A soft-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried, served cold in pub windows or warm at the bar. London's defining bar snack since the 1730s.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
The Scotch egg is traditionally attributed to Fortnum and Mason on Piccadilly, who claim the form from around 1738 as a portable picnic snack for the wealthy. The modern London pub-snack revival started with Scott Hallsworth at The Eagle and was made canon by Tom Norrington-Davies at The Cow in Notting Hill, then perfected at The Harwood Arms in Fulham, which won a Michelin star partly on the strength of its venison Scotch egg. The orthodox London bar version has a soft-yolk egg, coarse pork sausage, panko crust, English mustard on the side.
Common allergens: Gluten, Egg
Tip from the editors. Six minutes gives a barely-set yolk that runs when you cut. If you want it set fully, go to 8 minutes; for jammy yolk, hold the 6.
The 1707 grocery and bakery on Piccadilly in Mayfair London, founded by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason, claims the original Scotch egg (1738) and runs.
Tip: The basement food hall queue is shorter than the main bakery counter. The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon books two weeks ahead.
Worth the queue: Original Scotch egg
The 1869 Farringdon Road working-class dining room in Clerkenwell London, restored under Will Lander since 2012, runs daily-changing British cooking.
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.
The Jugged Hare on Chiswell Street in the City of London, opened 2012 by ETM Group, runs a game-led gastropub menu with hung-game cabinets in the dining room.
Signature: Whole roast game, Sunday roast
Order: Whole roast partridge or grouse in season, or the family-style Sunday roast in winter.
Tip: Lunch and pre-theatre runs walk-in friendly. Sunday roast books a fortnight ahead through their site.
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