EU food in London: Favorites from each country

(CNN) — Once the home of the jellied eel, pie and mash and fish and chips, London has come a long way since the local Indian restaurant was the most exotic dining experience on any of the city's main streets.

Drab, unappetizing and unadventurous, the cake trays and tea trolleys of the famed Lyons Corner Houses were about as upmarket as it got in 1975 when Britain last held a referendum on European membership and voted to stay in. More than 40 years of continental influence has transformed British cuisine, particularly in London, where residents have their pick of top-class European eateries.

From the pastizzi of Malta, to the tapas of Spain, to the cheese-laden dumplings of Slovakia, London has a restaurant for almost all of the 28 member states of the European Union.

Luxembourg and Slovenia are under-represented in arguably Europe's most cosmopolitan city. But diners who simply must have their judd mat gaardebounen (a Luxembourger favorite of smoked pork collar and broad beans) or krofi (fried Slovenian doughnuts) are just as likely to be catered for by city's scores of French, German or Balkan restaurants.

In the 2016 referendum on EU membership, the UK's heart -- 51.9% of voters -- chose Brexit. But 59.9% of Londoners -- ruled by their gut instincts, perhaps -- voted for Remain.

A few weeks before the referendum took place, we created our own menu of London's European restaurants and sampled some of the food and opinions on offer. The future of the UK's relationship with the EU hangs in the balance, but perhaps these restaurants -- and the pre-referendum thoughts of their staff -- can provide a taste of what is at stake.