Seeking Bread and Cheese

Other volunteers at the Girl Scout/Girl Guide World Centre would order Welsch Rarebit at several pubs we went to in Hampstead and in Camden, & that was in the summer.

Once my daughter and I stopped for what we thought would be a simple burger at a place in Mayfair, not knowing that it was the most expensive place on the planet. There was nothing on the menu for fewer than £32 :) back when the exchange was $1.80, so we just ordered soup since we'd already started on the bread. :) Wherever you go in Mayfair will probably be very, very good, but you may want to watch prices before deciding :)

Have fun!
-Alison

Tommyfield pub in Lambeth.

Welsh rarebit isn't something that's widely available in pubs and restaurants mainly because most people view it as something that they'd make at home for a lunch or light supper. It's such a simple dish to make that it's not one I'd consider ordering and that's probably why it isn't common to see it. To my knowledge there isn't a place that's revered for their Welsh rarebit and without trawling through all the online menus of the plethora of pubs and restaurants in London I would probably opt for the St. John Restaurant. It's a good restaurant in its own right and if they're currently listing it as available on their bar menu (it isn't a seasonal dish) then at least you'll know you can find it there.

The local specialty you'll find all over York is Yorkshire pudding, particularly large ones filled with a variety of fillings.

JC has hit the nail on the head - I would never eat it out, as it’s something that I would easily make at home. It’s certainly not seasonal, as bread and cheese are not seasonal!

You may find cafes and snack bars serving this, sometimes called cheese on toast not rarebit.

The only places I’ve had Welsh Rarebit are little tea shops in small towns outside of London, the sort of places that do soup, jacket potatoes or quiche for light lunches. Sometimes they’ll do a tasty Welsh rarebit and it’ll be served with some chutney and a salad garnish.

But it’s not anything more than tasty home cooking and I’ve never seen it on a London menu other than St John and Ottolenghi.

Also be aware of the many interpretations of Welsh Rarebit. An authentic one is made with a roux of butter, flour, cheese, worcestershire sauce, mustard and stout, spread on toast and then grilled. You may find some places serving simple grilled cheese on toast and calling it Welsh Rarebit, it is not, that's simply cheese on toast.

Ah - thank you all very much!

What I'm taking away from this is that I may very well find the same iteration that I can (and do!) make here at home - roux and all but nothing fancy or particular. With that in mind, I will not put any extra effort or spend precious London time seeking out to taste. If I happen to see it listed somewhere, I may give it a go but frankly, I don't pay for someone to smash avocado on my toast so this seems to fit into that same category.

JC - we are planning on Sunday dinner in York and have decided to try The York Roast Co. for exactly what you've described. I make popovers here at home but they tend to be used for things like brunch instead of dinner and am looking forward to a proper, savory filled Yorkshire Pudding.

Lesson learned: just because there's a list for something, doesn't make it a necessary travel experience!

Thank you All again, very much appreciated!

In York, welsh rabbit (or rarebit if you prefer), is the sort of thing I'd expect to see on the menu at a Bettys tea room. It won't be cheap, though, being Bettys.

JC - we are planning on Sunday dinner in York and have decided to try The York Roast Co. for exactly what you've described.

I passed this place when I was in York recently and I have to say that I wasn't tempted by the meat on display in the window. It all looked, especially the beef, to be overcooked and dry. Unfortunately a Sunday Roast is difficult to do on a commercial scale as it's not a dish that lends itself to being suitable for serving over a number of hours. I have never, with one exception, eaten a roast potato that comes anywhere near one that has been just come out of a domestic oven and served immediately. Roast potatoes don't do well being kept warm for an hour or so likewise a medium rare roast beef joint just doesn't do well sat under a heatlamp all afternoon. If you're going to eat there I'd choose my meat wisely, probably opt for the chicken as the pork was loin and therefore very prone to dryness particularly under a heatlamp, the beef looked like topside and with no hint of pink, turkey was......well turkey!

I wouldn't rule out having a Yorkshire pudding stuffed with something but I would be more inclined to opt for something that had been braised or with plenty of sauce/gravy rather than a typical roast.

Depending on when in November you’re in York, St Nicks Christmas fair may be on (starts 15th November this year) and there’s usually a ton of food at this to try including Yorkshire pudding wraps!