Couch Potato to World Getter

There seems to be a bit of confusion over the UK’s national dish — and that might be because, well, we don’t actually have one!
What we do have are two strong contenders: the classic fish and chips, and the ever-popular chicken tikka masala.

Fish and chips can be found in every corner of the country, best enjoyed by the seaside, sat on a bench looking out at the waves — though you might have to fend off a few daring seagulls trying to steal a chip or two.

Meanwhile, a national poll crowned chicken tikka masala as Britain’s favourite dish. A curry with roots in South Asia, it’s become one of the UK

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🇬🇧 A Tale of Two Fishes

Fish and chips has been part of British culture since the mid-1800s — simple, affordable, and delicious. Although it’s no longer wrapped in traditional newspaper (that stopped in the 1980s and 90s due to health and safety concerns), some shops still use paper printed with a newspaper pattern for nostalgia’s sake.

There are two main claims to its creation.

The first comes from London, where Joseph Malin opened what’s believed to be the world’s first fish and chip shop in East London around 1860. Malin, a Jewish immigrant, combined fried fish — already popular in London’s Jewish community — with fried potatoes. His shop became a hit and was passed down through generations until it finally closed in the 1970s. The site is now housing, but the legacy remains.

The northern claim comes from Lancashire. In Mossley, John Lees began selling fried fish and potatoes from a wooden hut around 1863. The combination became a working-class staple in the industrial towns of the North. Lees later opened a permanent shop on Stamford Road — now Man’s Wok, serving both Chinese food and fish and chips — making it the longest continually operating chippy location in the UK. I’d love to try it someday, though knowing me, I might end up ordering the Chinese and stealing a chip or two from Erika!

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🍛 Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken tikka masala tells a very different story. A young boy from what was then British India — now Pakistan — immigrated to the UK at age six. That boy, Ali Ahmed Aslam, went on to open a restaurant called Shish Mahal in Glasgow at just eighteen.

In the 1970s, a customer reportedly complained that his chicken was too dry, so Aslam created a sauce using yoghurt, cream, and spices — thus inventing chicken tikka masala. He even petitioned for Glasgow to receive EU Protected Designation of Origin status for the curry, though the claim was dismissed because several regions argued the same origin story.

Shish Mahal is still open today, proudly serving the dish that made it famous — and it’s firmly on my “must eat” list for when we reach Scotland.

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🥩 Local Pride Across the Nations

While there isn’t an official UK-wide national dish, each country within the union has its own culinary icon:

• England: Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding — classic comfort food I’m definitely looking forward to.
• Scotland: Haggis — they really do love their hearty food! Another contender might be the Scotch pie, and there’s even an annual competition to find the best one.
• Wales: Cawl — a warming lamb and leek stew, perfect for cold, wet days.
• Northern Ireland: The Ulster Fry, already on my list, often includes both black and white pudding. (Black pudding contains blood; white doesn’t — and I’d love to compare the two.)

It’s no wonder we can’t decide on just one dish when each region brings something unique to the table!

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✨ My Thoughts

If I had to choose a national dish, I’d vote for fish and chips — though I’ll admit, I’m more of a korma girl myself (or maybe a dry chicken tikka). Growing up, fish and chips was always the easier option, especially since my grandparents lived close to the sea.

I also love that Britain’s food reflects its diversity. Our history of immigration means dishes like chicken tikka masala and doner kebabs are now as much a part of our national identity as roast dinners and Sunday teas.

Maybe the truth is, we don’t need a single national dish — because our food tells our story: from the seaside to the curry house, and everything in between.