Food/Drink South East

Like the other regions of the UK, the south east has their own list of delicacies that they claim to have invented and will proudly serve from market stalls, in cafes, restaurants and takeaways all across the region.

You’ll be aware of the various delicacies from London, the east end having produced such classics as jellied eels, whelks, cockles and other sea food, which you can still sample from stalls and specialist eateries when visiting not just the capital, but also resorts on the coast. Fish and chips are also said to have come out of London after being introduced by European dock workers back in the day! You can pick up fish and chips pretty much anywhere, but proper east end fish and chips are always the best kind! If you’re in London you’ll find plenty of specialist food shops, catering for a whole host of diets, as well as novelty pop up places like the Cereal Killer café which serves, you’ve guessed it, just cereal. One meal you definitely have to grab is proper London pie and mash with liquor which you can follow up with a Chelsea bun or two!

Cheese lovers will want to visit Cambridgeshire, the home of Stilton cheese. For anyone who wants the best of both worlds, go to Bedfordshire for a traditional clanger, these are like pasties and pies all in one, with a savoury end and a sweet one! Sussex is said to be the birth place of Banoffee pie and also Granny Smith apples. The south east also lays claim to Pimms and another popular sweet treat are Maids of Honour tarts, little puff pastry dishes filled with cheese curds, jam, almonds or nutmeg!

As well as these regional dishes, you’ll find a whole host of cuisines, it is a very diverse area and the restaurants and cafes will have menus that reflect this, you’ll find dishes from around the world, fusion restaurants and just about everything else that you can think of! Places like London and Brighton are havens for anyone with a vegan diet, while Kent is a great place for beer lovers as hops are grown, picked and turned into drinks to this day.

Wherever you choose to stay in the south east, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to picking somewhere to go for a meal. Whether you are looking for high-quality, award-winning a la carte restaurants, comfy cafes or a market stall, you’ll find them in abundance. There are regular farmers’ markets as well as fish markets and fruit and veg stalls that sell locally grown and caught produce and many of the region’s eateries, hotels and bed and breakfast properties use local ingredients in their menus.

Many of the eateries around the south east pride themselves on how inclusive and accessible they are, with adjustable lighting, plenty of leg room, adaptable menus, large tables and some of them welcoming service animals, you’ll be well catered for.

Staying in the cities will also mean that takeaways and delivery services are much more frequent, so if you fancy spending a night lying around your accommodation eating, that’s an option for you too!