Long derided for boiled meats and soggy vegetables, the British capital was precisely the kind of culinary underdog Tony loved to champion. In A Cook’s Tour Season 1 (2002), Bourdain hit the damp, gray streets to prove that London was quietly undergoing a massive gastronomic revolution. Bypassing the tourist traps, his angle was a celebration of the city’s unapologetic meat-centric heritage, juxtaposed against the rise of intense, modern culinary perfectionism. This was a pivotal era when nose-to-tail eating was just finding its footing, and legendary, foul-mouthed chefs were pushing fine dining to its absolute limits. From the bloody, beautiful reality of traditional pie and mash shops to the terrifyingly precise kitchens of multi-Michelin-starred establishments, Tony sought out the extremes of English dining. To understand how a city once mocked for its food became one of the greatest culinary destinations on earth, dig into these iconic establishments that shaped his visit.
When Anthony Bourdain visited London, in England, on his show A Cook’s Tour, he and his crew picked many restaurants. Here are all the addresses and the dishes showcased in a convenient list.
This is A Cook’s Tour, season 1, episode 22. It first aired on April 20, 2002.
READ MORE: IMPRESSIONS OF LONDON, IN AN ENGLAND STATE OF MIND
DISH – “Full English Breakfast” – Anthony Bourdain London
WHAT IS IT?
Anthony Bourdain had a Full English Breakfast, which consists of fried eggs, bacon, buttered toast, grilled tomatoes, fried potatoes, blood sausage, baked beans and sausages.
“A light but healthy breakfast.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT? – Anthony Bourdain London
Smiths of Smithfield
67-77 Charterhouse St, London EC1M 6HJ, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
DISH – “Old-School Pies” – Anthony Bourdain London
WHAT IS IT?
Anthony Bourdain had a beef meat pie with gravy and a side of mashed potato followed by eel in gravy and chili vinegar.
“High in protein, vitamins A and D, it’s a health platter, fit for a princess.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT? – Anthony Bourdain London
F Cooke Hoxton
150 Hoxton St, London N1 6SH, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
DISH – Nose-To-Tail Cooking
WHAT IS IT?
First: Pig’s foot with raw beans.
Second: Roasted bone marrow with slices of bread and parsley salad.
Third: Ox heart with beet salad and horseradish sauce.
Fourth: Pig’s tail that is breaded and pan-fried and pig’s head that is braised with onions.
“This is what food used to be about and hopefully what it will be about in the future.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
St. JOHN Restaurant
26 St John St, Barbican, London EC1M 4AY, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
READ MORE: QUICK GUIDE: MY FAVORITE THINGS TO SEE IN LONDON UK
DISH – “The Gordon Ramsay Experience” – A Cook’s Tour London
WHAT IS IT?
Anthony Bourdain visited Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant located at London.
First: Ham hock terrine on celeriac with chilled consommé with caviar.
Second: Lobster ravioli on pea puree with truffles, white asparagus and lobster vinaigrette.
Third: Braised beef shin with spinach, grated truffle, and sauteed foie gras.
Fourth: Wild strawberry gelee with ice cream.
“This is incredible. So it’s about alternately flaming and cool passions. This is really extraordinary.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
68 Royal Hospital Rd, London SW3 4HP, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
READ MORE: LONDON: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON THE LAYOVER
This early London episode captured a massive shift in the global food landscape, with Tony acting as the enthusiastic herald of Britain’s culinary renaissance. His genuine reverence for Chef Fergus Henderson’s pioneering nose-to-tail philosophy at St. JOHN helped legitimize offal and historic British cooking for an entirely new generation of American chefs. Simultaneously, his tense, awestruck encounter with Gordon Ramsay offered a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the intense pressure cooker of elite European gastronomy. By treating a humble plate of jellied eels with the same respect as a caviar consommé, Bourdain proved that context and history are the true markers of a great meal. Step past the pub clichés, book a table, and experience the bold, historic, and uncompromising flavors of modern Britain.
