Best place to have lunch in London. Where to eat in London? - a purely English pub

In principle, it is possible to eat inexpensively in London, but prices in the British capital are quite high; just look at the ratio of the pound sterling to the ruble and everything becomes clear. Therefore, you can’t count on low prices in London. Not far from the metro station there is a cafe “The Counter”. This is a small establishment that serves delicious and original dishes. During the day, many come here to snack on homemade pies with apples, pork and other fillings, as well as a full course of eggplant and lamb. For breakfast they offer salads and scrambled eggs.

The Polish cafe “Londek Cafe” can delight visitors with low prices and home-cooked dishes. A distinctive feature of this establishment is its large portions. One of the signature dishes is a casserole of potatoes, pork and sauce. The menu also includes other Polish dishes: soups, beef goulash, stewed cabbage, dumplings. There is a large selection of desserts.

Now every major city in the world has cafes and restaurants serving Asian cuisine, and London is no exception in this regard. For about 5-7 pounds you can have a good meal in a small Vietnamese cafe, which is located next to Victoria Park. For budget tourists, this is a real find. People often come here for lunch and dinner. The food is prepared in traditional Vietnamese style with spices and herbs. The interior of the restaurant is simple, nothing special about it, but it’s not the interior that visitors come here for.

In London there is also a Brazilian cafe, Torto, whose frequent guests are not only tourists, but also local residents. This sign simultaneously hides a bar, a cafe and a grocery store. Here you can not only order fried sausages, meatballs, stewed beans and other dishes of Brazilian-Portuguese cuisine, but also the ingredients for preparing them yourself. Meals start from just one pound.

A budget tourist should not give up street food. This is a great opportunity to have a tasty and expensive meal. The best street food spots in London are the Eat My Pies stalls. These may look like modest tents, but this is one case where appearances can be deceiving. Local chefs bake English pies with fish, eggs, pork and other fillings. But you can buy such food not every day, but only on Thursdays and Fridays.

Edgware Road is home to many Lebanese restaurants (the area is home to many Arab immigrants). We can’t say that this is a popular tourist spot, but it’s quite possible to eat for 3-5 pounds. In any Lebanese restaurant, visitors are offered shawarma, hummus, falafel sandwich and other traditional dishes for the Arab region.

Thrifty tourists always pay attention to cafes that are located in various shopping centers and department stores. The M&S department store chain offers visitors not only coffee, but also salads, snacks, and sandwiches. There is always a large influx of visitors in such establishments, but this is not surprising, since low prices become decisive when choosing a catering establishment.

Eating out in London restaurants can cost you a lot of money. To ensure you don't spend your entire budget on one dinner, here are 10 places in central London where you can eat inexpensively and deliciously.

London is famous for its multicultural establishments. Koshari Street is an Egyptian eatery that serves koshari - a mixture of rice, chickpeas, tomatoes and pasta. A very filling and tasty thing, which is also served with cheap soups.

Prices: koshari from 4.50 pounds, salads, soups - from 2.95 pounds.

In the afternoon, prices are off the charts and there are a lot of visitors. Therefore, we recommend coming here for breakfast: before 11.00 you can have a delicious meal here, spending up to 10 pounds. The main menu is baked goods filled with dried fruits, nuts and cheese. There are also hot dishes.

Prices: breakfast – 3-6 pounds.

Address: Warren Street, W1, 020 7388 6175.

This central city cafe is a slightly odd but brilliant example of how an old public toilet can be turned into a stylish space. The food here is cheap and tasty: from omelettes and sausages to desserts and delicious coffee.

Prices: Sandwiches and hot dishes around £3-5.50.

Address: 27a Foley Street, London, W1W 6DY.

A small Swedish restaurant that serves every kind of soup, fish and chips you can imagine. From the exclusive: rye porridge half and half with oatmeal, smoked mackerel and spicy cabbage and oregano salads.

Prices: breakfast - 2.25-4.50 pounds, lunch - 2.95-9.95 pounds.

Address: 61 Great Titchfield Street, W1.

Young lamb burgers with rosemary and potatoes made this diner famous throughout the city. While £9.50 for a signature Honest Burger may seem like a lot, we can assure you it'll last you all day. Tip: come right after opening at 11:30 to grab a seat and try the famous sandwich.

Prices: Beef burger with fries – 8 pounds.

Address: 4a Meard Street, W1.

A minimalist white brick interior, hipster music and delicious coffee are what you should come to this cafe for. There is a large selection of homemade baked goods - from chocolate cakes to fish and meat pies.

Prices: breakfast/brunch on weekends - 2.80 - 9.50 pounds, lunch - 3.50 - 6.50, pizzas from 4.95 pounds.

Address: Berwick Street, W1.

This is probably the only place in Soho that serves a metre-long pizza for the ridiculous price of £6. There are different fillings: from sausages to truffles. Pizza is also available to take away.

Prices: from £6 takeaway.

Address: 11 Dean Street, W1.

Spicy food lovers are advised to check out this curry restaurant. The exotic menu and incredibly low prices (a full three-course meal will set you back £3.75) attract hungry diners from all over. By the way, you can also dine here in the evening for under 10 pounds.

Prices: Lunch from £3.75.

Address: 16 Percy Street, W1.

Bibimbap is a Korean dish made of rice, lettuce, hot peppers, eggs and meat. Served in small pots and reasonably priced at around £6.50. In addition, the restaurant serves other types of Korean dishes: various soups, porridges and salads.

Prices: Bibimbap from £6.45 - £9.95.

Address: There are two branches at 11 Greek Street and 10 Charlotte Street, W1.

Vietnamese canteen where you can try real noodles and salads in baguettes. Local chefs put in just enough spice to make you love the spices rather than hate them.

Prices: Takeaway - around £4.35.

Address: There are two branches at 4-6 Theobalds Road, Holborn, WC1, and 4079 and 21 Rathbone Street, W1.

Source: The Guardian.

It will not be a revelation to anyone that London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. However, it is quite possible to find affordable and high-quality goods and services, and food is no exception. Most food can be found in all kinds of restaurants, pubs, cafes, with the exception of tents and markets. Pubs are of greatest interest among tourists. To visit them means to plunge into the ancient English era, since some of them are more than one century old. Each has its own history, traditions and customs, Therefore, pubs are very popular and in great demand among both the British and tourists. Word Pub in English means public house (literally people's 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 façade 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 choosing the 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 receive prizes;
  • In pubs it is customary to treat your neighbor to beer, no matter what this person may be seeing for the first time. Thus, everyone in the chain treats the person sitting next to them with beer. If you are 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 no matter where you are, there is always the opportunity to visit this establishment. The food selection is quite varied, and the menu includes dishes from various corners of British cuisine. As mentioned above, the vast majority of establishments are designed for people with average incomes, and by our standards they may even seem above average, but there are still budget places with good quality cuisine!

So where to eat in London?

King Edward VII

One of the inexpensive – by London standards – pubs, where the atmosphere of the Victorian era reigns, which, however, does not prevent the owners of the establishment from offering visitors a modern and tasty menu. The 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, and drink a glass of beer or ale. The latter will cost a tourist £1.65 for a half pint. A lunch of sandwiches and soup will cost around £6.50.

Restaurant address: 47 Broadway E15

The Counter

A rather peculiar establishment, located in the “outskirts” of the Olympic stadium, in the warehouse area, which is far from the most presentable appearance. However, this is one of those places that will give a comprehensive answer to the question of where to eat in London. Young talented chefs will be happy to offer tired tourists hearty, tasty and - most importantly - inexpensive dishes: huge scrambled eggs with wonderful watercress, an equally impressive sized 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 through Trafalgar Square and near Cowan Harvard, you can stop by this cozy little pub. Tourists can drink delicious beer and have a sandwich with real English sausages here in a calm, relaxing atmosphere. Such a 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 cafe that offers tourists a closer look at Polish cuisine. Here you can have a fairly hearty meal, ordering delicious vegetable dishes, soups, goulash, potato pie with meat. The portions offered are impressive, but lunch will cost - depending on appetite, of course - somewhere around at 6-8 lbs.

The cafe is located at 198 The Grove E15, and you can take food away. By the way, you can also have dinner here, as the establishment is open until 22:00.

Yalla Yalla

An establishment of Lebanese cuisine that deserves the attention of every tourist. The interior of the cafe, not without a certain charm and a certain personality (here the ceiling and walls are decorated with rough wood, there are simple tables and Arabic pillows scattered everywhere - even on the floor), offers visitors traditional dishes of oriental cuisine, with which our tourists have long been familiar. So, shawarma can be bought for 3 pounds and a huge flatbread stuffed with young lamb will cost about £10. All dishes can be ordered to take away.

The cafe is located in the Soho area, its address is 1 Green’s Court.

City Cafe

Today, Vietnamese and Indian dishes are very popular among Londoners, which can also be enjoyed on the street. The quality fully lives up to expectations and the amount paid for them. At City Cafe you can have a very satisfying meal for only 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 establishment 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 looking for 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 range 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, but the money spent on them is small (3 to 5 pounds) completely compensate for this shortcoming.

For those who like to have a cup of coffee during the day in London, there is a whole chain of coffee shops - Paul. Here, in addition to the aromatic drink, you can try amazing French pastries, buns, and cakes. I can also recommend from chain establishments 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 budget 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”. The prices in them, even the simplest ones, are quite high.

In London you can find excellent budget restaurants and bars where you can eat delicious food without breaking the bank. It’s worth visiting here if you’ve been walking around the city all day and have already spent money on expensive entertainment. Besides, everyone loves great deals - look in our list where you can find them and save money.

They serve Japanese snacks here - steamed buns with fillings - the choice is huge. And on Sundays for £39 per person you can eat all you want, although it doesn't sound that cheap, the deal is actually a good deal - the price includes hot and cold snacks, sauces, soya beans, chips, a welcome cocktail, steamed buns, wine and prosecco no restrictions and dessert. The main thing is to come hungry. Other deals include beer and scones on Mondays for £15 and a three-course express meal + 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 available from £7.95 to £14.95. A great place for those who love generous portions of healthy meze snacks and tasteful food.

Among the trendy cafes and restaurants on Old Street, Sedap doesn't immediately catch your eye, but that doesn't make it any worse. The epitome of the adage "don't judge a book by its cover", this restaurant is truly excellent. Instead of decor, the focus is on the food - moderately priced Chinese-Malay fusion cuisine and great lunch deals - three courses for £7.80. And why look for anything else?

It's not often that you get a good deal on Liverpool Street, but Pizza Union is a lucky exception. They sell pizza fresh from the oven and a drink for ten pounds - you can eat it on the spot or take it with you. The service is fast, but you can take your time - sit down in the evening with wine and pizza and people-watch. And if you come in a large group, then there are long benches - there is enough space for everyone.

This tiny Italian restaurant is so delicious that you can’t get through here. Every day there is a new menu, depending on what fresh products the chef bought at the market in the morning. Eating in can be a bit pricey, but they have great takeaway deals - a main course and drink for just five pounds. The selection is small but thoughtful, from hand-formed ravioli to salmon polenta, and the drinks are fabulous, especially the peach juice. They also have the nicest waiters in Shoreditch - they'll 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 they also roast their coffee, is located over a canal in Hackney Wick and is just perfect for relaxing on a bright sunny day. All the dishes here are homemade - from sausages to juices, and nothing costs more than ten pounds. In spring, summer and every first Friday of the month there is loud music and fun - the cafe becomes a pop-up bar Flamingo Pier - street food, alcohol and disco are on the menu on this day, and it is said to be one of the best nights in London.

This is one of those rare places where you can spend an entire evening dancing, eating, talking, playing pool and Jenga (for the fans) without spending a fortune. The staff is very friendly and tries to make your evening special, making sure that no one gets bored. From the outside, the place looks like a regular bar, but their specialty is free pizza with every drink, and the prices are quite reasonable. There are also offers for cocktails. But nothing beats hot free pizza and dancing to Beyoncé's latest hit.

For all fans of Korean fried chicken, come here. The restaurant opens every day at five in the evening 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. Menu prices vary - there are plenty of options for larger groups, but on average a meal will set you back £13 plus drinks. You can sit at the Bedroom Bar and your food will be brought to you there - quite nice of them.

The very mention of London's famous food markets brings to mind Exmouth or Borough Market, but Brockley Market shouldn't be underestimated either. In the Lewisham College car park, every Saturday from ten to two, traders set up their stalls with local products - fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants. There is also delicious street food here, usually less than five dollars - hot sugary churros and delicious burgers. Remember - cards are not accepted here, which is quite convenient - there is no risk of exceeding the credit limit.