As the country’s capital, London is usually the first place in the UK to embrace new trends. Forget the catwalk for a minute: if there’s a food fad emerging, then this city will be the first to know.
Last year it was all about the burger, and we’re not talking McDonalds and Burger King fodder. Instead, think brioche buns groaning under the weight of meaty patties and dripping with juices. These burgers were so good that you had to queue for them round the back of Selfridges, or join the line snaking through East London’s Netil Market, where food trucks struggled to cope with demand. That was last year though, and with 2012 over it seems that Londoners are keen to move away from burgers and are quickly jumping onto the newest food bandwagon.
The good news is that junk food is clearly here to stay. Here’s what we’ll be tucking into in 2013:
What To Eat: Chicken
Chicken is the latest of London’s foods to go gourmet. Unlike burgers it can be served many different ways and while some restaurants batter their chicken in buttermilk, others are known for their delicious marinades, sort of like a posh Nando’s. Like the burger craze, many fried chicken restaurants started off in food trucks; one of the most popular being Spit and Roast in Exmouth Market. The food is even popular with formidable restaurant critics such as Jay Rayner, who enjoyed it so much that he visited twice in a week.
Where to eat it:
Wishbone, Unit 12, Market Row, Brixton, SW9 8BR
Clockjack Oven, 14 Denham Street, Soho, W1D 7HJ
What To Eat: Hot Dogs
Another great American snack, hot dogs have followed burgers in making a comeback recently. Bubbledogs sells perhaps one of the city’s most unique combinations, with a menu featuring dogs paired with champagne. One of the most popular choices on the menu is the K-Dawg, a unique pairing of hot dog sausage with Korean kimchee and fermented bean paste – definitely one to sink your teeth into. This unique combination of fine champagnes and snack foods has not gone unnoticed. Even upmarket Searcy’s Champagne bars have started selling their own posh take on the hot dog which features hazelnuts, German sweet mustard and beetroot and horseradish relish.
Where to eat it:
Bubbledogs, 70 Charlotte Street, W1T 4QG
Searcy’s Champagne Bars can be found at One New Change, St. Pancras, Paddington, Westfield London and Westfield Stratford.
What to Eat: Peruvian
Away from fast food; sometimes London’s latest food trends can be on the healthy side. While sushi made a splash a couple of years ago, this time around there’s a buzz around a Peruvian dish called ceviche. Like sushi, ceviche is a raw fish dish that appeals to the health-conscious. Marinated in Peru’s highly acidic limes which are said to do the job of cooking the product, it’s served alongside hot peppers and onions which creates an appetizing fusion of flavors.
Where to eat it:
Ceviche, 17 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 4RG
Lima, 31 Rathbone Place, W1T 1HJ
Finding a cheap hotel in London can sometimes be a challenge, but trust me, it is possible to find one that will allow you to be right where the action is and taste some of the newest food crazes for yourself!
[Photo credit: fried chicken, hot dog]
See more of London in my AFAR Wanderlist.
I have no clue what ceviche is , but the picture looks great.
I have always wanted to visit London.
Some day I will go .Thank you
oh i’ve always wanted to visit london… and you have made me so hungry!!
My sister is going to London this summer.; I’ll tell her about the spots to eat at. Thank you.
Wow, a lot different than the fish and chips that I would eat when I was there so long ago.
Well thanks for your article about foods. Guess I will have to pass on the Bubbledogs unless they are plain , I dont like champagne at all. Raw meat or ceviche I will pass on that one for sure. I wont eat any type of meat raw. Tho I do like to try different foods most of the time – I will just go with the good old friend chicken.
Wow, this is a great post! I loved learning about London’s newest food fads!
I wish I could visit London!! I would fit right in – I LOVE CHICKEN!!!
I love all the creative ideas coming out for hotdogs, making them almost a gourmet item. Hotdogs with guacamole, salsa, sourcream or done up like other everyday meals!
I love Peruvian food, and I am so happy to see it becoming trendy – that means maybe some Peruvian places will open up nearby!
I’ve never had ceviche, but I’ve always wondered what it would be like.
Never had Peruvian food – I’ll have to give it a try sometime. We travel overseas quite a bit, so we get to experience many different foods. I would definitely fit in here with the chicken, though =)
I’m glad hot dogs are trendy now so I don’t look like such a toddler eating them!
Hmm, the pictures looked delightful, but uncertain whether I would try all the dishes. (exception, hot dogs)
Peculiarly I never like the British take on any of my fast-food favorites. like hot dogs …. give me a Coney Island red hot & fries smothered in cheese from Nathan’s Famous any day of the week. If I’m gonna eat unhealthy I like to do it right.
I DONT KNOW THAT I WOULD LIKE OR TRY PERUVIAN FOOD,BUT MIGHT IF I HAD THE CHANCE..
I love ceviche — Peruvian or otherwise (since in other parts of world, including the Caribbean, Central and South America, it is also available). I actually make ceviche at home. It’s light, flavorful and can be filling without making you feel stuffed. Unfortunately, as a former London resident, they always seem to be behind in the times when it comes to food. I’m surprised it’s a “craze” but I guess when you reside in New York, you get a bit spoiled at having so much access to the delicacies of countries from all over the world with restaurants galore. By the way, that ceviche photograph is amazing. It’s making me hungry!
@BrainyPintSizer, I agree about being San Francisco, it is the same here in San Francisco, it is only when I didn’t live here that I really appreciated it. I hear ya about London, Paris can be the same.
My Mom’s family originally hails from London. All of the dishes that were handed down through the generations were meat and potato type dishes. I just can’t fathom seeing my relatives eating raw fish after being brought up on cooked food. However, if one is adventurous, try this!
Interesting that hot dogs and chicken are just now going gourmet there, that’s nothing new in the US……….atleast not to me,
I love ceviche and it’s very easy to make! I like using oranges since it adds a lot more flavor to the fish.
@Chrystal, I have NEVER heard of using oranges and think that is an AWESOME idea!
It’s so funny when ordinary food like chicken or hotdogs can be simply turned into something that’s considered gourmet and that restaurants charge so much for! It seems a bit silly to me, but I guess I can’t judge until I’d taste it myself.
Food Network needs to fly over to London and do a special on London’s food scene. Champagne and hot dogs? I mean, where do people come up with these things?
@Rebekah, crazy right? The London food scene is ever-changing – lots of fantastic foods!