Food & Drink

Culinary expressions and mealtime slang

Introduction

From "cuppa" to "bangers and mash," British food vocabulary is as comforting as the cuisine itself. These terms reflect the central role of food and drink in British social life—the cup of tea offered in crisis, the pub meal that cements friendships.

British food slang often sounds more appetising than the formal names. "Sarnie" is friendlier than "sandwich," just as "brekkie" is cosier than "breakfast." These affectionate names turn meals into occasions.

This chapter serves up the vocabulary of British eating and drinking, from what's on the plate to how you describe a good meal. Essential reading for anyone planning to eat, drink, or discuss food in Britain.

Themes

All British Slang & Idioms in This Chapter (81)

• Cuppa A cup of tea (British)
• Brew A cup of tea (British/Northern English)
• Builder's tea Strong tea with milk and usually sugar (British)
• Put the kettle on To prepare to make tea (British)
• Brekkie Breakfast (British/Australian)
• Greasy spoon A cheap café serving basic fried food
• Sarnie A sandwich (British)
• Butty A sandwich, especially a filled roll (British/Northern)
• Chips French fries (British)
• Crisps Potato chips (British)
• Biscuit A cookie (British)
• Bangers Sausages (British)
• Mash Mashed potatoes (British)
• Pint A pint of beer; going for a drink (British)
• Bevvy An alcoholic drink (British/Irish)
• Off-licence A shop licensed to sell alcohol for consumption elsewhere (British)
• Takeaway Food bought to eat elsewhere; the restaurant selling it (British)
• Chippy A fish and chip shop (British)
• Pudding Dessert (British)
• Afters Dessert (British informal)
• Nosh Food; to eat (British/Yiddish origin)
• Grub Food (informal)
• Scran Food (British Northern/Military)
• Tea The evening meal (British Northern/Working-class)
• Dinner (midday) The midday meal (British Northern/Working-class)
• Supper A light evening meal, or late-night snack (British)
• Elevenses A mid-morning snack around 11am (British)
• Afternoon tea Traditional British meal of tea, sandwiches, scones, and cakes served mid-aft...
• Cream tea Tea served with scones, clotted cream, and jam (British)
• Scone A British baked good similar to an American biscuit
• Ploughman's lunch A cold pub meal of bread, cheese, pickle, and salad (British)
• Spotted dick A traditional British steamed pudding with dried fruit
• Black pudding A blood sausage made with pork blood and oatmeal (British)
• Bubble and squeak Fried leftover vegetables, especially potato and cabbage (British)
• Toad in the hole Sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter (British)
• Peckish Slightly hungry (British)
• Starving Very hungry (British informal)
• Famished Extremely hungry
• Stuffed Very full after eating
• Full up Completely full after eating (British)
• Moreish So tasty you want more (British)
• Lovely grub Delicious food (British)
• Lager A type of light beer (British)
• Bitter A type of British ale with a slightly bitter taste
• Shandy Beer mixed with lemonade (British)
• Tipple A small alcoholic drink; one's favorite drink (British)
• Squash A concentrated fruit drink diluted with water (British)
• Fizzy drink A carbonated soft drink (British)
• Dodgy curry A questionable takeaway curry that might cause stomach trouble
• Sunday roast Traditional British Sunday meal of roast meat and vegetables
• Yorkshire pudding A light batter pudding traditionally served with roast beef
• Pickle A tangy condiment/relish (British)
• Aubergine Eggplant (British)
• Courgette Zucchini (British)
• Mince Ground meat (British)
• Gammon Cured ham, typically thick-cut (British)
• Rashers Slices of bacon (British/Irish)
• Clotted cream Thick cream heated until it forms a crust (British)
• Marmite A divisive British yeast extract spread; something you love or hate
• Going down a treat Being received very well; being enjoyed
• Hit the spot To be exactly what you wanted or needed
• Cuppa char A cup of tea (British old slang)
• Builder's bum Exposed buttock crack (British humor)
• Din-dins Dinner (childish/affectionate British)
• Eating for two Pregnant (humorous excuse for extra food)
• Liquid lunch A lunch consisting mainly of alcoholic drinks
• full English traditional English breakfast
• fry-up fried breakfast
• Banger Sausage
• Rasher Slice of bacon
• Scrummy Delicious
• Biccy Biscuit
• Garibaldi Currant biscuit
• Digestive Plain British biscuit
• Hobnob Oaty British biscuit
• Bacon Sarnie Bacon sandwich
• Ploughman's Cold pub lunch
• Jacket Potato Baked potato
• Custard Sweet sauce/dessert
• Crumble Fruit dessert with topping
• Fairy Cake Small cupcake