We finally decided to figure out where in London there are places where your lunch will not cost like a cast-iron bridge. Inexpensive food is not necessarily fast food, harmful carbohydrates and other GMOs, you just need to be able to choose wisely.
Be sure to try the street food. In London, it is perfectly safe to eat in the markets, from stalls, tables at the entrances to supermarkets and tube stations. The food there is very diverse, for all tastes and inexpensive. A big lunch will set you back £5-7, and a snack is even cheaper. Here you will find all the street food markets in central London, starting with the most famous Borough Market, and on the site itself there is a link to a map of street food in general throughout the city.
In terms of food, and not only, London is the most international city in the world. Here you can find Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Turkish, Lebanese, Indian, Malaysian cuisine literally on every corner. A couple of meals (without alcohol) will cost you literally £10 per person.
English Breakfast is an absolutely amazing phenomenon, having eaten it in the morning, you can last until the evening with almost no snack. If you are passing through London, then check if it is automatically included in the price of your hotel room. If not, you can easily find a cafe or pub in the neighborhood, where for £6-8 it is served at any time of the day.
Food before going to the theatre. Unexpected, right? Even if you're not going to the theater today, you can still take advantage of this offer. You will have to eat earlier than usual for dinner, somewhere between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm, but big discounts await you, especially in the West End, where many theaters are located.
Many supermarkets offer so-called ‘meal deals’. A lunch consisting of a sandwich, a drink and fruit can be kept under three pounds. Or have dinner at home for two with dessert and a bottle of wine for £10-12.
Pay attention to the so-called ‘soft-launches’. They are usually held by very expensive restaurants before the launch of something new. So they solve the problem of testing the menu and atmosphere for themselves, and the first visitors are given a 50% discount. You can find such deals at hot-dinners.com.
Delivering food to your home is significantly cheaper than the same food in a restaurant, so use deliveroo.co.uk more actively or try other aggregator sites like hungryhouse.co.uk .
Get yourself a Taste Card and you will be pleasantly surprised at how many discounts and offers it gives for two dishes for the price of one. The same card gives a discount on tickets in the VUE and Odeon cinema chains. Feel free to register on special discount sites like Travelzoo, with their coupons you can even get into Michelin restaurants.
If you want to seriously save on food, do not take alcohol in a restaurant, limit yourself to asking to put a jug of tap water on the table. By law, they are required to provide you with free water, and if you wish, add lemon and ice to it - also free of charge. Often in restaurants there is “house wine”, which is usually served not in bottles, but in decanters. Sometimes it is very good, and relatively inexpensive. And you don't have to pay.
Study the menu before entering the restaurant. By law, they are required to hang it at the entrance with the indication of real prices. Mentally add another 12.5% to your bill - that's the usual service charge in London - and figure out if you can afford it. And do not disdain network cafes, pizzerias and other catering. They feed quite at the level and quite cheap.
Check out the many Italian and Greek bakeries located throughout the city. They serve pre-cooked food that is heated in the microwave. The portions are huge, everything is made on the same day. And they often give a free salad to the load. Here are places in central London where you can eat lunch for £4-7. It is quite possible that you will find a magnificent panoramic view of the city, and these are not restaurants, but simple city cafes with all sorts of city attractions.
Those who say that finding a good restaurant in London is either very difficult, or it will be very expensive there, most likely, they have not been to London for the last 7-10 years. The situation has changed dramatically, and a lot of excellent establishments with quite human prices have appeared.
The best place to start your search is with the Time Out magazine website. There will also be a list of London gastropubs that combine the charm of a British pub with restaurant-quality food. The selection can be sorted by distance, cuisine or gastrocritic opinions.
The London Evening Standard, a free city newspaper, constantly publishes themed restaurant reviews: where you can eat on Valentine's Day with a romantic twist, who makes the most delicious pancakes, the best restaurants in Mayfair, etc. Here at this link you will find a list and an overview of all the new places that have just opened, and if you just want to drink beer in a typical English pub, then you are here.
In London, you can find excellent budget restaurants and bars where you will be served tasty food not for big money. It is worth going here if you are walking around the city all day and have already spent money on expensive entertainment. In addition, everyone loves great deals - look in our list where you can find them and save.
Japanese snacks are served here - steamed buns with fillings - the choice is huge. And on Sundays for £39 per person, you can eat as much as you like, although it doesn't sound that cheap, the offer is actually a bargain - the price includes hot and cold appetizers, sauces, soybeans, chips, a welcome cocktail, steamed buns, wine and prosecco unlimited and dessert. Most importantly, come hungry. Other offerings include beer and buns on Mondays for £15 and a three-course express lunch + drink for £22.
This friendly Turkish restaurant in Wanstead serves fresh Mediterranean food at very reasonable prices. The atmosphere is relaxed and there are set lunches and dinners from £7.95 to £14.95. Great place for those who like generous portions of healthy meze snacks and tasteful food.
Among the trendy cafes and restaurants on Old Street, Sedap is not immediately evident, but it does not get any worse. The epitome of the adage "don't judge a book by its cover", this restaurant is really great. Instead of décor, the focus is on food - moderately priced Sino-Malay fusion cuisine and great lunch deals - three courses for £7.80. And why look for something else?
It's not often that you get a good meal on Liverpool Street, but Pizza Union is a happy exception. They sell fresh pizza straight from the oven and a ten-pound drink that you can eat on the spot or take away. Service is fast but you can take your time - sit down with wine and pizza in the evening and people watch. And if you come with a large company, then there are long benches here - there is enough space for everyone.
This tiny Italian restaurant is so tasty that you can't get here. Every day a new menu, depending on what fresh products the chef bought in the morning at the market. Eating out can be pricey, but they have great takeout deals - a main course and a drink for as little as £5. The selection is small but thoughtful, from handmade ravioli to salmon polenta, and the drinks are magical, especially the peach juice. They also have the nicest waiters in Shoreditch, who will wrap you up with freshly sliced bread and grated parmesan to make it all Italian. You can enjoy a delicious Italian lunch for five pounds in one of the small parks nearby.
The off-chain coffee shop, where coffee is also roasted, is located above the canal in Hackney Wick and is just perfect for relaxing on a bright sunny day. All dishes here are homemade - from sausages to juices, and nothing is more expensive than ten pounds. In the spring, summer and every first Friday of the month, loud music plays and fun reigns - the cafe becomes the Flamingo Pier pop-up bar - street food, alcohol and disco are on the menu this day, and it is said to be one of the best nights in London.
It's one of those rare places where you can spend an entire evening dancing, eating, talking, playing pool and jenga (for the fans) and not spending a fortune. The staff is very friendly and goes out of their way to make your evening special by making sure no one gets bored. From the outside, the place looks like a typical bar, but their special offer is free pizza with every drink, and they are quite reasonably priced. There are also offers for cocktails. But nothing beats hot free pizza and dancing to Beyoncé's latest hit.
All fans of Korean fried chicken - here. The restaurant opens every day at 5 pm and specializes in "anju" - food with alcohol. The chicken is fried twice until super crispy and topped with one of three signature sauces - garlic soy, hot, or volcanic. Prices on the menu vary - there are many dishes for a large company, but on average, lunch will cost you 13 pounds plus drinks. You can sit down at the Bedroom Bar and have your food brought there - pretty nice of them.
The mere mention of London's famous food markets brings Exmouth or Borough Market to mind, but Brockley Market is also not to be underestimated. In the parking lot of Levish College every Saturday from ten to two, vendors with local products - fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants open their stalls. There is also delicious street food, usually not more than five dollars - hot sugar churros and delicious burgers. Remember - cards are not accepted here, which is quite convenient - there is no risk of exceeding the credit limit.
Restaurants, food courts and street food - you can eat in London on almost every corner. But if you care about what you fill your stomach with, you need to know a few rules that London gourmets use. Where to eat deliciously in London and what places are better to avoid - the ZagraNitsa portal will tell
street food
In London, street food is given a lot of attention. Such dishes in the British capital are not just an opportunity to have a quick and inexpensive meal. Here, street food is as popular as it is. What are the tents with homemade dishes on, where gourmets from all over London come together! Another argument in favor of the popularity of street food in London is that they are organized almost every week, attracting the best chefs in the UK.
Photo: shutterstock 2 Pop-up restaurants
Opening restaurants for a certain time, in unexpected places or with changing design is a very popular topic. London is no exception. Here you can also find "dynamic" places that constantly offer their guests something new. For example, a popular restaurant with a changing design.
Photo: sketch.london 3 Tweets and blogs
In order not to miss a single restaurant opening and find out the rating of any institution, follow popular London bloggers. Read Cheese and Biscuits or London Eater for everything you need to know as a gourmet.
Photo: shutterstock 4 Traditional London pubs
Pubs and beer are a big part of British culture. Not visiting at least one of them is like leaving London without seeing. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Ye Olde Miter Tavern - establishments where you will be treated to delicious, and for a snack - like fish ‘n’ chips.
Photo: yeoldemitreholborn.co.uk
5
Traps for tourists
Avoid expensive food stalls in busy areas of London. For example, don't try Brick Lane curry. Just a 10-minute walk from it there are excellent restaurants with delicious curries: Tayyabs, Lahore Kebab House, Needoo Grill.
Photo: shutterstock 6 secluded places
Explore every corner of the British capital to find new places to eat. Sometimes in unremarkable areas you can find good places with delicious cuisine. For example, Newington has a Roti Stop restaurant with great takeaway food.
Photo: shutterstock 7 All cuisines of the world in one capital
It is difficult to imagine a dish of the world that would not be cooked in the British capital. Try Mediterranean cuisine at
It will not be a revelation to anyone that London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to find affordable and high-quality goods and services, and food is no exception. For the most part, food can be found in all kinds of restaurants, pubs, cafes, with the exception of tents and markets. Pubs are of the greatest interest among tourists. To visit them means to plunge into the old English era, since some of them are more than one century old. Each has its own history, traditions and customs, 
therefore, both among the British and tourists, pubs are very popular and in great demand. Word Pub in English means public house (literally folk or public house). It is very easy for an experienced tourist to find a pub. Its walls are usually painted in rich red, green, blue, and sometimes black colors, and the front part is decorated with an abundance of flower beds and flowerpots.
Pub Features
- the order must be made independently at the bar, so waiting for the waiter or raising your hand is simply, pointless;
- after the selected menu, you must immediately pay the bill on the spot;
- pub owners hold weekly quizzes, the essence of which is to test the competence of their customers who correctly answer the questions and wait for prizes;
- in pubs it is customary to offer beer to your neighbor, no matter if this person may be seen for the first time. Thus, everyone along the chain treats the person sitting next to him with beer. If you were offered beer, and you do not want to treat anyone, then you should refuse such a generous offer;
- in modern pubs, the client has the opportunity to watch the news, the game of his favorite team, play billiards, listen to live music and much more.
Pubs are found both in the city center and on the outskirts, so wherever you are, there is always the opportunity to visit this institution. The range of food is quite varied, and on the menu you can find dishes from different places of British cuisine. As mentioned above, the vast majority of establishments are designed for people with an average income, and by our standards it may even seem above average, but there are still budget places and good quality cuisine!
So where to eat in London?
King Edward VII
One of the inexpensive - by London standards - pubs, in which the atmosphere of the Victorian era reigns, which, however, does not prevent the owners of the institution from offering visitors a modern and tasty menu. A set of dishes, the number of which is usually no more than ten, can hardly be called exquisite, but here you can eat quite decently, tasting salads, cheeses, fish and chicken pie, sausages, smoked meats, drinking a glass of beer or ale. The latter will cost the tourist £1.65 for a half pint. A lunch of sandwiches and soup will cost around £6.50.
Place address: 47 Broadway E15
The Counter
Quite a peculiar institution, located in the "backyard" of the Olympic stadium, in the area of warehouses, which has far from the most presentable appearance. Nevertheless, this is one of those places that will give an exhaustive answer to the question of where to eat in London. Young talented chefs will be happy to offer a tired tourist hearty, tasty and - most importantly - inexpensive dishes: huge scrambled eggs with wonderful watercress, no less impressive pie to choose from (Moroccan, apple, meat), interesting dishes of Indian cuisine . All the pleasure will cost the tourist approximately at 10 or 15 pounds.
The cafe is located at 7 Roach Road E3.
The Harp
Walking along Trafalgar Square and near Cowan Harvard, you can look into this cozy little pub. Tourists in a calm relaxing atmosphere can drink delicious beer and have a sandwich with real English sausages here. This set will cost approximately at 4.5-5 pounds.
And if you have already decided where to eat in London, then this pub is located in the Covent Garden area, address: 47 Chandos Place.
Londek Cafe, Stratford
A London café that offers tourists a closer look at Polish cuisine. Here you can eat quite well, ordering delicious vegetable dishes, soups, goulash, potato pie with meat. The portions offered are impressive, but lunch will cost - depending on the appetite, of course - somewhere around at 6-8 pounds.
The cafe is located at 198 The Grove E15, you can take food to go. By the way, you can also have dinner here, as the institution is open until 22:00.
Yalla Yalla
An institution of Lebanese cuisine that deserves the attention of every tourist. Not devoid of a certain charm and some individuality, the interior of the cafe (here the ceiling and walls are finished with rough wood, there are simple tables and everywhere - even on the floor - Arabic pillows are scattered), offers visitors traditional oriental dishes that our tourists have long been familiar with. So, shawarma can be bought for 3 pounds and a huge flatbread stuffed with young lamb meat will cost about 10 pounds. All meals can be ordered to take away.
The cafe is located in the Soho area, its address is 1 Green's Court.
City Cafe
Today, among Londoners, Vietnamese and Indian dishes are very popular, which can also be tasted on the street. The quality fully justifies the expectations and the amount paid for them. In City Cafe you can have a very satisfying meal, paying just 3.75 pounds for a Vietnamese sandwich filled with delicious marinated pork, cilantro, cucumbers and carrots. There is an assortment of pastries, and, of course, hot noodles.
The institution is located in the City area at 17 Ironmonger Lane.
Undoubtedly, the list of such establishments where you can have a tasty and inexpensive meal is far from complete. But those tourists who are looking for where to eat in London for a relatively small amount should not get hung up on finding cafes, pubs and restaurants, as there are alternative options. For example, in grocery stores such as Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, M&S, which are scattered throughout London, tourists, and residents of the capital, can offer all kinds of ready-to-eat sandwiches, various salads - from fruit to hearty meat, pastries, sushi and much more. In addition to shops on the streets of London, you can find small retail outlets, where you will also be offered good cuisine, the assortment of which will be a little more modest than in the same cafe or pub. The only “but” is that you will have to feast on these products on the benches, however, the small funds spent on them (from 3 to 5 pounds) fully compensate for this shortcoming.
For those who like to drink a cup of coffee in the afternoon in London, there is a whole network of coffee houses - Paul. Here, in addition to a fragrant drink, you can try amazing French cakes, buns, and cakes. Also from network establishments you can recommend Wagamama, Pizza Express, Cafe Rouge, Ed's Easy Diner. And, of course, McDonald's, Subway, Burger King and KFC.
If we talk about dinners, then in the evening the entire range of dishes offered by budgetary establishments during the day will cost twice as much. As for restaurants, they are not included in our list of "Where to Eat Cheaply in London". Prices in them, even the simplest ones, are quite high.
Resting in the capital of Great Britain, any traveler will invariably face the question: “Where to eat in London?” At the service of gourmets - more than 7,000 restaurants of different cuisines of the world (most restaurants are concentrated in the West End and Soho).
It is worth noting that you will have to pay a lot for good food in London, but at lunchtime many restaurants with national cuisine offer their guests cheap menus.
In the British capital, you will be able to taste traditional English tea (16:00-17:30). So, for example, for a tea ceremony (it is advisable to book places for this event in advance) you can go to the Ritz Hotel’s Palm Court – here you will be served sandwiches and cookies for tea. If you wish, you can drink tea in any tea or coffee establishment with a sandwich, cake or pastry.
Where to eat cheaply in London?
A high-quality and inexpensive menu is offered by restaurants of Chinese, Caribbean, Indian cuisines.
On a budget, you can have a bite to eat at Coffee Rebublik, Costa, Aroma, Starbucks, Pret a Manger chains (sandwiches cost 2.5-3 pounds, coffee - 1.8-2 pounds, soup - 3 pounds).
You can try different types of beer and snacks in it in English pubs. You can also have dinner here: as a rule, you can find potato pudding, fried beef, fish and chips on their menu.
Where to eat in London is delicious?
- St. John: in this restaurant you can taste traditional English dishes - smoked eel with bacon and mashed potatoes, bull's tongue with chicory, real English pudding.
- Hakkasan: This Chinese restaurant offers its guests specialties - Peking duck with royal beluga caviar, silver cod soaked in Chinese honey and champagne.
- Le Gavroche: This 2-Michelin-star French restaurant features dishes such as cinnamon and foie gras pie, venison fillet with spicy cranberry sauce, and truffle scallops on its menu.
- Louis Hungarian Patisserie: This patisserie will appeal to those with a sweet tooth - here you can enjoy almond and marzipan cookies, eclairs, almond pretzels and other sweets.
Food tours in London
If you go on a gastronomic tour of London, designed for several days, you can walk around the City of London, visit the pubs of the 17th-19th centuries (here you will be offered to taste English ale), go on an evening river cruise on the Thames (there will be waiting for you on board the ship gourmet English dinner of 4-5 courses, aperitif, tea / coffee, musical accompaniment, dancing after dinner), attend a tea ceremony in one of the restaurants, as well as a master class in one of the local culinary schools.
Resting in London, you can taste not only traditional, but also dishes from almost all cuisines of the world.
