With Royal Parks, football derbies and some of the best British restaurants, London also has iconic landmarks, the history, the red phone boxes and the royal connections. So you get those quintessential experiences that make you really feel you’ve had a British adventure. Here’s how to get a slice of British culture on your trip to London.
British Food in London
Perhaps the best introduction to British culture is through its food. Although British cuisine hasn’t always had the best reputation, there’s no denying there’s some great British cuisine in London, from classic fish and chips to the heavenly scones for a cream tea. Here are some suggestions:
Get takeaway fish and chips with mushy peas
Traditionally wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper and covered in malt vinegar, salt and neon green mushy peas, fish and chips are still a popular Friday night dinner across the country. So to bite into a bit of Britishness, pop to a chippy at least once.
A great London chip shop is Poppies, frying in Soho, Camden, Spitalfields and Portobello where you can get your takeaway or sit inside the retro diner. Another top chip shop is Kennedy’s in Goswell Road, Whitecross Street and Tooting. Chippies are typically open all day until late evening, seven days a week.
Enjoy a Sunday roast in a pub
Some of London’s best British pub food is the delicious, super-traditional Sunday roast. There are a few key ingredients to make your Sunday roast quintessentially British. First, choose a traditional pub filled with character. Then make sure it serves Yorkshire puddings and gravy with its roasts. Most do, but it would be a shame to miss out if it’s your first time.
Your meat choice could be beef, pork, lamb or chicken, and there are usually plenty of vegan and vegetarian roasts too. A particularly impressive Sunday roast is at The Draper’s Arms in Islington. We have more Sunday roast suggestions in West London and Central London too.
Eat a British curry on Brick Lane
For a chicken korma, vindaloo or chicken tikka masala, Brick Lane is the place to go. The British curry was inspired by food from the Indian subcontinent, but it tastes very different from dishes you’d get there. Although many restaurants in London serve authentic Indian food, the classic British curry is still popular.
Brick Lane has over 20 curry houses, and many have been there for decades. Sheba has been serving curries since 1974 and is still going strong, and Preem is also well established and serves delicious specialities and the classic curry dishes.
Get involved in British culture
You might get chatting to strangers on the tube or in a lift, in a pub or even sitting in the park having a sandwich for lunch, but there are some places you’re almost guaranteed interaction with real-life Brits.
Go to a London football match
Some Premier League matches, like Arsenal and Chelsea, may be hard to get tickets for, even if there are stadium tours you can join. If you want to be in the stands with the crowd watching a Premier League game, West Ham is a good choice.
There are smaller London teams too, and each has its own unique atmosphere, history and probably a few unique songs and rivalries. Most stadiums also have a pie stand inside, so if it’s chilly, eat a fresh pie in the stands. Here’s our guide to London football stadiums.
Watch a London pantomime
Come time for the Christmas panto, London fills with cries of “oh, no it isn’t!” and “he’s behind you!” both in audiences and almost randomly up and down the country. From November to January, many London theatres host a traditional pantomime, often with a few celebrities in the cast. The Christmas panto is unlike any other theatre show, with the emphasis on audience participation throughout.
A traditional pantomime plays around with familiar stories, like Cinderella, Peter Pan, Aladdin and Jack and the Beanstalk, adding a pantomime dame, magic tricks, songs and lots of terrible jokes to create a family show. The Hackney Empire panto, London Palladium panto and the Lyric Hammersmith pantos are all legendary, every year.
Toss a coin at Covent Garden street performers
The tradition of street performances in Covent Garden goes back centuries. Today’s performers are incredibly talented, with a variety of acts, from magic and illusion to acrobatics, opera, ballet and comedy. Sometimes, people from the audience join in the act too.
The best performers always attract a significant crowd, and there are plenty of cheers, oohs and aahs. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen, make sure you let the performer know by tossing a few coins into their hat, even if you don’t stay to the end.
Head to the parks
Blur sang about Parklife in 1994, summing up Britain’s love of these green spaces. So if the sun makes an appearance while you’re in the capital, make the most of London’s Royal parks.
Picnic in London’s Royal Parks
When it’s warm and busy in the city, join the commuters, tourists and locals enjoying a lunch picnic in London’s Royal Parks. The parks are filled with monuments, attractions, gardens and picnic benches where you can find your perfect picnic spot. For food ready to eat, head to an M&S Food, Tesco or Sainsbury’s to pick up pre-prepared sandwiches, crisps, fruit, biscuits and drinks.
Bring a blanket and food carry bag with you and don’t set up a barbecue or play loud music. Some of the best picnic spots are St James’ Park Lake, the rose garden overlooking Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park and up Primrose Hill in Regent’s Park for city views – especially at sunset.
Stand on the meridian line at Greenwich Park
In the middle of Greenwich Park is the Royal Observatory. The Prime Meridian Line passes through the Royal Observatory at Longitude 0º, dividing east from west. You can either pay the entrance fee and visit the fantastic Royal Observatory Museum to see the meridian line in the main courtyard or see it for free just outside the museum. Walk the eastern fence to a narrow iron gate near the statue of James Wolfe, and through that gate is the brass meridian line that goes from the wall to the floor.
See a show at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Watch an incredible live show in a gorgeous setting at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Productions run through the spring and summer, showing Shakespeare, comedy, drama, musicals and children’s shows outside as the sun goes down. There are also film and music events held here too. It’s the oldest permanent professional outdoor theatre in Britain and provides a fantastic snapshot of British theatre and park life in one.
For more fantastic British experiences, add in an afternoon tea with us at The Clermont, Victoria and
The Clermont, Charing Cross and stay overnight with us too for a grand heritage hotel experience in the heart of London, with parks, theatres, restaurants and famous landmarks all close by.
