New Study Reveals the UK’s Favourite Traditional Dishes – With Yorkshire Pudding Taking the Top Spot

• New data shows the Yorkshire pudding is the nation’s most searched-for traditional dish, attracting over half a million (523,506) monthly Google searches
• Fish and chips comes in second with more than 488,000 searches each month, while the Sunday roast follows with upwards of 263,000
• Oxford leads the country in search interest for four of the top ten British classics: Sunday roast, apple crumble, shepherd’s pie, and the English breakfast

A recent study has identified the traditional British foods that capture the most interest across the UK, with the Yorkshire pudding emerging as the public’s favourite.

Researchers from premium appliance brand AEG reviewed the average monthly search figures on Google for a selection of well-known British dishes – spanning everything from bangers and mash to rice pudding. The results were then ranked to determine which classics continue to resonate most strongly with the public.

The findings also explored how search behaviour varies across the country. By examining the average monthly search volume for each dish in different UK regions and adjusting the numbers according to population size, the study revealed which areas are most enthusiastic in their online searches for traditional British favourites.

Yorkshire pudding takes the top spot as the most popular British food, with 523,506 average monthly searches. The famous Yorkshire pudding is most popular in Leeds, Middlesbrough, and Plymouth, each with 1,137, 1,096, and 1,049 searches per 100,000 people, respectively.

Fish and chips, the classic seaside staple, takes second place, with 488,584 average monthly searches. The areas that favour this traditional meal the most are Brighton, with 2,434 searches per 100,000 people, Edinburgh, with 1,752, and Oxford, with 1,613.

In third place is the Sunday roast, with 263,165 average monthly searches. Southern areas favour this meal, with Oxford, London, and Bristol making the most searches at 972, 787, and 593 per 100,000 people.

The first dessert on the list, Victoria sponge, places fourth, with 249,221 average monthly searches. The jam and cream-filled cake is most popular in Plymouth, with 559 searches per 100,000 people, followed by Bristol with 530 and Oxford with 525.

With 196,151 average monthly searches, cottage pie is in fifth place. The areas searching for this hearty dish the most are Plymouth, Bristol, and Worcester, with 505, 465, and 431 searches per 100,000 people.

Apple crumble takes the sixth position, with 195,697 average monthly searches. A classic dessert that goes perfectly with custard or simply some vanilla ice cream, residents in Oxford, Bristol, and Leeds make the most online searches at 463, 402, and 394 per 100,000 people.

In seventh place is toad in the hole, with 185,876 average monthly searches. This traditional dish is the most popular in Plymouth, Bristol, and Oxford, with 440, 430, and 418 searches per 100,000 people.

Taking the eighth spot is shepherd’s pie, with 144,162 average monthly searches. Oxford makes the most online searches for this dish at 382 per 100,000 people, followed by Leeds (313) and Birmingham (274).

Next is the English breakfast, with 130,333 average monthly searches. Residents of Oxford, London, and Manchester favour this dish more than any other area in the UK, with 549, 482, and 302 searches per 100,000 people.

Completing the top ten is another dessert, lemon drizzle cake, with 129,579 average monthly searches. This sweet treat is most popular in Bristol with 296 searches per 100,000 people, followed by Plymouth with 294 and Oxford with 285.

The UK’s most popular traditional British foods:

A spokesperson for AEG commented on the findings:

“There are so many traditional British foods, with plenty being perfect for this time of year as the temperatures drop, like a cottage pie or a toad in the hole. It’s clear that Brits prefer something savoury over something sweet when it comes to classics, with desserts only taking three positions in the ranking.

“It’s interesting to see that some areas, including Oxford and Plymouth, seem to be the top searchers for several of these most popular dishes – it certainly shows which spots are truly embracing the British culture when it comes to food.

If anything, the findings show which particular foods and dishes will go down a treat as we enter the festive period. If you’re hosting a Christmas get-together, given the popularity of these top ten foods, you can count on any of them to keep your guests happy.”