The United Kingdom has traditionally had a weak reputation in gastronomy. Research conducted by VisitBritain showed that in 2023 the country ranked only 21st out of 60 nations globally for food. The image of British cuisine is particularly poor among the French, who placed it last, while the British themselves ranked it second, a clear sign of gastronomic patriotism.
Yet this situation may be changing. A renewed domestic interest in food and wine, together with a growing number of high-quality restaurants and vineyards, is helping to reshape the country’s food tourism narrative. VisitBritain is now promoting the nation under the slogan Why Britain’s best for food and drink, placing strong emphasis on local specialities, Michelin-starred restaurants and premium wines, whiskies, gins and beers.
Local identity sits at the centre of this repositioning. VisitBritain highlights products such as Bakewell pudding, Craster kippers, Cumberland sausages and Grasmere gingerbread, all strongly tied to place. At the same time, the tourism offer is expanding well beyond tasting itself.
The UK has developed a rich ecosystem of creative food tourism, giving visitors opportunities to engage directly with brewing, butchery, baking, beekeeping and other hands-on experiences. Food becomes an immersive activity rather than just a meal, from sourdough stays to sausage schools, gin workshops and pie festivals.
Wine tourism, in particular, is no longer treated as a curiosity. Thanks in part to climate change, southern England now produces increasingly high-quality wines. In 2023 more than 1.5 million domestic and international visitors toured British vineyards, a 55% increase over the previous year, and around 300 vineyards are currently open to the public.
The market outlook is strong. A 2024 report by Wines of Great Britain indicates that 16 million people in the UK have expressed interest in visiting a winery. Forecasts suggest the sector could grow from around 15 billion euro in 2025 to 40 billion by 2035.
Wine routes such as the Rother Wine Triangle in Sussex show how this development is taking territorial form, linking vineyards through shared itineraries and diversified experiences, from luxury train trips and glamping to running routes and yoga among the vines. Many wineries offer not just tastings, but full experiential packages.
Interestingly, despite this growth, the term gastronomy still struggles to gain traction in the British context. Anglo-Saxon scholarship has long preferred terms such as culinary tourism or food tourism, and the UK has food policy focused on safety and supply, but not a clear form of gastronomic governance.
The British case is therefore interesting precisely because it shows a destination moving from weak culinary reputation towards a more structured, place-based and experience-driven food tourism identity.
Contribution adapted from the 2025 Italian Food & Wine Tourism Report.
