Yorkshire puddings have been named Britain's most beloved regional dish in a poll of 2,000 food lovers, taking the top spot with 50% of the vote. The research, commissioned by Lurpak for its 125th anniversary, saw the roast dinner staple beat Cornish pasties, which followed on 36%, ahead of Scottish shortbread (25%), Derbyshire's Bakewell tart (24%) and Lancashire hotpot (22%).
Regional favourites ranked
Scotland's haggis, neeps and tatties took 19% of the vote, while London's pie, mash and liquor (17%), Welsh rarebit (16%), Lancashire's Eccles cakes (14%) and Welsh cakes (14%) also featured among the best-loved regional specialities.
Further down the rankings were some less familiar dishes, including Newcastle's stottie bread, Scottish Cullen skink, Cornwall's Stargazy pie and Shropshire fidget pie. While some favourites had become household staples, others remained closely associated with the towns, counties and communities where they originated.
Comfort and childhood memories
Their appeal went beyond taste. More than half (55%) said comfort was what they loved most about British home cooking, while 37% said traditional dishes took them back to childhood.
But a love for traditional dishes does not mean people are sticking rigidly to grandmother's cookbook. Nearly three quarters (72%) enjoyed giving old favourites an international twist. Among the combinations already tried were Yorkshire pudding wraps stuffed with burrito fillings (15%) and kimchi alongside a traditional roast (7%).
Modern twists and the Lurpak Star Award
Meanwhile, 14% were tempted by chilli con carne Cornish pasties. More than half (55%) had even added an ingredient to a family recipe that would have horrified an older relative.
The anniversary research looked back at how cooking had evolved between 1901 and 2026, through wartime rationing, microwave meals and celebrity chefs to air fryers and TikTok food trends.
Catriona Mantle, a spokesperson for Lurpak, said: “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 celebrate those personal touches, Lurpak teamed up with chef and TV presenter Simon Rimmer to launch the Lurpak Star Award, which can see people sharing their twist on dishes. Chef and TV presenter Simon Rimmer said: “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.”
Home cooks were invited to enter by sending @LurpakUK a direct message on Instagram with their twist on a classic dish. The first-ever winner would receive a year's supply of Lurpak, a premium cast iron casserole dish and the chance for Rimmer to try their creation in person.
