The London Diaries: Snacking in Harry Potter’s World
“You’re a wizard, Harry.”
Or technically, “Harry – yer a wizard”, if you want to be book accurate. Regardless, it’s one of the most recognisable lines of the franchise, along with “Hogwarts is my home”. But for the purpose of this blog, there’s only one line that matters:
“Anything from the trolley, dears?”
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter
Those who read the Savoy Grill blog know that I went on a week-long trip to London with my fiancé and our best friend. Tied at the top of my bucket list with eating at a Ramsay restaurant was going to The Making of Harry Potter studio tour. While gushing about the tour itself could fill pages (much to the boredom of our friends and family by now), I want to focus here on the snacks we had.
Tasting the Magic
Tasting the Magic
The food in the Harry Potter franchise is just as iconic as the spells, creatures, Quidditch, and the infamous “Harry, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire” debate. Fans can instantly picture when Harry tried his first Chocolate Frog (after buying the whole bloody trolley) and get emotional about the birthday cake Hagrid baked for Harry (words and all!). We laugh with the boys in their dormitory when Neville makes like an elephant, Seamus like a monkey, Ron like a lion, and Harry like…a train.
Think of the ominous warning from the shrunken head about the pea soup: “Make sure you eat it before it eats you!” Or Dumbledore’s: “Oh, Harry, do feel free to indulge in a little Licorice Snap in my absence. But I have to warn you, they’re a wee bit sharp.” Then the sweets proceed to bite Harry when he picks them up.
What is it with the food in the wizarding world trying to eat you back, honestly?
Obviously, we can’t forget Fred and George, who started their business by manufacturing sweets that make you sick and help you get out of schoolwork.
The studio offers various places to eat before, during, and after the tour:
- The Hogwarts Table
- The Food Hall
- Backlot Café
- Butterbeer Bar
- Dragon Roasted Café
- Frog Café
Inside the massive gift shop is Honeydukes itself, where you can buy everything from chocolates and fudge to gift sets, coins, biscuits, and toffees.
Butterbeer
Butterbeer
We have to start with Butterbeer. Until now, I’ve always found the drink quite elusive because I just couldn’t imagine the taste. I know what butter tastes like. I know what beer tastes like. But together? My brain came up with nothing.
While the books do describe Butterbeer as warm and like butterscotch, I still didn’t know what to expect when we ordered from the Butterbeer Bar.
First impression? It tastes like an ice cream float. The creamy top with the fizzy liquid was surprisingly light and not overly sweet at all. Plus, we got to keep the cup! There’s a washing station outside the restaurant where you can rinse off any stickiness (and foam moustaches!).
Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans
Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans
I can only describe eating Bertie Bott’s as masochistic (or sadistic if you’re feeding them to an unwitting victim). Initially, I didn’t believe the beans would taste like the advertised flavours. I thought it was just a marketing thing.
My first encounter with Bertie Bott’s wasn’t actually during the studio tour. I had them probably ten years ago now in Pretoria when the Times Square Casino opened. Its sweets shop imported a limited range of Harry Potter snacks. My fiancé (still boyfriend then) and I bought some different ones, and I tried my first Bertie Bott’s when we got home. Dirt flavoured.
Lo and behold, it really tasted like dirt! I couldn’t believe it and immediately had to try the rest. Grass, lemon, marshmallow…all good.
Then came the more…unusual flavours. The scary flavours. Earwax. Bogeys. A little weird, kind of blegh but funny. Nothing could prepare us for vomit and rotten egg, though. I mean, spitting it out, washing our mouths out with, well, anything. Yet, the taste stuck around for at least a week.
Understandably, my fiancé wasn’t that thrilled when I bought another box at the studio. This one was bigger – the proper one like in the movies. A lot more flavours and a lot more beans.
I still had fun eating them a second time (after obviously removing the vomit and rotten eggs ones first).
Chocolate Frog
Chocolate Frog
Similar to the Bertie Bott’s, my first Chocolate Frog wasn’t from the studio either. It was all the way back in 2001 when Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone started showing at the cinemas. Little seven-year-old me got three small frogs from a local Pick n Pay. I can’t actually remember what it tasted like, but I still have the cards that came with those.
Years later, I bought some from the casino along with the Bertie Bott’s. These were like Turkish delight: chocolate coating over a jelly-ish centre. And honestly? I thought they might have been in storage for a while. But they also came with cards that I still have. I remember my fiancé and I were particularly chuffed with these, as he has a great liking for Hagrid and I do for McGonagall.
In comparison to these experiences, the Chocolate Frog from the studio is huge and SOLID chocolate (weighing about 150g). No cheating, hollow Easter bunnies here. You can also choose from white, milk, or dark chocolate.
The box is beautiful (“with authentic film packaging”) and the cards obviously match the movie versions more closely too.
Fudge Flies
Fudge Flies
Hands down, Fudge Flies are my favourite of the lot. The books only briefly mention these sweets in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when Ron bitterly remarks that Scabbers would’ve enjoyed some Fudge Flies if Crookshanks hadn’t killed him.
I can’t fault Scabbers here. I could just keep eating until the box is empty. Basically, they’re chocolate with a layer of fudge on top. Nothing extravagant, but it delivers every time.
The only flies welcome in my house.
Anything from the Trolley? Yes. All of It.
Anything from the Trolley? Yes. All of It.
If you’re heading to the studio tour, do yourself a favour and budget time (and stomach space) for the snacks. They’re more than merchandise and part of the experience.
If you’re anything like me, the Fudge Flies will quietly become your favourite thing you’ve eaten that day. The Chocolate Frog will make you want to start your own card collection (though 500 cards like Ron is probably a bit out of reach). The Butterbeer will surprise you. And the Bertie Bott’s? Just do it. Remove the vomit and rotten egg ones first if you must (I won’t judge) but do it.
Because really, the food in the wizarding world has always been half the magic. From the Hogwarts feast to Lupin’s wise words that chocolate will make it better, J.K. Rowling knew that nothing makes a world feel real quite like being able to taste it.
