Part One: Food in London

      London offers a wide range of culture and cuisine

      by Kathryn Hawkins

      In the last two decades of the twentieth century, London was transformed from a city of bland and uninspired culinary offerings to one of the greatest food capitals in the world. London has always been one of the best-loved cities in the world for its history, arts, and architecture but its food had never been a selling point. Recently, however, a culinary revolution has occurred. From pubs to smart restaurants, young, innovative British chefs are reinventing national favourites, foreign chefs are flocking to the city from all over the world, and immigrants from the West Indies, Africa, the Subcontinent, and the Far East have brought with them new ingredients and cooking styles, all of which has resulted in London's restaurant scene becoming the envy of the world.

      Such a cosmopolitan flavor is due not only to recent developments, as, from the Roman conquest of the British Isles in AD 43 onwards, London has already been a magnet for travelers and settlers from around the globe. Migrants have brought their own unique culture and food, giving London the distinctive global melting pot of flavors and influences it has today; cuisines from all over the world can be found here, from the more common Indian and Chinese, to Middle Eastern, Africa, and South American.

      Of course, the traditional cooking of Britain must not be forgotten, and there are endless places in which the food lover can sample local food—from fish and chips—a wicked combination of succulent white fish deep-fried in crisp batter and served with juicy, thick potato chips (fries) with malt vinegar—to the pie and mash, jellied eels, cockles, winkles, and curry houses of London's East End.

      Many restaurants and pubs serve traditional Sunday lunches of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, roast pork with apple sauce, or roast lamb and mint sauce, usually followed by apple pie and custard. A person with a hearty appetite could well start the day with an English breakfast, which typically consists of bacon, sausages, black pudding, fried or poached eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans, and fried bread or toast. Some of the smallest cafes offer the best value for money.

      Most people's