UK’s favorite regional dish revealed as Cornish pasties crushed to high spot
Yorkshire puddings have been crowned Britain’s most beloved regional dish in a poll of 2,000 food lovers, beating Cornish pasties and Scottish shortbread to claim the top spot with half the vote
Yorkshire puddings topped the poll with 50% of the vote(Image: Alexander Spatari via Getty Images)
Yorkshire puddings have been voted Britain’s most cherished regional dish in a poll of 2,000 food enthusiasts.
The study, commissioned by Lurpak to mark its 125th anniversary, saw the beloved roast dinner staple storm to the top with 50% of the vote. Cornish pasties came in second place on 36%, followed by Scottish shortbread (25%), Derbyshire’s Bakewell tart (24%) and Lancashire hotpot (22%).
Scotland’s haggis, neeps and tatties also made a strong showing with 19% of the vote, while London’s pie, mash and liquor (17%), Welsh rarebit (16%), Lancashire’s Eccles cakes (14%), and Welsh cakes (14%) all featured amongst the nation’s most treasured regional specialities.
Further down the rankings lurked some lesser-known delicacies, including Newcastle’s stottie bread, Scottish Cullen skink, Cornwall’s Stargazy pie, and Shropshire fidget pie. While some firm favourites have cemented themselves as household staples, others remain deeply rooted in the towns, counties and communities from which they hail.
Their appeal, it seems, goes far beyond flavour alone. More than half of respondents (55%) cited comfort as the thing they adore most about British home cooking, while 37% revealed that tucking into traditional dishes transports them straight back to their childhood, reports the Mirror.
(Image: PA)
However, a fondness for classic British dishes hasn’t stopped people from getting creative in the kitchen. Nearly three quarters (72%) of those surveyed enjoyed putting an international spin on old favourites.
Among the bold combinations already attempted were Yorkshire pudding wraps stuffed with burrito fillings (15%) and kimchi served alongside a traditional roast (7%).
A further 14% were drawn to chilli con carne Cornish pasties, while more than half (55%) had even sneaked an ingredient into a treasured family recipe that would have left an older relative utterly aghast.
The anniversary research charted how British cooking had transformed between 1901 and 2026, tracking its journey through wartime rationing, microwave meals and celebrity chefs, right through to air fryers and viral TikTok food trends.
Catriona Mantle, a spokesperson for Lurpak, commented: “Some of the dishes we loved in 1901 would still be instantly recognisable on British tables today, while others have been reinvented countless times along the way.”
To honour those personal culinary touches, Lurpak has joined forces with chef and TV presenter Simon Rimmer to launch the Lurpak Star Award, giving food lovers the chance to share their unique twist on beloved dishes. Chef and TV presenter Simon Rimmer commented: “We all have the recipe we grew up with, but most of us have also got something we do differently to it. For me, that’s my cottage pie. As well as having a delicious mince base, it has an abundance of butter in the mash, and on top of that – I add cauliflower cheese. You respect what made a dish great in the first place, then you’re brave enough to put a bit of yourself into it.”
Simon Rimmer has joined forces with Lurpak(Image: PA)
Amateur cooks were encouraged to submit their entries by sending @LurpakUK a direct message on Instagram, showcasing their unique spin on a beloved classic dish.
The inaugural winner stood to bag a year’s worth of Lurpak, a top-of-the-range cast iron casserole dish, and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have Rimmer personally sample their culinary creation.
