Kebab Mahal

With its turquoise shop front and neon sign glowing the words ‘Halal, Indo-Pak, East Indian and Kebabs’ in the window, Kebab Mahal’s been a student favourite for decades because of its low prices and filling platefuls.

This tiny, unfussy curry house is a sit-in option for tandoori dishes through the day, and a takeaway joint for kebabs and pizzas until 2am in the morning. Most of the main courses (mostly lamb and chicken dishes, with one or two fish dishes and a good range of vegetarian options) come in around a fiver (rice and nan bread are extra), and are best enjoyed with a glass of mango lassi.

Don’t expect a sense of occasion - the owner Mr Khan concentrates on keeping the prices low and the food fresh - in fact, be prepared to share your table with whoever else is needing a seat that day - as well as attracting a steady flow of students, on Fridays it’s a popular pit-stop for hungry Muslims leaving the Mosque and tourists needing cheap eats. At 95p for a takeaway coffee, it must be one of the cheapest caffeine fixes in town too, another draw for the austerity-stricken student.