At Remitly, we recognise, value and celebrate the countless contributions immigrants have made to British cuisine. At each moment in history, the UK’s food culture has been influenced and inspired by the people who come to call this land home.
Exploring immigrant contributions
People have been migrating to Great Britain for a long time, starting with the Romans in the 1st century BC and continuing until today. However, the historical changes of the 20th century brought unprecedented waves of immigration to British shores, accelerating culinary transformation in ways that had never been seen before.
The role of historical migration patterns in shaping culinary traditions
Following World War II, Parliament passed the British Nationality Act 1948, which created the concept of citizenship of the UK and its colonies. This meant people from all over the Commonwealth gained the right to live and work in the UK, providing the country with workers to help rebuild the post-war economy.
Migrants arriving from the Commonwealth to the UK between 1948 and 1970
| Region | Migrants |
| Caribbean and West Indies
(the Windrush generation) |
350,000 |
| India | 300,000 |
| Africa | >170,000 |
| Pakistan | 140,000 |
Each of these waves of immigration made a big splash in British cuisine, but it’s safe to say that the food that had the biggest impact in the UK was curry.
Indian influences
Interestingly, the first curry house in the UK opened its doors much earlier, in 1810, and the first British cookbook to mention curry was published even before that, in 1747. But it wasn’t until after World War II that the number of Indian restaurants in the country skyrocketed, and curry truly became part of the national vocabulary.
It’s important to note that what British people often think of as ‘Indian’ food comes from all over the subcontinent, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In fact, the majority of ‘Indian’ restaurants in the UK are actually owned by Bangladeshi immigrants (1, 2).
Effects of the Cold War
During the Cold War, the UK also received hundreds of thousands of refugees from Eastern Europe, including Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, and the Baltic States. Small shops and supermarkets with ingredients from this region appeared in the UK during this time, while restaurants with Eastern European cuisine are becoming more popular nowadays. In fact, Polish nationals are currently the largest immigrant population in the UK.
Chinese contributions
Many Chinese immigrants came to the UK during the 1950s and early 1960s (mainly Cantonese immigrants from Hong Kong) and 1970s (ethnic Chinese refugees from Vietnam).
Although Chinese restaurants existed in the UK prior to World War II, their popularity surged afterward, due in large part to returning servicemen. After being exposed to Asian cuisine overseas, these servicemen developed a taste for it and helped fuel the demand for Chinese chefs back home.
By the 1990s, Chinese restaurants and takeaways had become a familiar part of the national cuisine in every part of the country.
An expanding Europe
Another groundbreaking event of the 20th century was the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, which gave all European Union citizens the right to live and work in any member state, including the United Kingdom. Tens of thousands of EU citizens migrated to Britain in the decade that followed, and over a million more in the decade after the EU expanded to include more countries in 2004.
One example of the impact this had is in pizza. While pizza had certainly been in the UK before 1992, most people were only familiar with chains like Domino’s or Pizza Hut. The influx of Italian immigrants led to a boom in Neapolitan pizzerias and eventually ignited the UK’s contemporary pizza scene, which is still going strong today.
Of course, these are only a few of the many migration patterns woven into the fabric of Britain’s culinary traditions.
These influences date back centuries—you could even argue that British pies can be traced back to those first arrivals, the ancient Romans, who covered meats with pastry dough to keep them moist during cooking. However, unlike the British, the Romans threw the dough away after cooking and just ate the meat.
Understanding the integration of immigrant cultures in British food
With each new wave of people came a fresh arrival of flavours, ingredients, and culinary traditions. Immigrants opened their own shops and restaurants, and British people began to taste and embrace new foods. Over time, these delicious dishes gained so much popularity that they became an integral part of the British culinary imagination.
Today, new generations of Brits and immigrants in the UK are immersed in an increasingly diverse medley of culinary influences from around the globe. We will see this clearly reflected in the wide range of comfort foods they call their own and the innovative fusions they create.
Immigrant-introduced foods in the UK
It would be impossible to list all of the UK’s favourite foods that have come from other countries. Here is a short selection:
Popular dishes that originated abroad
- Baked brie and camembert (France)
- Bao buns (China)
- Bibimbap (Korea)
- Biryani (Indian subcontinent)
- Borscht (Eastern Europe)
- Chow mein (China)
- Chutney (Indian subcontinent)
- Curry (Indian subcontinent)
- Curry goat (Jamaica)
- Dim sum (China)
- Goulash (Hungary)
- Jollof rice (West Africa)
- Lasagna (Italy)
- Kebab (Middle East)
- Pad Thai (Thailand)
- Pho (Vietnam)
- Pizza (Italy)
- Pierogi (Poland)
- Ramen (Japan)
- Stir-fry (China)
- Sushi (Japan)
- Sweet and sour chicken (China)
- Tacos (Mexico)
- Tapas (Spain)
- Tea (China)
- Thai green and red curry (Thailand)
The evolution of traditional British recipes with immigrant influence
Brits have embraced formerly ‘foreign’ flavours so much that they have even been incorporated into traditional dishes in new and creative ways.
- Chip shop curry sauce. You can find a mild, sweet curry-inspired sauce at many fish and chips shops: a perfect example of blending traditional British food with South Asian influences.
- Chutney sausage rolls. Adding chutney to this recipe puts a tangy spin on classic British flavours: puff pastry, sausage, and cheese.
- Curried shepherd’s pie. A take that uses Indian spices to punch up this warm winter favourite.
Colonial and cultural influences on British cuisine
The British Empire was heavily involved in the spice and tea trades, both of which made an indelible mark on the population’s eating habits over the centuries.
The impact of the British Empire’s global reach on local cuisine
During the more than 400 years of the Empire, Britain’s presence and power around the world gave British people access to a wide variety of foreign ingredients that made their way into local cuisine.
In very broad terms, these included spices, tea, and citrus fruits from Asia; potatoes, tomatoes, vanilla, and chili from the Americas; peppermint and coffee from Africa; and sugar from the Caribbean.
Brits were also able to observe different cooking techniques used by chefs around the world and integrate them into their own culinary practices.
Close to 60 countries recognised by the UN today were formerly part of the British Empire. Each of these territories has had an impact on British dishes in one way or another, both during colonial history and through immigration in more recent times.
Adaptations and fusions resulting from cultural exchange
- Tikka Masala is arguably the best-known example of Indian-British fusion, thanks to former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook. In a 2001 interview, he explains that chicken tikka masala is a true British national dish because of its popularity and the way Britain absorbs external influences.
- Spaghetti bolognese could be a close second. In 2019, the mayor of Bologna, Italy announced that the so-called bolognese dish does not come from Bologna and is not an authentic Italian food. Nevertheless, the pasta is so beloved in the UK that it has its own nickname: spag bol.
- Salt and pepper chips is a British-style Chinese food featuring fried potatoes mixed with stir-fried onions, bell peppers, chilies, salt, pepper, and Chinese five-spice powder.
- Balti is a Pakistani-inspired curry first created in Birmingham to appeal to British tastes. It’s known for its mild spiciness and slight sweetness.
- In general, most chefs, including those in Chinese, Indian, Korean, Mexican, and Thai restaurants, tone down traditional spicy flavours to adapt to the British palate. However, many adventurous Brits seek out authentic spicy versions of their favorite dishes.
Migration and modern British eating habits
As migratory trends change over time, local customs are continuing to evolve.
How contemporary migration patterns affect daily meals
The United Kingdom’s official exit from the European Union (Brexit) had a substantial impact on immigration, with far fewer EU nationalities coming into the country.
However, the UK continued to experience positive net migration in 2025, meaning that more people immigrated to the country than emigrated from it.
As such, we can expect the rich diversity of local cuisine to continue expanding. In fact, it’s safe to say that each passing generation growing up in the UK is more exposed to multicultural foods, for a variety of factors:
- Diversity in local communities.
- International cuisines available in restaurants.
- International ingredients available in supermarkets.
- Travel to other countries.
- Cooking programmes on streaming platforms like Netflix.
- Travel and food blogs.
- Online recipes.
- Social media.
In today’s globalised world, eating international food has become a part of normal life. In the United Kingdom, people regularly enjoy flavours from all over the world, whether they’re cooking at home, ordering take-out, sampling street food, or dining at a restaurant.
The introduction and acceptance of new ingredients in the UK
Immigrant communities are usually the ones who introduce new ingredients to the country. They spark the process by opening up specialty grocery stores and markets, catering to their compatriots’ palates with tastes of home that are hard to find in mainstream supermarkets.
In recent years, these small shops have become increasingly popular with the general public. People may drop in looking for unique ingredients to experiment with, or they may be searching for foods they’ve tried at local restaurants, tasted while travelling overseas, or seen on social media.
As certain ingredients become more popular, large supermarkets also begin carrying them. On the Tesco website, for example, world foods are divided into specialised sections:
| Region | Number of items |
| Eastern European | 145 |
| Turkish | 3 |
| African & Caribbean | 176 |
| South Asian | 321 |
| East & South East Asian | 134 |
| Indo-Chinese | 1 |
| Latin American | 27 |
| American | 12 |
| Kosher | 1 |
In general, the selection of world foods at mainstream supermarkets is constantly growing, reflecting Brits’ taste for adventure and hunger for new culinary experiences.
Broader contributions of immigrants to UK society
Of course, food is only one of the many invaluable contributions immigrants bring to British culture.
Cultural enrichment through food and beyond
Immigrants enrich UK society in countless ways. For example, we know that immigrants drive small business growth—immigrants are more likely than native-born Britians to own and run their own businesses.
While many of these entrepreneurs lend their talents to the food industry, it’s also common for immigrants to start businesses in retail, services, trades, tech and innovation. According to a study by The Entrepreneurs Network, 39% of the UK’s top 100 fastest-growing companies have a foreign-born founder or co-founder.
Case studies of communities that have shaped British culinary identity
Ask any Brit which immigrant group has most influenced British cuisine, and the answer will almost certainly be the Indian community. And with good reason.
People from India started settling in Great Britain as early as the 18th century, and there are more than 1.8 million British Indian people living in the UK today. This makes them the largest visible ethnic minority in the country.
In fact, the first person from an ethnic minority to become Primer Minster of the United Kingdom was Rishi Sunak, a British-Indian citizen who served in the position from 2022 to 2024.
The Indian influence on British eating habits cannot be overstated. In 2016, 33% of Brits reported eating Indian takeaway during the last week, while 36% had eaten at Indian restaurants. This offers a snapshot of the prevalent role Indian food plays in the UK, even on a weekly basis.
Appreciating diversity in British culinary traditions
It’s said that the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach. And this may be true of society as well.
Celebrating multiculturalism at the table
As Britians fall in love with new foods, it’s natural to become curious about the cultures they come from.
Food is often tied to rituals, customs, and traditions, and can be an opportunity to increase awareness and acceptance of other cultures. For example, Sainsbury’s and Tesco increase Jaimin snacks during Ramadan and Diwali and celebrate themed weeks to promote world cuisines.
When people step inside a restaurant, they are experiencing another culture in many ways:
- Tasting new ingredients for the first time.
- Learning words in a different language.
- Admiring the artistry of traditional dishware.
- Using different utensils, such as chopsticks.
- Observing art and decorations on the walls.
- Interacting with restaurant staff.
Exposure and awareness of other cultures can lead to greater acceptance and tolerance. In this way, food can be a powerful way to bring people together.
Future trends and the continued evolution of British cuisine
Everywhere you look, the future is fusion. Dishes from one country are being reimagined and remixed with flavours from another, blending cultures and traditions in delicious new ways.
Popular fusion foods in the UK right now include:
- Caribbean-Asian: jerk chicken spring rolls, plantain chips with spicy kimchi mayo, shrimp tempura with mango salsa.
- Indo-Chinese: gobi Manchurian, Hakka noodles, garlic chicken.
- Indian-Mexican: tikka masala tacos, butter chicken quesadillas, curry-flavoured queso.
- Korean-American: Korean fried chicken, kimchi fries, gochujang wings, bulgogi burger.
- Japanese-Peruvian (Nikkei): tiradito (raw fish) with aji amarillo and soy sauce, anticuchos with miso.
And these innovative combinations are just the beginning. According to a Harman Group study,
- 32% of Gen-Z are passionate about trying new foods and flavours.
- 50% of Gen-Z want to eat more unique meals from different cuisines.
Thanks to immigration and multiculturalism, along with Brits’ love for new flavours, chefs in the United Kingdom are sure to continue embracing new culinary influences from around the world and blending them together in innovative ways to create the next generation of British cuisine.
FAQs
What food have immigrants brought to the UK?
Bao buns, chutney, curry, dim sum, kebab, lasagna, pizza, pasta, sushi, tacos, tapas, and tea are just a few of the many foods immigrants have brought to the UK.
What cultural influences on British cuisine came through colonization?
British cuisine has been heavily influenced by former colonies, especially India. In 1948, people from the colonies gained the right to live and work in the UK. After the large waves of immigration that followed, many immigrants opened restaurants and introduced new flavours to the British palate.
How has migration influenced the way we eat in Britain?
The average British person regularly enjoys a wide variety of foods that have come into the country thanks to immigration, such as curry, pizza, pasta, Chinese food, tacos, and tapas.
What have immigrants contributed to the UK?
Immigrants have enriched the United Kingdom in infinite ways, from the economy, health services, research and education to food, culture, and the arts.