grub in that cafe.”
“You get really good grub in that cafe.”
(Also “pub
grub” = pub food)
Now
listen to the audio.
abbreviations / slang
British Snacks
What do
people eat between meals when they’re “on the go” (busy or travelling from one
place to another) or even to replace a meal? Here are some favourite British
snacks:
pasty
This is cooked meat or vegetables in pastry. Traditional pasty fillings are “steak and vegetables”, or “chicken and leek” or plain vegetables. Pasties are traditionally made in Cornwall, but you find them everywhere.
This is cooked meat or vegetables in pastry. Traditional pasty fillings are “steak and vegetables”, or “chicken and leek” or plain vegetables. Pasties are traditionally made in Cornwall, but you find them everywhere.
scotch
egg
This is a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, then covered in breadcrumbs and fried.
This is a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, then covered in breadcrumbs and fried.
pork
pie
You get chopped pork meat wrapped in pork jelly then in pastry. Pork pies are round, and the most famous pork pies come from a town called Melton Mowbray.
You get chopped pork meat wrapped in pork jelly then in pastry. Pork pies are round, and the most famous pork pies come from a town called Melton Mowbray.
sausage
roll
This is a length of sausage wrapped in puff pastry.
This is a length of sausage wrapped in puff pastry.
chips
Chips are fried potato which you traditionally get with fish. But you can also eat them on their own with salt and vinegar, curry sauce, or gravy.
Chips are fried potato which you traditionally get with fish. But you can also eat them on their own with salt and vinegar, curry sauce, or gravy.
elevenses
This is what you eat at eleven o’clock (or around then). This could be a cup of tea or coffee with a biscuit or sandwich.
This is what you eat at eleven o’clock (or around then). This could be a cup of tea or coffee with a biscuit or sandwich.
afternoon
tea
It’s much more than a cup of tea! It’s almost a full meal with cake and biscuits, and / or sandwiches.
It’s much more than a cup of tea! It’s almost a full meal with cake and biscuits, and / or sandwiches.
Now
listen to the audio.
snacks
What Is The Most Popular Food?
Here are some
popular British meals, starting with traditional dishes.
Full
English
This is a complete English breakfast, including toast, bacon, eggs, sausage, baked beans, mushrooms (sometimes also black pudding – a type of blood sausage) and tea or coffee.
This is a complete English breakfast, including toast, bacon, eggs, sausage, baked beans, mushrooms (sometimes also black pudding – a type of blood sausage) and tea or coffee.
Sunday
roast
The traditional Sunday lunch, with roast meat (often beef), roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy.
The traditional Sunday lunch, with roast meat (often beef), roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy.
Toad in
the hole
This is sausages baked in batter (a flour / milk sauce) in the oven.
This is sausages baked in batter (a flour / milk sauce) in the oven.
Bangers
and mash
Sausages and mashed potato. (Usually served with gravy, a sauce made from meat.)
Sausages and mashed potato. (Usually served with gravy, a sauce made from meat.)
Fish
and chips
Fried fish and chips, often accompanied by mushy peas. (A type of pea cooked until it is almost a puree.) Traditionally, you buy your fish and chips from a “chippy” and you get them wrapped in paper to “take away”.
Fried fish and chips, often accompanied by mushy peas. (A type of pea cooked until it is almost a puree.) Traditionally, you buy your fish and chips from a “chippy” and you get them wrapped in paper to “take away”.
British
people also eat a lot of food from other countries, including Italian food
(pizza is a favourite), Indian food (especially “tikka masala” or “vindaloo”)
and Chinese food (“sweet and sour” is a favourite).
Caribbean,
Japanese, Turkish and vegan food are also becoming more popular in the UK.