Grub: London

Finding the best cheap food at anytime of day is easy if you know how in London. Eating on a budget in London is actually one of the pleasures of visiting the city, in fact you’ll easily find amazing cheap food for under £5 (approx US$6.50).

If you are visiting London, you’re visiting one of the world’s great global cities. PLEASE. I’m begging you. Don’t go to McDonalds. I have seen American vloggers showing off this incredible city by going to…. M&M’s world followed by McDonalds. I kid you not.

So if you want to eat amazing global cuisine on a budget, check out these incredible budget eats in London.

 

Beigel Bake (and Beigel Shop)

(159 and 155 Brick Lane, nearest tube Old Street or Shoreditch High Street)

The East End of London is historically a melting pot of immigrant cultures, with Jews and Bangladeshis leaving the most recent and visible impact on the area. What this means for you is, lots of great places to eat!

At the top end of Brick Lane these twin bagel shops (spelled beigel for some reason) are open 24 hours 7 days a week and are popular with late night clubbers and bar hoppers. Grab a salt beef bagel with mustard and pickles, or a smoked salmon roll. At around £4.50 each (approx) it’s a tasty and filling treat any time of the day.

 

Fried Chicken

(Everywhere)

Forget KFC. When it comes to cheap eats in London the choice of drunk students and after school kids is the chicken shop. In fact there is a TV show and very successful YouTuber called The Chicken Connoisseur who you’ve really got to check out (if only for his extensive use of London slang).

You’ll spy chicken shops all over London, often with evocative deep south names (Dixies, Uncle Sams, Tennessee). For around £2 you can fill up on chicken and chips which I swear will be better than the Colonel’s original recipe.

 

Kebabs

(Also everywhere)

Wherever you are in the UK, you’ll spy a kebab shop that is open until late. In fact the drunken kebab is kind of a running joke in the UK. But if you’re in need of something with a bit more substance (you know, with salad in it) and you only have pocket money then a kebab shop is the place to go.

Normally a shish or doner kebab will come in at just over £5, making it the London budget food of choice for late night revellers.

 

Edgware Road

(Nearest tube, Marble Arch or Edgware Road)

The bottom end of Edgware Road is known as little Arabia because of the high concentration of Lebanese and Levantine restaurants in the area. In fact, it can sometimes feel a bit like you’re in Dubai (apart from the weather).

Tourists staying near Paddington/Bayswater or students in the heart of town will find a whole lot of budget eating in the area, with a meal easily picked up for around £5.

Head to restaurants like Al Arez (132 and also 103 Edgware Rd) , Maroush (68 Edgware Road and 1 Connaught Gardens) and pretty much every other cafe along this mile long stretch. They’re mostly open til 1am all week and you’ll be able to find shawarmas (like a kebab but more authentic) and falafels to soak up the beer.

Vegetarians and vegans looking for reliably healthy fast food should also keep an eye out for Lebanese places in general. Edgware Road is the heartland for Lebanese, but you’ll spot cafes everywhere from Wimbledon to Wembley.

 

Greasy Spoon Cafe

(Everywhere, just ask a taxi driver)

This isn’t the name of a place, but a type of cafe. The greasy spoon is the term affectionately given to a place where you can reliably pick up a cheap English breakfast. As far as proper British budget food in London goes, this is what to look out for.

Yes you can get a breakfast of sausage, bacon, beans and eggs for around £5-6 (normally with a cuppa). I’d recommend also bangers (sausages) and mash (potato), pie and mash, liver, bacon and onions or scampi and chips.

The best greasy spoons in town are The Regency Cafe (17-19 Regency Street, near Westminster), Cafe Floris (5b Harrington Road, South Kensington), E. Pellicci (322 Bethnal Green Road).

Wherever you’re staying, pop ‘greasy spoon’, or ‘English breakfast’ into your map app.

 

Roti King

(40 Doric Way, Euston Station).

Now you might have trouble locating this place because it’s a bit obscure, hidden down a grimy street near a fairly grimy train station. But it is 100% worth seeking out. The giveaway is the queue of Malaysian folk stood in the cold waiting for a taste of home.

Is it worth joining that queue? You’re damn right it is. For less than £5 you’ll be able to fill up on delicious Malaysian roti with veg or meat curry.

If you’re looking for a delicious and cheap meal to blow your mind in London, trust me and seek this one out.

 

Dumplings Legend

(15-16 Gerrard Street, Chinatown).

Chinatown can sometimes seem overwhelming to visitors, after all there is a lot packed into the few blocks that make the area. If you’re looking for reliably delicious and cheap just head straight ti Dumplings Legend.

There are often more staff than patrons and don’t get too sniffy about the brusque service. Just tuck in to dim sum dumplings for £2.50, washed down with oolong tea for £1.50.

If this place doesn’t suit, no problem. Walk a few yards down the street to Plum Valley, Wan Chai Corner or Golden Dragon. All cheap, all delicious.

So there you have it. You have no reason to head to McDonalds for a delicious a cheap meal in London! The city is packed full of budget food so go explore...