UK’s Favourite Cuisine Revealed – Helping Bristolians Decide On Their Next Takeaway

This is a collaborative post

Cuisines from around the world have become ever-present around the dinner table, and Audley Travel has revealed the UK’s favourites. They have studied recent search data to identify the types of cuisine the UK searches for the most.

Chinese cuisine came out on top as a firm favourite: three times more popular than Indian cuisine, which came in second. No surprise, given the UK’s love of Chinese food. In third place was the spicy flair of Mexico, with Japanese cuisine and Italian food rounding up the top five most searched for cuisines.

The differences between the four UK nations

The flavour and flair of Mexican cuisine appears to be a favourite in England and Wales, sitting amongst the top three in both countries. However, this isn’t the case for Scotland or Northern Ireland, who opt for Japanese and French cuisine respectively in third place. Italian food is a popular choice for all four nations, marking its place in the top ten. American dishes make a surprise appearance in Wales’ top ten, but don’t feature for any of the other three countries.

Alex Bentley from Audley Travel says of the study, “It’s no surprise to see that Chinese cuisine is most popular in the UK. We have seen an increased appetite for food experiences across Asia, with our clients often looking to taste culinary specialities throughout the region. Whether this is on a street food tour with a food expert, making traditional dishes in a private cooking class led by an award-winning chef or simply visiting the local markets to experience the hustle and bustle of food merchants selling artisanal produce and handmade delicacies.

“Experiencing a true taste of India is another popular travel request with clients booking through Audley. India has long been a culinary hotspot, with many clients looking to sample traditional Indian cuisine, from the culinary delights of Delhi to a traditional dosa breakfast hailing from south India.”

Which cuisines are growing fastest in popularity?

By comparing 2021 to 2019 search data the research has also highlighted the fastest trending cuisines in the UK. The study shows that Korean cuisine is the fastest growing in popularity in the UK with an increase of 83% in search interest between these two years.

Interestingly, Mediterranean cuisine is the third most popular in growth in the UK with increased interest of 66% between 2019 – 2021. Additionally, Filipino cuisine ranks in fourth place in growing popularity within the UK, with Tex-Mex and Japanese ranking in fifth and sixth place, respectively.

To view the full survey findings and discover which cuisines are most popular in some of the UK’s largest cities, head over to the full UK cuisine popularity study page.

Full study breakdown

Now, let’s explore some of the data surrounding this information, and look at the most popular cuisines across the UK. We will look at the individual countries, as well as explore the top foods in Bristol.

Top Ten Most Popular Cuisines In The UK:

1. Chinese
2. Indian
3. Mexican
4. Japanese
5. Italian
6. Greek
7. Thai
8. French
9. Spanish
10. Korean

Top Ten Most Popular Cuisines In England:

1. Chinese
2. Indian
3. Mexican
4. Japanese
5. Greek
6. Italian
7. Thai
8. Korean
9. French
10. Spanish

Top Ten Most Popular Cuisines In Northern Ireland:

1. Chinese
2. Indian
3. French
4. Mexican
5. Irish
6. Italian
7. Japanese
8. Spanish
9. Thai
10. Greek

Top Ten Most Popular Cuisines In Scotland

1. Chinese
2. Indian
3. Japanese
4. Mexican
5. French
6. Italian
7. Greek
8. Thai
9. Spanish
10. Korean

Top Ten Most Popular Cuisines In Wales

1. Chinese
2. Indian
3. Mexican
4. French
5. Italian
6. Japanese
7. Greek
8. Thai
9. Spanish
10. American

Fastest Growing Cuisine In The UK (2019 vs 2021)

1. Korean
2. Chinese
3. Mediterranean
4. Filipino
5. Tex-Mex
6. Japanese
7. Turkish
8. Indian
9. Argentinian
10. Indonesian

Top Ten Most Popular Cuisines In Bristol

1. Chinese
2. Indian
3. Thai
4. Mexican
5. Greek
6. Japanese
7. Italian
8. Korean
9. Spanish
10. French

Conclusion

Hopefully this article has given you some insight into popular foods across the UK, helping you decide on either your next dinner in Bristol or the food you need for your event. Audley Travel provides award-winning tailor-made experiences and private tours for discerning travellers seeking authentic experiences around the world.