Wine pairings for the UK’s favourite takeaways

Fish and chips: Champagne

This one’s a classic, and you might have tried it at a ‘fizz and chips’ night already. The acidity in a good glass of Champagne balances out the oils and fat in your battered fish, as well as breaking down starches, making the meal seem lighter and crispier. Meanwhile, the fizziness and citrus notes in the wine help to cleanse your tastebuds.

Lemon juice on your fish or vinegar on your chips complement the features of a glass of bubbly well. For a truly British pairing, you could swap the Champers for an English sparkling wine – but avoid Prosecco, which can overwhelm the dish with fruit flavours.

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Doner kebabs: White Zinfandel

Doner kebabs have fairly simple flavours, but they’re also greasy, salty, and a little bit juicy. Plus, if you like to smother yours in sauce and pair it up with plenty of salad, there are additional flavours to compete with outside of the meat and pitta. Acidic and sparkling wines can both work well with this type of dish, but we’ve picked White Zinfandel as the perfect pairing thanks to its combination of high acidity and fruit flavours.

Choosing a wine pairing with a high level of acidity means your drink can cut through the oiliness of the doner meat, while the flavours of a White Zinfandel are strong enough to hold their own without being overly complex. Pinot Gris or Cabernet Sauvignon can also work well, with the latter particularly good if you’re topping your kebab with garlic mayo.

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Meat-feast pizza: Malbec or Sangiovese

Takeaway pizzas tend to have sweeter bases and sauces than a traditional stonebaked Italian offering, which means you’ll want to adjust your pick depending on where you’re ordering from. If you’re getting meat-feast pizza delivered from an authentic Italian restaurant, go for a full-bodied Malbec. If it’s coming from somewhere like Papa John’s or Dominos, you’ll want to go for a medium-bodied red like Sangiovese instead.

Malbec has a high-ish alcohol content and rich body that make it the ideal weight against meat and cheese combined, with a savoury edge and spicy notes that are perfect for your meat-feast night in. Sangiovese has the same savoury qualities, with moderate acidity to cut through fat and salt, and rich fruity flavours to complement the sweeter undertones in a typical takeaway pizza.

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Veggie-feast pizza: unoaked Chardonnay

Unlike meat pizzas, which have strong flavours and additional fat, veggie pizzas need to be paired with wines that complement milder flavours and fresher-feeling veg. Avoid deep reds that will overpower your delivery dinner, and instead opt for unoaked Chardonnays.

An unoaked Chardonnay has gentle citrus and herb notes that pair well with vegetable dishes, and won’t over-compete with a mixture of toppings like peppers, mushrooms and onion. While many white wines go well with the creaminess of mozzarella, or dairy-free cheese, the green herb undertones in Chardonnay make it the top choice for teaming up with a takeaway pizza’s Italian herbs and flavours.

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Tikka Masala: Beaujolais

Curries with thicker, creamier sauces work best with wines that have a higher acidic content, but that’s not the only reason that Beaujolais works perfectly with a classic tikka masala.

The combination of high acidity and low tannins in Beaujolais creates a vibrant red with a smooth mouthfeel, complementing the creaminess of tikka masala sauce while offering enough body to balance the richness of the marinades. It also has notes of mushroom and cranberry that make it an ideal match for tomato-based dishes.

Avoid reds that have a lot of alcohol and tannin if you don’t want to make your curry hotter: both these features can supercharge the heat of the spices, potentially overwhelming the flavours of the dish.

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Chickpea curry: New World Sauvignon Blanc

Light and aromatic whites are your top pick for mild to medium-weight Indian curries, with New World Sauvignon Blanc lending itself nicely to vegetarian dishes like chana masala, or chickpea curry.

The light-to-medium body of a Sauvignon from New Zealand or Australia is enough to balance the flavours of the curry without overwhelming it, with fruity, zesty notes complementing the coriander and ginger. While rich wines and acidic wines can work with certain Indian dishes, it’s an aromatic, tropical fruitiness that makes Sauvignon Blanc an ideal pairing for this dish.

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Chicken Satay: unoaked Chardonnay

When it comes to a spicy, nutty chicken satay, look for wine that has some residual sugar, like an unoaked Chardonnay. Sweeter wines help to balance the spices in a dish, but go too sweet here and you could overpower the chicken.

The gentle sweetness in this fruity wine works as a balance to the saltiness of the peanuts, but it’s important that you don’t inadvertently pick an oaked Chardonnay instead of an unoaked one. That’s because the spice in the dish will accent the oakiness, dominating the flavours of the dish and detracting from your experience of both the wine and the food.

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Crispy duck pancakes: Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir with duck is a well-loved and documented pairing, with the wine’s ripe red berry flavours contrasting the richness of the duck. A little sharpness and acidity cut through the meat’s fat, but the body of the wine is light enough not to overwhelm the dish.

If you’re planning on soaking your crispy duck in plum sauce, or adding a little extra spice, look for a sweeter Pinot Noir. If you’re sticking with Hoisin, then a drier bottle is the one for you. Avoid high-alcohol, warm climate wines like Argentinian Malbecs and California Cabernet Sauvignons, which will swamp the flavours of the meal.

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Scottish munchie boxes: sparkling wine

The idea of pairing a fine wine with a munchie box might seem a little unusual, but hear us out. If you want to bring a little class to your box of beige, the best wines for the job are Prosecco or Cava. For a box that features any spicy or fragrant Asian dishes, opt for a dry Cava. If you’re focusing solely on mild foods, a sweet Prosecco is the one.

The reason sparkling wines work so well with a deep-fried, starchy munchie box, is that the minerality and fizz help to cut through the grease on your tastebuds. As well as freshening up your palate, the acidity balances out the fattiness of the food to give the meal a slightly crisper, slightly cleaner mouthfeel. Honest.

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Thai green curry: Riesling

The tropical fruit notes and floral undertones in a semi-sweet Riesling complement key ingredients of a green curry, such as lemongrass, chilli and lime, with the wine’s subtle sweetness serving to cool and refresh the palate. Riesling’s balance of acidity and sugar make it an ideal bedfellow for coconut milk-based dishes like this.

Aromatic whites like Riesling are a safe bet for Thai dishes, which are typically cooked with exotic herbs and spices. Citrus blossom and lime aromas are sure to set off the flavours of your meal, though you could also opt for the stone fruits and floral character of a good Pinot Gris.

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Jerk chicken: Gewürztraminer

Good jerk chicken has plenty of Scotch bonnet spice, which can skew the taste of your chosen wine. However, sugar can help to ease the heat without harming the overall flavour of the dish, which is just one reason a sweet Gewürztraminer is the perfect fit.

Notes of lime and coconut will be brought out by a little sugar, and this wine promises to offer just a touch of acidity and spice to complement the meal. Avoid heavy reds with your jerk chicken, as these exacerbate the heat of the chillies and overwhelm the meat, potentially leaving you unable to enjoy the wine to its fullest, but also having a less-than-perfect taste experience with the meal itself.

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Gourmet bacon cheeseburger: Rioja or Syrah

A gourmet bacon cheeseburger has a whole lot of flavour and richness going on. From the smoky and earthy flavours in the grilled meat to the salty bacon and the creaminess of the cheese, the taste profile is something that not all wines can contend with. For a delectable pairing, opt for Rioja or Syrah.

The tannic structure of these reds balances the structure of the grilled beef, but with just the right amount of acidity to balance the dairy as well. A Northern Rhone Syrah has the smokiness and earthiness of the dish itself, while the juiciness of a young Rioja is ideal for pairing with high quality, juicy grilled beef.

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Gourmet vegan burger: Merlot or Pinot Noir

Vegan burgers can come in all sorts of varieties, but some of the most common are bean burgers, mushroom-based burgers and classic meat-like soy patties. Because there’s some variation in the flavour profiles, we’ve picked a couple of different wines here to pair.

If you’re tucking into a traditional bean burger, liven up those subtle flavours with the peppery, redcurrant notes of a good Merlot. For mushroom or soy-based versions, seek out the earthy undertones of the Burgundy grapes in a Pinot Noir. This lightweight red has enough body to match faux meat or rich mushrooms in the mouth, but without smothering the naturally fresh flavours.

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Sushi: Chablis

Whether you prefer fresh fish or crunchy vegetables in your sushi, it’s a dish that can easily be overwhelmed by a poorly chosen wine pairing. Chablis is a crisp white that brings out the flavours of the sushi and lets them shine, with a distinct minerality that blends well.

The seaweed in futomaki and the mineral notes in Chablis are a great fit for one another, while subtle citrus notes complement features like pickled daikon. With fewer ripe fruit flavours than other white Burgundy wines, a young Chablis will cut gently through any richness in your takeaway, while a more mature Chablis will highlight it.

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Fried chicken: Old World Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre

French Sauvignon Blanc is a better pick for fried chicken than the tropical flavours of a New Zealand or other New World Sauvignon, offering a crisp, acidic white that cuts gently through the fat and salt of the dish. Avoid reds, which could crush the flavours of your takeaway.

Sancerre wines are made with Sauvignon Blanc grapes grown in France’s Loire Valley, and have a herbal undertone that beautifully complements the 11 herbs and spices of a particularly well-known fried chicken outlet. All Sancerres are Sauvignon Blancs, but not all Sauvignon Blancs are Sancerres, so make sure you’re picking France’s finest when shopping for your dinner drinks.

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Loaded Nachos: Zinfandel

Whether you’ve topped your nachos with Monterey Jack or gone for a sprinkling of grated cheddar, a Zinfandel brings jammy fruit flavours that will work well with the cheese – think cheese boards and fruit chutneys, translated into nacho toppings and wine.

Zinfandel is a robust red with plenty of sugar, which can help to cool the spice of jalapenos or seasoned meats, while the tannins in the wine balance the richness of myriad flavours. Notes of anise and pepper add a complexity in the mouth, with this pairing proving ideal for those who want to enjoy both their loaded nachos and their glass of wine to the fullest.

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