8 Quirky British Foods To Try Different From America

Fish and chips are the popular British dish that all Americans know, but truthfully it’s not that different from food in the USA. In fact, fish and chips are quite a staple for a New Englander or anyone that lives on the east or west coast. So what are some truly British foods to try different from America?  These 8 quirky and slightly rude ones will do.

British Foods To Try Different From America

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1 – Spotted Dick

Yup. I learned about spotted dick at Bricklayers Arms in Hogspit Bottom. My British girlfriend asked if I had gotten me some yet. 😳

I had no idea she was talking about food so we had quite a laugh. Between spotted dick and Hogspit Bottom, I wasn’t sure what to believe.

Much to the rudeness of asking what spotted dick might suggest, it’s actually a fruity sponge pudding made with suet (saturated fat), typically currants or raisins, and served with custard.

Spotted dick by daringgourmet.com

In America, if someone asked if they had spotted dick, they’d probably be in a hospital but in Britain, it’s a naughty-named food to try. 🤣

Spotted dick isn’t my cup of tea but sure does make for a good story to tell after trying or ordering in the UK.

Of all the British foods to try different from America, this one is the naughtiest IMO.

2 – Blood Pudding

Funny enough this British dish doesn’t look at all as an American might imagine it. In fact, I was looking for a red Jell-o looking dish that would attract a vampire more than a human as I navigated my way through a naive first British buffet one time. 🧛🏻‍♀️

Not knowing what to expect and not bothering to google it, I had no idea it wasn’t red and therefor was way off on its appearance. If you’re not careful it’s likely you’ve considered it at the airport lounge, hotel breakfast buffet or any British B&B.

Blood pudding looks more like a round and dark version of burnt SPAM. It’s not entirely off base from the texture of fried SPAM considering blood pudding is a type of blood sausage. It’s made from pork blood and includes several other bits in it too: oatmeal, oat groats or barley groats. 🐷

Blood pudding by misfitgardening.com

But don’t let the name or even the description put you off from trying it if you enjoy a weird food adventure. This quirky British dish is absolutely loved in the UK and the main part of a full English Breakfast.

The blood pudding is what makes this British food uniquely different from any full American breakfast in the USA.

Of all the British foods to try different from America, this one is the grossest IMO – though haggis might be a close tie.

3 – Haggis

Its name suggests it’s something that might have been in a Harry Potter movie so it makes me absolutely want to try and love Haggis. The truth is, I haven’t yet.

I had the perfect opportunity to give it a go, but I enjoyed watching these expats enjoy it instead. 👇🏻

Haggis is a top British food to try in the UK, but particularly in Scotland. It’s lackluster appearance go hand-in-hand with what and how it’s made: bits of animal liver (typically sheep), heart and lungs are minced and mixed with oatmeal, onion, suet and spices, and cooked in the animal’s stomach (sometimes artificial casing). 🐑

If you got through that description without wincing your face, then I’d say it’s the perfect British dish to try in the UK that you won’t find in the USA.

Haggis is a meat pudding that’s so popular that it’s nearly a public holiday (not officially) in honor of Robert Burns (famous writer and poet from Scotland) who immortalized haggis in his poem “Address to Haggis”. As such, Burns Night started and is celebrated January 25th worldwide ever since…well, at least in the UK.

A wee dram of whiskey might be involved with haggis, too.

Of all the British foods to try different from America, this one is the ugliest IMO.

4 – Scotch Egg

Curious giant eggs they are, and well-loved, too. 🥚

Far less risky than haggis or blood pudding, a Scotch egg is a boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, then coated with bread crumbs and either baked or deep-fried. They aren’t entirely different from trying a crazy deep-fried food at an American county fair.

Scotch eggs might be served on a little egg perch or some other fancy Gordon Ramsay way. In fact, my discovery of the Scotch egg was at a local pub where two women were having a night out, sipping wine and enjoying their Scotch eggs. I had to know more.

Of all the British foods to try different from America, this one is the smelliest IMO. 👃🏻

5 – Clotted Cream

Let’s be honest. Clotted cream should be on the most universally hated word list by women. Despite the ongoing theme of awkwardly named British foods, clotted cream is by far one of my favorite British foods to try in the UK.

Whether you’re supposed to put clotted cream on your biscuit first or second is up to Her Majesty The Queen, but nevertheless don’t miss out on trying this delicious concoction. 👸🏼

If you could safely freeze it and bring back to the USA, clotted cream would make my top 5 list.

By the way, my vote is clotted cream first, then jam.

Of all the British foods to try different from America, this one is the yummiest IMO.

6 – Mushy Peas

One thing is for sure. Mushy peas are never on the menu in the USA.
Despite the popularity of fish and chips in Maine and Massachusetts, garden peas win every time.

So what’s the big deal about mushy peas if it’s simply peas mashed with butter, salt, pepper and sometimes mint? It’s the baby food context.

Traditional Mushy Peas by thespruceeats.com

Once you get passed its non-traditional appearance (are we eating guacamole, baby food or peas people??), mushy peas are actually quite good and a great experiment in the UK.

In fact, the best mushy peas in the running within the aBroad purpose household is at The Slaughters Country Inn in Lower Slaughter. I’ll save more awkwardly named British places for another time. 😆

Give Cotswolds a visit and try for yourself. 😉

Of all the British foods to try different from America, this one is the healthiest.

7 – Steak & Kidney Pie

I thought I was eating kidney beans.

Yup, a British steak, and kidney pie doesn’t have a single bean in it. But it sure does have a kidney.

Chicken pot pies are common in the states but a British steak and kidney pie is entirely different. Similar pie crust on the outside and cooked pretty much the same way, but more adventurous bits on the inside.

Steak and kidney pie by thepretendchef.com

I had no idea till after it was nearly gone, so it clearly wasn’t all that bad. I’m one to be a bit squeamish about my food so if I had realized it was an animal’s kidney and not an innocent little bean, I would have passed.

On the other hand, it was tasty and quite good despite my willingness to admit it. And now I can claim I’ve tried it. 💪🏻

Of all the British foods to try different from America, this one is the easiest IMO.

8 – Coronation Chicken

Anything that might suggest royalty surely is worthy of trying. And if coronation chicken is the closest thing in the UK to Panera Bread’s chicken salad sandwich, then I’m in.

Skeptical at first due to its yellow-orange tint color and unnamed parts at the time, I tried coronation chicken on a whim one day.

It didn’t take more than 2 bites for coronation chicken to become my immediate favorite British sandwich. Made with cooked chicken, herbs and spices, a creamy mayonnaise, and sometimes with chutney or sultanas, this one is on par or even better than Panera’s.

My only regret about coronation chicken is that I didn’t try it sooner.

Of all the British foods to try different from America, this one is the tastiest IMO.

Pretty different, huh?

For anyone that wants to try British food that’s different from the USA and a wee bit quirky, try one of these 8 in the UK.  It’ll be hard to not find one or all of these items on a British pub menu, but if you’re inspired to make from home, Gordon Ramsay makes it easy with this cookbook.

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Some sweet, some spicy, and some even naughty, there’s something to try for everyone.

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Looking for more expat life resources?  Try these.

• 5 Under £5 British Foods To Try
• When Time Is Nearly Up: Are you making the most of expat life?
• Simplify expat travel & start checking things off with this 👉bucket list

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