Great Britain, Beyond the Fish & Chips

So you're all set for your trip to the UK.

You've circled the tourist sights you want to visit, the landscapes you want to see and the dishes you want to eat.

As far as the latter is concerned, we’re guessing that fish & chips and a fried “Full English” breakfast are on there somewhere. (Heck, perhaps even haggis for the more adventurous food fans out there.)

But what about the other delicious, lesser-known dishes Britain is famous for? These are the local specialties and flavorful feasts that visitors have to dig a little deeper for.

Welsh Rarebit

Think of this as an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich, except the bread has been spread with a decadent gooey cheese sauce.

The sauce consists of cheese mixed with mustard, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce and even (sometimes) beer. This cheesy slice is then toasted until it starts bubbling.

Welsh Rarebit is often served as a lunch dish or snack, sometimes with the addition of a couple of slices of bacon.

Lancashire Hotpot

This dish originates from Northwest England but is found on pub menus across the country.

It is a meaty lamb stew cooked with onions and sometimes carrots, onto which a topping of sliced potato is added, then baked. Lancashire Hotpot is the perfect cure for a cold winter’s night and is often served with a side of cooked red cabbage.

Yorkshire Pudding

Before we go any further, you need to know they've got a much different definition of "pudding" in Britain.

A Yorkshire Pudding is a fluffy batter made from eggs, flour and water (or milk) that is baked in round dishes or muffin trays in a hot oven. They are crispy on the outside and spongy on the inside, usually slathered in gravy and served alongside a traditional Sunday lunch.

Speaking of ...

Sunday Roast

The Sunday Roast is as dear to the British people as fish & chips. Across the country, almost every pub and restaurant worth its salt will serve one of these on Sundays.

It consists of roast meat (pork, lamb, chicken or beef) served with oven-roasted potato rounds and root vegetables, savory stuffing, Yorkshire puddings and gravy.

READ MORE Foods to Taste when Visiting Great Britain with Collette 

Toad in the Hole

Toad in the Hole consists of sausages baked into a light, fluffy batter (the same batter that Yorkshire puddings are made of). The sausages are then slathered with rich meaty gravy making for a very hearty meal indeed.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

This “pudding” is actually a dessert but bears no resemblance to American pudding.

Sticky toffee pudding is a sponge cake made with chopped dates that is steamed or baked and then served with a toffee/butterscotch sauce. It is always served hot, usually with a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of fresh cream or hot custard sauce.

Bubble and Squeak

No, this isn’t the name of a pair of wacky British children's TV characters, it is actually a shallow-fried hash cake of potato, onion and vegetables.

Traditionally, the vegetables used are leftover from the Sunday roast, so you can expect everything from cabbage and carrots to Brussels sprouts, peas or rutabaga. It’s usually served as a breakfast/brunch item with eggs, sausages and/or bacon.