Where to eat cheap in London

Cafe tables
April 3, 2021 Warren Sophia 0 Comments

The issue of food in London is of concern not only to any tourist, but also to residents of the capital. Every day you need somewhere to eat lunch and dinner, of course, at a minimum price. Such places exist here.

  1. Food stores and Ready-To-Eat Food
    In grocery stores: Sainsbury’s, Tesco, M&S, Waitrose, located throughout the city, you can find a great variety of portioned foods, ready-to-eat: sandwiches, pastries, individually wrapped mini-cakes, cheese, fruit, vegetable salads, salads with chicken, fish, juices, yogurt and mousse, sushi. But you’ll have to eat it all outdoors, in a London park or square. Summer lunchtime picnics are very popular in London.

It’s good to know: Pay attention to the expiration date on the package. If it comes to an end, such salads are significantly discounted, the package will have a yellow “Reduced” sticker on it.

  1. A chain of coffee shops where you can have soup.
    In addition to the well-known Starbacks, where you can snack on a sandwich with coffee, there are the best English analogues of the American chain – Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero, Eat and Pret A Manger (or just Pret), where you can have a glass of quite well-cooked soup. Over the past few years, even more delicious and healthy places like Crussh and Pod, specializing in soup and freshly squeezed juices (as well as salads and coffee), have popped up in London.

Good to know: A sandwich, salad, and coffee to take away, i.e. Take Away, is always cheaper than eating in a cafe, i.e. Eat In. There are two prices on the price tag – Take Away and Eat In. The vendor will definitely ask you, “Take Away or Eat In?”

  1. Asian Cuisine
    Wasabi and Itsu is a chain of inexpensive Asian food restaurants scattered all over London. Finally, if you’re a fan of Japanese food, pop into the Japan Centre near Piccadilly, where you’ll find inexpensive sets of delicious sushi and bento, miso soup, and hot, freshly made Japanese dumplings.

Good to know: “Take Away or Eat In” rule applies.

  1. Department Store Cafes
    Department stores like M&S, John Lewis, House of Fraser on Oxford Street have cafes offering not only coffee and sandwiches but also light salads, soups and desserts. They’re usually on the top floor and offer panoramic views of London.
  2. Street Food Markets
    London’s high street food markets are popular with tourists and locals alike. At any market you’ll find the usual street food, old-fashioned English gastronomy, as well as other cuisines of the world. The most famous markets are of course Borough Market, Brick Lane, Old Spitalfields and Camden Lock.
  3. Italian sandwiches and coffee at Deli-Café
    Like any capital city in the world, London has plenty of Italian cafes where they’ll make you a sandwich or a salad in front of your eyes.

Good to know: Every extra topping in a sandwich costs money. And the “Take Away or Eat In” rule also applies.

  1. Chinatown
    Oriental food again. For lovers of Peking duck and seafood fried vermicelli, there is an incredible variety of Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. And of course there are the Chinese buffets – you can eat as much as you like for £5.

Good to know: It’s easy to go wrong with a Chinese restaurant, so here’s a piece of advice: choose a place according to the number of people of Oriental nationality.

  1. Arabic Cuisine in Central London.
    The largest concentration of Lebanese restaurants is on Edgware Road. It’s not exactly a tourist spot, but if you find yourself there, stop by any Lebanese restaurant to try homemade hummus, falafel sandwich or shawarma. Edgware Road is a 5-minute walk from Marble Arch Tube Station, near Oxford Street.
  2. Order food with delivery
    Order food delivered to your home or hotel at Hungry House, Just Eat or Deliveroo.
  3. Restaurants that offer discounts
    With the tastecard discount card, many London restaurants are always 50% off. More than 6,000 restaurants across Britain take part in the scheme, including not only pizza chains such as Pizza Express and Prezzo, but also expensive gourmet restaurants. The annual card costs £79.99. If you’re in London for a while, order a 30-day trial card for free! Card delivery to a London address only.

Good to know: Some participating restaurants don’t offer the card on Fridays and Saturdays, or over the Christmas period. The 50% discount is only on food, not on drinks. And in some restaurants you have to make a reservation by phone, making sure to mention that you are a tastecard holder.