30 hilarious cockney rhyming slang phrases London foodies need to know

Originally used to disguise conversations in the east end of London in the early 19th century, it seems food was on the minds of locals when thinking up the coded tongue.

From fruit to deserts, there are a mix of different produce and baked goods that feature in well known Cockney rhyming slang phrases. But, as you can imagine when in use they don’t necessarily mean the speaker is talking about food. 

For example if someone is selling you to use the “apples and pears” they’re actually telling you to use the stairs and if they call you out on your “pork pies” they know what you’ve said is lies.

We’ve compiled a list of the funniest food related cockney rhyming slang phrases, so let’s cut to the cheese. 

30 Hilarious cockney rhyming slang foodies need to know

1. Apples and pears - Stairs
2. Basin of gravy - Baby
3. Army and Navy - gravy
4. Treacle tart - sweetheart 
5. Pork pies - lies 
6. Loaf of bread  - head 
7. Plates of meat - feet 
8. Mince pies - eyes 
9. Custard and jelly - telly 
10. Bag of fruit - suit 
11. Cream crackered - knackered
12. Jam jar - car  
13. Raspberry tart - fart
14. Bacon and Egg - leg
15. Brown bread - dead
16. Bees and honey - money
17. Lump of ice - advice
18. Pig and roast - toast
19. Bottle and stopper - copper (policeman)
20. Ruby Murray - curry
21. Harvey Nichols - pickles
22. Bended knees - cheese
23. Apple Fritter - bitter
24. Baby giraffe - half a pint
25. Baker’s Dozen - Cousin
26. Bangers and mash - cash
27. Beans on Toast - Evening Post
28. Biscuit Tin - chin
29. Bread and jam - van
30. Brixton riot - diet