When it comes to dining diversity, it seems that restaurateurs across the UK are missing a trick by not accommodating the growing demands of British diners, with almost a third (29 per cent) revealing they are bored with the selection of cuisines available to them in their local area.
In new research looking into the varying levels of food discovery across the UK, Bookatable.co.uk found that Caribbean food was the cuisine Brits would most like to see better represented in the UK. This was followed closely by Greek and French cuisine, which respondents thought were similarly underrepresented. The top 10 list of cuisines Brits want to see better represented in UK are:
- Caribbean
- Greek
- French
- British
- Mexican
- Italian
- Moroccan
- Brazilian
- Japanese
- American
Travel to sample
Although 72 per cent of Londoners are satisfied with the range of cuisines offered in their area, there is a clear regional divide across the UK. Looking at the results beyond London, many Brits are forced to take extreme measures to sample new foods, with a fifth of diners (21 per cent) admitting that they often have to travel to different towns and cities to access a broader range of cuisines.
The lack of options available across different regions in the UK has also seemingly led to a serious case of dining ignorance amongst many; with one in three (34 per cent) adamant they do not like certain foods despite never having tried them before, with a third (39 per cent) admitting they rarely try something new.
‘Common’ food types that British regions don’t actually eat:
- 49 per cent of East Midlanders have never tried sushi
- 36 per cent of people in Yorkshire and the Humber have never had a Thai Green Curry
- 55 per cent of Scots have never tried Quinoa
- 33 per cent of those living in the North East have never tried kale
- 51 per cent of diners in the North West have never tried oysters
- 54 per cent of people in Northern Ireland have never eaten halloumi
- 20 per cent of those living in East Anglia have never tried chorizo
- 25 per cent of West Midlanders have never eaten a scallop
- 36 per cent of people living in Wales have never tried a mussel
- 34 per cent of diners in the South West haven’t eaten lobster
- 21 per cent of those in the South East have never eaten crab
Regional differences
Northern Ireland proved to be the unhappiest foodie region in the UK, with 51 per cent claiming they were dissatisfied by the range of cuisines available in their local area. A third (32 per cent) of Scots claimed they were bored with the selection of foods in their area and 45 per cent of those living in the South West felt that international cuisines were under-represented in their area.
According to the findings, the North East is the most adventurous foodie region in the UK, with a fifth of its inhabitants (23 per cent) trying new restaurants once or twice a week. The least adventurous region in the UK is Yorkshire and the Humber, with 34 per cent of respondents from the area claiming they wouldn’t even consider trying something new that had a foreign pronunciation.
Adventure Your Taste
For the next month, Bookatable is putting the adventure back into eating by encouraging diners to try a new food every week and share their experiences with them on Twitter @Bookatable using hashtag #AdventureYourTaste.
For more information about Adventure Your Taste click here
