Who Said the Food in London is Lousy? | Student Blog from England

Erin K. studies Media Arts and Design at James Madison University, and is doing a Semester in London with CISabroad. Read on to find out why the food in London isn't as bad as you might think! Follow Erin’s personal blog here.

When I told people that I was going to London, I would often hear the response, “don’t get too excited about the food”. I do not understand why people told me this because the food in London is amazing and definitely worth getting excited for! While traditional British food (i.e. black pudding) isn’t great, London is an incredibly diverse place with incredibly diverse food. I honestly think that you could find the cuisine of any culture here in London.

While my favorite places to eat are the multitude of markets, the best meal I have had was at the chain pizza restaurant, Franco Manca. This restaurant is a chain, but it is unique to only London. They specialize in sourdough pizzas that are to die for. The dough is made through a process of slow rising that takes at least 20 hours- that’s how much time is put into your meal! The pizzas are then cooked in a brick oven made on site by artisans from Naples, Italy. The amount of effort and time put into the pizza certainly shows through in the finished product. They are thin and crispy, chewy and fresh, and everything you could ever hope for in a pizza! The pizzas are about 8 inches across and cost between £5-7. You definitely get your money’s worth!

I had the number 2, which is tomato, basil and mozzarella. Pretty boring, I know, but you can't go wrong with a classic. All of the ingredients are listed on the menu so you know where they came from. Oh, and did I mention it's organic? Unfortunately I did not take a picture of this delicacy because I ate it too quickly, so you will just have to try it for yourself. Seriously, I cannot recommend this place enough!