The days of British boozers being limited to pork scratchings and peanuts behind the bar are gone – modern pubs now give as much thought to their food as they do drinks. Classic pub dishes like fish and chips have been given a modern makeover and menus taken well beyond what we might expect – today, some of the best food in the UK can be found coming from the kitchens of gastropubs. Take Stosie Madi’s The Parkers Arms, which placed twelfth in The National Restaurant Awards in 2023, Tom Kerridge’s two Michelin-starred The Hand and Flowers, or Tommy Banks’ one-star Black Swan in Oldstead. We could go on.

Despite that shift, we probably still share the same image when we think of classic pub meals – hearty, filling and often accompanied by chips. It might not be what we’re eating every day of the week, but when the urge strikes, nothing else will do. If you’re hankering after satisfying, comforting cooking but aren't nipping to the local just yet, we’ve delved into our recipe archives to bring you a night out, at home.

The ultimate bar snack, this Scotch egg from The Harwood Arms in Fulham (London’s only Michelin-starred pub) became so popular it was fast promoted to menu mainstay. The recipe (via Sally Abé, its former head chef) replaces traditional sausage meat with venison, giving the filling a leaner texture with intense flavour. Serve with a home-made ketchup and a good beer.

Prawn cocktail might have had its heyday in the seventies, but there’s a reason it’s remained a popular pub starter ever since. Two Michelin-starred chef James Knappett agrees – his version is extra citrusy and refreshing thanks to the addition of lemon dressing and chunks of finely-diced lemon.

A pub Sunday roast is a rite of passage in Britain, and beef often tops surveys as our meat of choice, perhaps because we wrongly think it’s tricky to cook at home. This roast beef rib recipe sees it slathered in black garlic paste, smoky chipotle and fragrant thyme, big flavours that the carrots take on as they cook. Add roast potatoes and you’re ready to go.

A good portion of chips is a must for any gastropub worth its salt. These iconic spuds from Tom Booton take a few days to make, but they’re well worth the effort. They’re made of layers of finely-sliced potato, gently cooked in butter, pressed and deep-fried. Serve them with the deliciously moreish gravy mayonnaise for the full effect.

You’ve made your chips – now enjoy them with Helen Graves’ stunning steak, another gastropub classic. Her porterhouse is a next-level take – it's served with a rich beer and unctuous bone marrow sauce, which compliments the luxurious beef.

Is there a more quintessentially British pub dinner than ham, egg and chips? We think not. Josh Eggleton’s version is served with a home-made piccalilli and is ideal for when you have some honey roast ham leftover – it only takes half an hour, so you'll have it on the table in no time.

A pub menu isn't complete without a plate of flaky, battered fish and chunky chips, as far as we're concerned. Tony Fleming is a master of fish and seafood cookery, so we know his version is well worth a go – it’s served with home-made marrowfat mushy peas and triple-cooked chips.

Stosie Madi is known for her fantastic pies at The Parkers Arms, a brilliant example of a hearty pub classic with cheffy flair. This recipe contains a mix of game meat, marinated in herbs, mustard and Armagnac. It's relatively easy to recreate at home – just make sure you head to your butcher for the finest quality meat.

The ultimate British dessert, this recipe from Galton Blackiston is wonderfully simple – serve it with crème fraiche or ice cream for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Can't get enough of comfort food? Don’t miss our recipe collection here.