Trying new and exciting foods is often deemed one of the perks of living in a bustling, multicultural capital city, however, new research has revealed that those in smaller cities outside of London have a penchant for trying new things, with 81% of Oxford residents claiming to have tried acai before, compared to just 69% of Londoners.

Sushi Daily, the UK’s biggest fresh sushi kiosk brand, with sushi being made fresh inside Waitrose and Asda supermarkets, reveals the foods of other cultures that Brits have avoided and their attitudes to different cuisines.

People in the Welsh capital Cardiff have a taste for trying new foods, with 82% of Cardiff residents having tried bouillabaisse, 80% tried foie gras and 74% escargot, compared to less than 70% of the almost 9million people living in the UK’s capital London, having sampled these delicacies.

Foodies in the north enjoy foods such as seafood and escargot at a higher rate than Londoners, with 91% of Scousers tucking into seafood compared to 84% of Londoners, and 71% of Leeds residents enjoying the French favourite Escargot compared to London’s 67%.

Despite the regional differences when it comes to trying new foods, people across the country are particularly hesitant to try Asian cuisines, especially Japanese delicacies like sushi. Food dishes such as Maki (48%), Nigiri (47%) and Temaki (43%) are dishes people avoid simply due to their lack of knowledge, alongside other popular foods from Vietnamese culture like Bánh mì (47%) and Pho (37%).

Top 15 foods of other cuisines that Brits haven’t tried before:

Maki – 48%
Nigiri – 47%
=. Bánh mì – 47%

4. Poké – 44%

=. Yakisoba – 55%

6. Temaki – 43%

7. Ceviche – 40%

8. Acai – 39%

9. Sashimi – 38%

10. Pho – 37%

=. Gyoza – 37%

12. Carpaccio – 36%

=. Escargot – 36%

14. Edamame – 35%

15. Bouillabaisse – 34%

There’s also the fear of embarrassment when trying different cuisines, with almost one in 10 (8%) Brits researching foods before trying them to get to grips with the cuisine beforehand. A quarter (23%) of Brits also reveal that to help them face their fears, having an easy guide to understanding the food is something that would make them try something new.

T­o help people feel less confused and hesitant when faced with new foods, Sushi Daily has produced a vibrant coffee table book, ‘The Little Book of Sushi’. Through bright illustrations and easy to read descriptions of popular sushi products, it teaches people all they need to know about sushi when wining and dining their dates or eating with friends.

Talking about the research and ‘The Little Book of Sushi’, Romy Miller, Global Brand Director of Sushi Daily said: “At Sushi Daily we are on a mission to make sushi accessible to everyone. This research shows that people often shy away from enjoying food that they love, in particular Asian food, because they don’t know what it’s called.”

“We wrote ‘The Little Book of Sushi’, an educational and fun guide to help people feel at ease with Japanese cuisine.”