How to Dine in London for Less than a Fiver
Eating in London is another pull on your money but it doesn't have to always be expensive. There are plenty of ways to eat well for less in London. I've put this list together of ways to eat and drink in London for less than a fiver (£5).
There are many sandwich shops all over London. The cheaper end of the chain sandwich stores have pre-packaged sandwiches for around £1. Look out for 'Benjy's' for some really low deals. The slightly nicer end of the market is Pret A Manger and 'Eat'.
Most sell pasta dishes too, plus cakes and drinks. Some offer hot food and drinks.
In London we tend to call this a 'Full English'. It's a hot meal you can get from cafes (not fancy ones) and some pubs which can include bacon, eggs, sausages, grilled tomato, baked beans, mushrooms, tea, and toast/fried bread. There are plenty of variations on this and some places allow you to choose each item individually so you can lower the price again.
Chinese food is well-priced in London and the best place to try it is in London's Chinatown. With almost 80 restaurants, Chinatown is famous throughout London and beyond for its food. You can sample cuisine from all over Asia including Cantonese, Szechuan, Mongolian, and Malaysian. There are also Chinese supermarkets if you fancy cooking a Chinese for yourself.
There's a group of great Vietnamese restaurants on Kingsland Road, E2, near the Geffrye Museum. My favorite is Song Que (134 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DY, tel: 020 7613 3222) as it's much bigger than the others and is always busy with locals (which is always a good sign).
Central London has mini versions of its big supermarkets all over town. You'll find 'Tesco Metro' or 'Tesco Express', and 'Sainsbury's Local' and Simply Food (M&S) all over the place. They all sell useful picnic food, such as sandwiches and pies, as well as the basics such as bread and milk.
For healthy options visit Whole Foods Market; the largest branch is in Kensington but there are branches across London.
Most pubs serve food these days and many have deals for meals and drink combos. One of the cheaper chains is Wetherspoon which has a Curry Club every week.
•Best Budget Restaurants
If you still want to enjoy a restaurant, have a look at this list of London Cheap Eats. It doesn't have to be expensive to dine out in London; you just need to know where to go. These restaurants are all in central London and are all tried and tested favorites of Londoners and visitors alike.More »•Fish and Chips
One in four of all the potatoes consumed in Britain is served up as chips and more than 277 million portions of chips are sold in fish and chip shops each year. Fish and Chips is a traditional English dish so you want to try it at least once but you want the best. So, where do you go? Well, it's been hard but I've tried out loads of fish and chips shops and restaurants and have chosen this list of the Best Fish and Chips in London.More »•Sandwich Shops
There are many sandwich shops all over London. The cheaper end of the chain sandwich stores have pre-packaged sandwiches for around £1. Look out for 'Benjy's' for some really low deals. The slightly nicer end of the market is Pret A Manger and 'Eat'.
Most sell pasta dishes too, plus cakes and drinks. Some offer hot food and drinks.
•All Day Breakfast
In London we tend to call this a 'Full English'. It's a hot meal you can get from cafes (not fancy ones) and some pubs which can include bacon, eggs, sausages, grilled tomato, baked beans, mushrooms, tea, and toast/fried bread. There are plenty of variations on this and some places allow you to choose each item individually so you can lower the price again.
- Best Breakfasts in London
- Full Breakfast in Britain and Ireland (British Food site) What is a Full Breakfast? (British Food site)
•Have A Chinese Meal
Chinese food is well-priced in London and the best place to try it is in London's Chinatown. With almost 80 restaurants, Chinatown is famous throughout London and beyond for its food. You can sample cuisine from all over Asia including Cantonese, Szechuan, Mongolian, and Malaysian. There are also Chinese supermarkets if you fancy cooking a Chinese for yourself.
•Vietnamese Cuisine
There's a group of great Vietnamese restaurants on Kingsland Road, E2, near the Geffrye Museum. My favorite is Song Que (134 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DY, tel: 020 7613 3222) as it's much bigger than the others and is always busy with locals (which is always a good sign).
•Go to a Supermarket
Central London has mini versions of its big supermarkets all over town. You'll find 'Tesco Metro' or 'Tesco Express', and 'Sainsbury's Local' and Simply Food (M&S) all over the place. They all sell useful picnic food, such as sandwiches and pies, as well as the basics such as bread and milk.
For healthy options visit Whole Foods Market; the largest branch is in Kensington but there are branches across London.
•Pub Grub
Most pubs serve food these days and many have deals for meals and drink combos. One of the cheaper chains is Wetherspoon which has a Curry Club every week.
