Revealed: the Best Places to Eat Classic British Food

We all know the classic foods that define our great nation; fish and chips, bacon sarnies, full English, afternoon tea. But have you ever wondered where to get the best versions of these signature British dishes?

New data from Premier Inn has revealed the best places to eat classic British fare - uncovered by studying dish-specific TripAdvisor review data.

As you might expect, East London came top for pie and mash while Wales was well rated for Welsh Rarebit, but the research has also uncovered some hidden gems. Bacon sarnie lover? Head to Sheila’s Café in Lancaster Gate for the classic breakfast on the go. Sweet tooth? Brucianni’s, a traditional seaside parlour in Morecambe, has been delighting visitors with its knickerbocker glory for decades.

The research itself looked for common keywords we use to positively describe specific food experiences, such as ‘best fish and chips’, ‘best pie and mash’ or ‘amazing bacon sarnie’. In total, over 10,000 TripAdvisor reviews were used in the research.

THE RESULTS:

BACON SANDWICH – London

It’s no surprise that a traditional café has taken the crown for the best bacon sarnie. With a certificate for excellence, Sheila’s Café in Lancaster Gate is the destination for that breakfast classic. The Knobbly Cob in Gloucester, which doubles as a catering company, also really knows how to please with its crispy bacon in a granary bap.

FISH & CHIPS – Manchester

Reviewed by some as the ‘best fish and chips they’ve ever had’, Renfrew’s chippy in Denton proves that you don’t always have to be a coastal town to create this classic. Next up and ticking all the boxes for price, friendliness and great fish and chips is the Wigan Road Chippy in Leigh. Well done, Manchester!

AFTERNOON TEA – Scotland

A great British tradition introduced by the Duchess of Bedford in 1840, enjoying Afternoon Tea remains a favourite past time across the country. Greywall’s in Gullane receives the top spot for its tea menu, finger sandwiches and freshly made scones. Oldham’s Fika Uppermill tea rooms is also highly recommended, followed by a Hemel Hempstead golf club, the Centurion Club.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA – Leeds

This dish has been voted as a British favourite for many years, so knowing where to get the best version for your Friday night curry is key! Competition was high for this one, but the top spot belongs to Aagrah in Leeds, which has hundreds of excellent reviews. Hot on its heels is the Bradford Arms in Walsall which isn’t short of the word ‘amazing’ appearing in its reviews.

PASTY – Devon

An age-old argument – does the humble pasty originate from Cornwall or Devon? We may not be able to reveal which is true, but the data suggests that the tastiest version is in fact available in Devon! Specialist pasty bakery Blackwell’s has taken the title, being described as a ‘gem’ in reviews. Intriguingly, the next recommendation is John Long’s - a traditional chippy in Belfast, where its home-made pasties are loved by the locals.

• FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST: Café Mosaic, Cirencester in The Cotswolds

• KNICKERBOCKER GLORY: Brucianni’s, Morecambe in Lancashire

• PIE AND MASH: Maureen’s, Poplar in London

• SAUSAGE AND MASH: Bird in Hand, Woking in Surrey

• STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE: Turner’s Pies, Chichester in West Sussex

• WELSH RAREBIT: The International Welsh Rarebit Centre, Brecon in Wales

Premier Inn has now also created an interactive map that highlights the top three locations to find each food type. Discover more at https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/news/2019/greatest-british-food.html