Struggling to find cheap eats in London? You’ve come to the right place! Living in such a great culinary capital, you must always be dazzled by an array of dainty comestibles but deterred by the high prices. So welcome to our list of London budget eats costing less than £20. From fish & chips to pizza & burgers, these best cheap eats across north, east, south, and west London give you the most cost-effective bargain and needn’t compromise on your taste buds. Feast at the best budget London restaurants, cafés, and bakeries without breaking the bank.
Cheap Eats in Central London
1. Paul Rothe & Son, Marylebone
For sandwich lovers, Paul Rothe & Son, Marylebone, must be one of the best cheap eats in London. It is a historic and charming deli run by the Rothe family since 1900. Every day at lunchtime, there will be many foodies queuing up to buy the famous pastrami and cheese, coronation chicken, and smoked salmon. Just as TV chef Judy Joo, restaurateur at Seoul Bird, said, “ His go-to is pastrami and cheese, piled high with pickle, mayo and mustard, quintessentially British, and he loves it very much.”
- Price: Most sandwiches, £4; pastrami, £9.
- Address: 35 Marylebone Ln, London W1U 2NN
2. Chinatown Bakery, Soho
Enter Chinatown, Soho, through the iconic gate, and you will see this must-visit bakery for all of the sweet tooths. Soft pandan cakes, Barbecued pork pastry, Hello Kitty mooncakes, chicken and pork floss buns, pineapple buns, custard buns… Savour the simple but delicious taste standing out among European sweet pastries. Meanwhile, as one of the reasonable places to eat in London, you can pay a small amount of money but enjoy the full satisfaction of your taste buds.
- Prices: Rolls, under £2.8
- Address: 7-9 Newport Pl, London WC2H 7JR
3. BAO, Soho (and elsewhere)
BAO, a Taiwanese “Gua Bao” store, is among the cool cheap places to eat in London, with its price starting from only £6. The soft and glutinous steamed buns are filled with pork belly, peanut powder, etc. The flavours just build up and up and up. As Sofian Msetfi, the executive chef at Mayfair’s 1-starred Ormer restaurant, said: “Here, you can enjoy the high-quality and fresh ingredients at an affordable price.”
- Prices: from £6
- Address: 53 Lexington St, Carnaby, London W1F 9AS
4. Flat Iron, Covent Garden
The main dish in Flat Iron is the steak, £10, served with a small salad. The meat is tender and affordable, which is undoubtedly one of London budget eats for meat lovers.
- Prices: £10
- Address: 17-18 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8QH
5. Misato, Soho
Misato is an affordable Japanese food in London’s Chinatown, with large portions of only £7 per person. Recommended dishes include curry rice and udon noodles. It must be one of the best budget London restaurants for individuals who are interested in Japanese food. By the way, it is cash only. Please take some changes with you.
- Prices: £7
- Address: 11 Wardour St, London W1D 6PG
Cheap Eats in East London
6. Beigel Bake, Brick Lane
Beigel Bake is a long-established bagel shop in East London that operates 24 hours a day. Its signature corned beef bagel with mustard sauce costs only around £3, which is known as “a must-try street food in London.”
- Prices: £3—£5
- Address: 159 Brick Ln, London E1 6SB
7. Tayyabs, Whitechapel
Tayyabs, Whitechapel, is a Punjabi restaurant known for its juicy and charred Charcoal-grilled lamb chops, served with garlic naan, a strong Pakistani flavour. You need to queue for this strong Pakistani flavour in advance.
- Prices: £8—£15
- Address: 83-89 Fieldgate St, London E1 1JU
8. Sông Quê Café, Shoreditch
Sông Quê Café is a well-known Vietnamese restaurant in Shoreditch. As one of the cheap best restaurants in London, you can pay only £15 for a full meal. The beef bone soup is clear and sweet, the rice noodles are smooth, and they are served with fresh bean sprouts and basil. The other recommended drinks and eats include fried spring rolls (£5.5) and iced Vietnamese coffee (£3.5).
- Prices: £15
- Address: 134 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8DY
9. Poppies Fish & Chips, Spitalfields
Those who are looking for London cheap eats can’t miss Poppies Fish & Chips, Spitalfields, a retro-themed fish shop. The cod are wrapped in a light beer batter, crispy outside and tender inside, served with coarse-cut chips and mushy peas. With a large portion, you can share it with your friends and experience the traditional British flavour together.
- Prices: £12.5
- Address: 6-8 Hanbury St, London E1 6QR
10. The Breakfast Club, Spitalfields
The Breakfast Club, among the best cheap eats in London, England, is a retro American brunch shop. The full English breakfast includes sausages, bacon, black pudding, etc. You can also choose muffins with maple syrup and butter. The portions are large, and you need to queue on weekends.
- Prices: Full English breakfast, £11.5, muffin breakfast, £9
- Address: 12-16 Artillery Ln, City of London, London E1 7LS
Cheap Eats in North London
11. Roti King, Euston
Roti King is one of the Malaysian family-style cool cheap restaurants in London. The signature Indian pancake (Roti Canai), £6, rich with curry sauce, is crispy and delicious, only £6, while the warm and filling laksa noodle soup, £10, is also popular. Gary Foulkes regarded it as nearly the best Malaysian food in London worth queuing.
- Prices: £6—£12
- Address: 40 Doric Way, Euston Rd., London NW1 1LH
12. The Cheese Wheel Pasta, Camden Town
Having no idea about finding cheap eats in London? Try The Cheese Wheel Pasta in Camden Market! The pasta is freshly fried in the giant wheels of Parmesan cheese. The creamy sauce coats each strand with your choice of bacon, mushroom or truffle flavours. In addition, designed as an open stall, you can clearly watch the whole process of production. The portions are also generous, perfect for eating on the go.
- Prices: Cheese wheel pasta, £8—£12
- Address: Camden Lock Market, London NW1 8AF
13. Etles Uyghur Restaurant, Walthamstow
Etles Uyghur Restaurant is the Xinjiang flavour rarely seen in London. Enjoy the big plate of chicken with soft and glutinous potatoes, belt-wide noodles soaked up the sauce, and hand-pulled noodles served with tomato and lamb topping. It must be on the list of the best budget London restaurants, £12—£15 per person, optional spiciness, suitable for heavy taste lovers.
- Prices: Big plate chicken, 2—3 servings, £16, hand-pulled noodles, £8.5
- Address: 235 Hoe St, Walthamstow, E17 9PP
14. Dotori Korean and Japanese, Islington
Dotori, Islington, is a Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant. Kimchi fried rice, served with fried eggs and seaweed, is rich in flavours. Sushi rolls are also affordable. Except here, it is difficult to have such a cheap lunch in London at only £12, including the main course and side dishes.
- Prices: Kimchi pork rice, £9.8, spicy tuna sushi roll, £6.5
- Address: 3 Stroud Green Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 2DQ
15. Hala, Haringey
Hala is a nice Turkish food spot in Green Lanes, which is perfect for family meals. James Knappett, from Kitchen Table, said that he always visits this neighbourhood Turkish restaurant with his family and shares a mixed grill platter between them. There are many famous dishes there, like Adana kabab, chicken and lamb shish, and manti.
- Prices: £20
- Address: 29-31 Grand Parade, Green Lanes, Harringay Ladder, London N4 1LG
Cheap Eats in West London
16. Mother Mash, Carnaby
Mother Mash is a traditional British cuisine. It is among the best cheap eats in London, where you can taste hand-beaten sausages and dense mashed potatoes with rich gravy or vegetarian curry sauce for £10 per person. Choose from beef or vegetarian pies.
- Prices: Sausage and mash set, £9.5
- Address: 26 Ganton St, Carnaby, London W1F 7QZ
17. The Lass O'Richmond Hill, Richmond
Find some London budget eats and drinks in The Lass O’Richmond Hill, one of the best pubs in Richmond. Atul Kocchar loves the Sunday roasts here with all the food prepared on a kamado grill on the garden terrace. With fresh ingredients and cutting-edge cooking techniques, we bet you will never taste such delicious British pub food.
- Prices: £20
- Address: Surrey, 8 Queen’s Rd, Richmond TW10 6JJ
18. Rock and Sole Plaice, Covent Garden
Rock and Sole Plaice is a century-old shop, among the best cheap eats in London. The codfish is fried in beer batter until golden, and the chips are roughly cut to retain the potato aroma. Served with pea puree or curry sauce, the portion is suitable for 2 to share and experience authentic British fast food culture.
- Prices: Classic codfish and chips, £12
- Address: 47 Endell St, London WC2H 9AJ
19. Herman ze German, King's Cross
Herman ze German is a kind of German street food with its sausages imported from Germany, juicy and plump. You can choose from spicy or classic smoked pork served with mustard sauce and sauerkraut. It is very cost-effective and suitable for eating on the go.
- Prices: German sausage hot dog, £4.45
- Address: 43 Charlotte St., London W1T 1RS
20. The Athenian Souvlaki & Gyros, White City
The Athenian Souvlaki & Gyros, on the list of the best cheap eats in London, is a kind of delicious Greek street food. The pork gyros are only £7.5, served with chips and tzatziki sauce.
- Prices: £6—£10
- Address: Unit 5, White City Place, 191 Wood Ln, London W12 7TU
Cheap Eats in South London
21. Honest Burgers, Clapham
Honest Burgers is a local chain burger restaurant known for its juicy beef patties served with red onion sauce and crisp lettuce. Fries are sprinkled with rosemary salt and dipped in rose sauce (tomato + mayonnaise) for a unique flavour.
- Prices: Classic beef burger, £11, rose sauce fries, £3.5
- Address: 75 Venn St, London SW4 0BD
22. Negril, Brixton
Those interested in Jamaican-style inexpensive restaurants in London shouldn’t miss Negril, a Caribbean eat. Grilled crispy chicken is slow-smoked over charcoal and served with coconut rice and red kidney beans. Plus, the chicken is drizzled with secret hot sauce, perfect for you to experience the Caribbean street life for £10 per person.
- Prices: Smoked grilled chicken with rice and peas, £8.5
- Address: 132 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RS
23. Brickwood Coffee & Bread, Clapham
Brickwood Coffee & Bread, among the best places to eat in London cheap, is an Australian-style cafe. Avocado mash spread all over sourdough bread, poached egg is tempting, muffins are drizzled with maple syrup and butter, and coffee is made from home-roasted beans. Enjoy a lazy brunch at £12 per person.
- Prices: Avocado toast with poached egg, £9, muffin, £5.5
- Address: 16 Clapham Common South Side, London SW4 7AB
24. Silk Road, Camberwell
Silk Road, Camberwell, is among the Xinjiang-style best value restaurants in London. Taste the big plate chicken with soft and glutinous potatoes, belt noodles soaked in spicy sauce, and charcoal-grilled lamb skewers. The restaurant is suitable for heavy-tasting enthusiasts.
- Prices: Big plate chicken, £14.5 (2 servings), hand-pulled noodles, £3
- Address: 47 Camberwell Church St, London SE5 8TR
25. Fish, Wings & Tings, Brixton
Fish, Wings & Tings is a Caribbean-style restaurant. The fried chicken wings are crispy, served with coconut rice and red kidney beans, and topped with secret hot sauce. The portion is substantial and full of Jamaican street flavour. Only with £12 per person can you taste the authentic Caribbean flavours at one of the best budget London restaurants.
- Prices: Fried chicken wings with rice and peas, £9.5
- Address: Granville Arcade, Unit 3, Brixton Village, Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8PR
Conclusion about Cheap Eats in London
Finding delicious and cheap eats in London is not as difficult as you imagine. There are various London budget eats in Central, East, West, North, and South London. You can rent a London accommodation on uhomes.com, a reliable student accommodation marketplace, and visit the best budget London restaurants on our list one by one!
FAQs about Cheap Eats in London
Is it cheap to eat in London?
The cost of food in London is relatively high compared to other places worldwide. You may need to pay about £50—£150 per week for a diet. The specific expenses depend on personal eating habits. In addition, to save more money on food, we recommend you rent cheap flats through uhomes.com, an online rental platform for student accommodation. Get the highest cashback and all-around utility bills with us.
Where can I eat in London without breaking the bank?
Below are the best budget London restaurants that you can eat well without breaking the bank.
- Fish, Wings & Tings: Caribbean-style restaurant
- Roti King: Malaysian family-style food scene
- BAO: a Taiwanese “Gua Bao” store
- Silk Road: Xinjiang-style cuisine
How to eat out cheaply in London?
The street food is always cheaper than a main meal. You can visit the famous markets in London with various food stalls, like The Cheese Wheel Pasta in Camden Market, Chinatown Bakery in Chinatown, and I Falafel in Goulston Street’s market.
