I love a good Sunday Roast, but we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one Mike.

I arrived in the UK back in 2016, and I’m not going to lie: the average restaurant here (I’m talking £8 - £50 meals, not Michelin-starred fine dining) just isn’t great compared to relatively poorer countries like those in the Mediterranean, Turkey, Syria, or Central and South America. I’ve got a British passport now, so I don’t need to hold my tongue; the average meal here is basically tasteless.

This isn’t about ingredients. The UK is well served by both local and imported stuff. Britain often gets higher-quality Brazilian goods than I could buy in Brazilian supermarkets. And I don’t think it’s a hangover from pre-80s rationing era either.

It’s more about culture: the average Brit seems to reject seasoning, flavour, and imagination. Sorry, but stuff like Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza, for example, would be considered bad quality and bad value anywhere else. And I’m not even talking about Italy, go to São Paulo and grab a £5 pizza from any random corner shop if you haven't already. Big-name chef’s stamp of approval here doesn’t necessarily mean much.

Then there’s the "Britannisation" of great international food. You can walk into a deli or Italian joint with actual Italian chefs and still be served flavourless food, simply because that’s what’s expected. And it goes far beyond the chicken tikka masala phenomenon. I’ve even had flavourless Reuben sandwiches here. That shouldn’t be possible! Just look at the ingredients... How do you make a deli sandwich bland with that combination? And don’t get me started on the average Sushi joint or bistro. Walk into three random ones in London and see if your dish looks anything like the ones you’ve shared above.

Back to pizza: speaking some Italian helps a lot. Same for most Asian cuisines, either speak the language, know someone who does, or be a proper foodie willing to hunt for hidden gems. Otherwise, you’re stuck paying a lot of moneywith no guarantee of quality.

So apologies, Mike, but I’m not backing down. This isn’t just a stereotype; when it comes to food, the UK really does deserve its reputation. You’re not the average Brit, and what you’re sharing isn’t the average Brit meal (well, maybe it’s average for the Hairy Bikers). Or maybe I’ve just been unlucky. But after almost a decade of eating out regularly, if what you’re posting is representative of the "average", then I’ve been spectacularly unlucky.

PS: Not to say it’s all bad. Living in the UK has actually made me healthier. And to be fair, after all this time, I’ve started finding my home country’s food a bit much too: too rich, too salty, too sweet. So maybe British food is an acquired taste that slowly rewires your taste buds. Ask me again in another 10 years 🙂🇬🇧