When the weekend rolls around, Brits everywhere rub their hands together in anticipation of a time-honoured takeaway. Whether you’re tucking into an old-school chippy tea, a hearty curry with all the trimmings or a quirky local speciality, some takeaway traditions are quintessentially British. Here we’ve found the takeaway dishes that Brits can’t get enough of – counting down to the nation's favourite.
Click or scroll through our gallery as we countdown to the greatest British takeaway dish of all time – how many have you tried?
Our ranking is based on the enduring popularity of each takeaway dish and the first-hand experience of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. This list is unavoidably subjective.
This fish and chip shop delicacy has many different names, including 'bits' and 'batter', but scraps seems like the most appropriate moniker. After all, these crispy morsels of fried batter are literally the scraps left over in the deep-fat fryer after the fish has been fried. It's particularly popular in Yorkshire, where many people ask for scraps sprinkled on their chips. Whether or not chip shops should charge for their scraps is a matter of much debate, though.
No discussion of traditional British dishes is complete without mentioning jellied eels – arguably one of the country's original takeaways. This love-it-or-hate-it dish has been on the scene in London's East End since the 18th century, when an abundance of eels in the River Thames made them a cheap and accessible foodstuff. They're nowhere near as popular as they once were, but you can still find pie and mash shops serving the divisive dish if you look hard enough. If you do, you can decide for yourself whether the snack deserves a spot amongst Britain's best-loved foods.
Chicken balls are about as far from an authentic Chinese dish as you can get, but this crowd-pleasing takeaway favourite is a staple at British Chinese restaurants up and down the country. The dish is exactly what it sounds like: chicken meat shaped into balls, coated in batter and deep fried. It's also as delicious as that sounds and often gets paired with other non-authentic Chinese takeaway classics such as chips, curry and sticky, neon-red sweet and sour sauce.
Even some Brits won't have heard of a pie barm (otherwise known as a Wigan kebab). That's because it's a highly regional dish rarely seen outside the borders of Wigan, a town near Manchester, England. It's a belly-busting carb creation consisting of a whole meat pie stuffed inside a buttered roll, locally known as a barm cake. If you want to take it even further, add mushy peas and gravy (like in the one pictured from Wigan's The Rolling Pin Bakery) and then maybe have a nap shortly after finishing it.
You might think you know what a Parmo is based on the name, but you probably don't. Sure, it takes its title from veal Parmigiana and is somewhat related to that classic Italian American dish, but the Parmo has a uniquely North England twist. It's a chicken breast bashed thin, coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried – then smothered with béchamel sauce, melted Cheddar cheese and all kinds of any other toppings, from Bolognese to döner kebab meat. It's a speciality served mostly in Middlesbrough and Teesside.
The deep-fried Mars bar is a relatively recent phenomenon that leapt into the public imagination in the 1990s. It was first demonised for representing all that was wrong with the Scottish diet, but today the once-every-so-often snack is a tourism draw for curious culture vultures. The Carron Fish Bar in Stonehaven, Scotland is commonly credited with inventing the indulgent treat in 1992, and the joint is still going strong today. But it's easily recreated at home: just deep fry a battered Mars bar (or any chocolate bar you fancy) and dig in.
Ask 100 Liverpudlians which establishments sell the best salt and pepper chips, and you'll likely get 100 different answers, from chip shops to Chinese restaurants. The dish is so widely loved and served across Liverpool and the North West of England that picking your favourite is an almost impossible task. The basis for this classic combo is chip shop chips tossed with fried onions, peppers and chillies, plus a tangy salt and pepper spice mix. It certainly hits the spot at the end of a night on the town.
Whether you call it a jacket potato or a baked potato, there's nothing as comforting as a fluffy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside spud. There are endless opportunities for variety, too. Do you top yours with cheese and beans, tuna and mayo or chilli con carne? Or perhaps you prefer it au naturel with a pat or two of butter and a sprinkle of sea salt? The jacket spud has been a British staple since the 1800s and it's still a favourite today, available from sandwich shops, cafés and takeaways all over the UK.
Like so many classic British takeaway meals, crispy chilli beef involves something getting battered and deep fried. In this case, it's thin strips of beef that are fried until super crunchy, then tossed in a sweet and sticky sauce. The balance of crispiness and tangy heat makes it a real crowd-pleaser, perfect for pairing with fried rice, noodles or salt and pepper chips if you can get them. Crispy chilli beef is another Chinese restaurant staple that may not be authentic but sure is tasty.
Who invented butter chicken? The question is such a hot topic that a rivalry between two restaurants in Delhi, India grabbed headlines in 2024 when their case went to court. The owners of Moti Mahal claim their family invented butter chicken (or murgh makhani) in the 1930s, while the family behind Daryaganj say their family created the dish in the 1940s. Whatever the outcome of the case, butter chicken is wildly popular all over the world – but especially in Britain on a Saturday night.
A customer who orders a scallop from a fish and chip shop could be forgiven for expecting to receive some seafood in return. But unless you're visiting a particularly fancy chippy, the only scallop you'll find is a potato one – thinly sliced potato that has been battered and deep fried, that is. It's a staple in Yorkshire and northern England (where it may also be called a fritter) and is best enjoyed with fish and chips soused with lots of salt and vinegar.
Peking duck is up there with the most beloved dishes in Chinese cuisine, and the Brits have honoured this by making their own version one of the nation's favourite takeaway dishes. The Chinese community in London's Chinatown invented crispy aromatic duck in the mid-20th century to cater for more Western tastes, although they kept the same accompaniments: cucumber, hoisin sauce and Chinese pancakes. It proved a hit with diners then and remains a classic now.
Despite the name, Singapore noodles have nothing to do with Singapore. The dish is a Cantonese invention, rising to popularity in the streets of Hong Kong. In fact, Singaporeans don't even like being associated with the dish and would probably rather we change its name! For now, though, Singapore noodles is a magnificent meal loaded with rice vermicelli, curry powder, spices, chicken or prawns and fried vegetables. You'll find it at Chinese restaurants and takeaways everywhere.
In the UK, there's a great debate over whether gravy and chips is a match made in heaven or a match made in hell. The detractors will argue that the whole point of chips is that they're supposed to be crispy and adding gravy will only turn them into a soggy mess. But supporters will tell you that, well, chips and gravy tastes delicious. What more is there to say?
Perhaps those who detest chips and gravy are more at home with cheesy chips. It's essentially the same idea but skipping the gravy and opting for a handful of cheese instead. The resulting melty cheese-and-chip combo is a perfect mouthful before, during or after a night on the town. For those who can't decide between chips and gravy or cheesy chips, why not split the difference and go all out with chips, cheese and gravy?
Cornish pasties are a regional speciality that have become a national treasure. These mighty handheld savouries were born of a need for tin miners to have an all-in-one meal without making a mess, but their appeal has grown far beyond the mines into a country-wide obsession. The basics are simple – pastry, beef, root vegetables – but when done right, they are a thing of beauty. You can grab one at pasty shops all over the country, though you'll taste the best in Cornwall.
The first Thai restaurant arrived in the UK in 1967, and the people of Great Britain have never looked back – although they have made adjustments to some of the original recipes along the way. Thai green curry is one of the most popular Thai dishes in the UK, known for its creamy coconut milk base, aromatic green curry paste, and balance of sweet, salty, spicy and umami flavours. Due to British preferences, some versions are milder than the traditional recipe, but authentic Thai restaurants still serve it with a strong spicy kick.
The Brits love their chippy chips – they also love pretty much anything you can serve alongside them. For those who don't rate fried fish, the best accompaniment to chips is a pie, filled with everything from steak and kidney to cheese and onion. Pukka Pies is the quintessential chip shop pie brand, but if you're lucky, you might find a chippy that makes their own from scratch. A side order of mushy peas, gravy or curry sauce is a must.
Chicken in black bean sauce is a classic order from a British Chinese takeaway, even by people who would never normally go near black beans – much less fermented ones. Even though the ingredients for and the process of making black bean sauce are something of a mystery to most people, all that matters is that it tastes delicious and is the perfect treat with juicy chicken (or beef) and a bowl of rice or noodles.
Pad Thai is the national dish of Thailand, but it's as popular around the world as it is in its home country. The traditional pad Thai came to prominence in the 1930s and is a stunning stir-fry made of rice noodles, tofu, dried shrimp, bean sprouts and eggs. These days, though, Brits have adapted the recipe a little and are just as likely to add chicken or pork to their tasty bowl of noodles.
Chicken shops are an essential part of the British high street, with independently owned fast food joints stacked shoulder to shoulder with the giants of the industry. There's reportedly even a four-mile stretch in London that has no less than 29 different chicken shops for diners to enjoy – probably at some unseemly hour of the night (or early morning). The go-to order at many of them will be a simple chicken burger: a fried, battered chicken breast topped with lettuce and your choice of condiments.
The döner kebab is currently at the centre of a food fight between Germany and Turkey about who invented the world-renowned dish. In the meantime, though, Brits are happily filling themselves with all varieties of their beloved döner. Typically served in pitta bread or a wrap with salad, it features thinly sliced, spiced lamb or chicken cooked on a vertical rotisserie. Found in kebab shops across the UK, it’s a favourite late-night meal that comes in all kinds of variations – on chips, in a pizza, the options are endless.
You'll find baltis in Indian restaurants around the country, but they're most popular in the city of Birmingham, England. That's because, even though this is classed as an Indian dish, the rich and fragrant curry was actually invented in Birmingham – brought to the city in the 1970s by the area's Pakistani population. It's traditionally cooked and served in a super-thin steel pan called a balti, and the curry is typically made with marinated meat, aromatic spices, tomatoes and peppers. Unlike traditional Indian curries, balti dishes are often cooked quickly over a high heat, adding a unique flavour and texture.
Fried chicken is traditionally associated with the American South, where this culinary classic was shaped and perfected. But the deliciousness of juicy, tender, crunchy fried chicken knows no boundaries, and it's just as popular around the rest of the world. In fact, the story goes that it was Scottish immigrants who first brought the recipe to the American South during colonisation. Brits today honour that time-tested tradition by visiting chicken chains like Cottage Chicken and Southern Fried Chicken late at night and chowing down on buckets of fried goodness.
Sweet and sour pork (or gu lao rou) is a Chinese dish with hundreds of years of history. But sweet and sour chicken is a newer invention, arriving after Chinese immigrants headed to America. The Western palate demanded a sweeter sauce than the traditional one, and the resulting sweet and sour chicken recipe spread around the globe. It's now essentially the gateway dish for anybody exploring the Chinese takeaway scene.
Plenty of cultures have a savoury snack consisting of meat wrapped in pastry, but the sausage roll is a firm British favourite that's a cornerstone of any lunch on the go. The fast food joint most closely associated with this food is the bakery chain Greggs, which reportedly sells 130 million sausage rolls every single year. That's basically two sausage rolls for every person in Great Britain! Of course, gourmet options are also abundant for those looking for something a bit fancier.
Yes, pizza is an Italian icon that's beloved all over the world – but it's also a staple of the British takeaway. A 2023 survey from market research brand Statista revealed that half the UK's respondents named pizza as one of their top three favourite takeaway dishes. It's not surprising, then, that Pizza Express, Pizza Hut and Domino's Pizza are some of the biggest brands on the high street. There are also an untold number of fancy (and not so fancy) joints serving up excellent slices.
Chicken tikka masala is an Indian takeaway classic, even though it was actually invented in Great Britain. One of the commonly credited creators of the dish is the Pakistani chef Ali Ahmed Aslam, who was working in Glasgow in the 1970s when he purportedly put together the first recipe. The lightly spiced tomato-based creamy chicken curry proved to be so popular that these days it's practically a national treasure.
Think of traditional British cuisine and you almost certainly think of fish and chips. A battered and deep-fried white fish fillet (usually cod or haddock) is served with chunky, deep-fried chips to create the perfect Friday night dinner. According to UK Fisheries, there are 10,500 chippies all over the UK dishing out 167 million fish and chip meals every year. It truly is a British obsession.