Pork sausages on buttery mashed potato with onion gravy. London's defining pub plate, eaten in gastropubs and chippies across the capital since the early twentieth century.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
The bangers-and-mash name came from World War One British troops, when sausages with high water content tended to burst (bang) in the pan. The pairing of pork sausage and mashed potato is older, with London piesmiths and butchers selling versions on Fleet Street and Whitechapel from the 1800s. Gastropubs revived the dish from 1990 onwards: The Eagle on Farringdon Road, Mark Hix at the now-closed Le Caprice, and S&M Cafe (1992) made it a kitchen-led plate. The modern London version uses Cumberland, Toulouse or Lincolnshire pork sausages, finished with a deep onion gravy.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy
Tip from the editors. Cumberland sausage is the orthodox choice. Brown the sausages slowly to render fat into the pan; pour that fat into the onions for proper savour.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Britain's first gastropub on Farringdon Road in Clerkenwell London, opened 1991 by Mike Belben and David Eyre, still serves Mediterranean-leaning daily-changing food at the bar.
Signature: Bife Ana steak sandwich, Whatever is on the chalkboard
Order: The Bife Ana steak sandwich, on the menu since 1991, and a pint of bitter.
Tip: Walk-in only. The chalkboard menu rewrites every day at 12:00; the best dishes go by 14:00 on a busy lunch.
The 1869 Farringdon Road working-class dining room in Clerkenwell London, restored under Will Lander since 2012, runs daily-changing British cooking in original Victorian booths.
Signature: Confit potato, Mince and potatoes
Order: The famed confit potato, then mince and potatoes off the daily menu, with a bottle from the shop next door.
Tip: The wine shop next door is corkage-free if you buy a bottle there. Lunch takes walk-ins at the counter Tue-Sat.
Mike Davies's gastropub on Camberwell Church Street in south London, opened 2014, runs a daily-changing seasonal menu and a famous family-style Sunday roast.
Signature: Sunday roast, Whole roast meats
Order: Sunday roast for four (booked in advance), or whatever whole-animal cut is on weeknight dinner.
Tip: Sunday lunch books a fortnight ahead and serves until they run out. The bar room takes walk-ins all evening.
More cities are in research. Want bangers and mash covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.