Pork pies at Peyton & Byrne (© Rogan McDonald)
Five favourite London lunch venues
Tue Jul 8 2008
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Because I am hungry and generous, I thought I'd share my five top London lunch venues within striking distance of Time Out towers on TCR.
They are, in no particular order.
1 The wraps place with the name I can't remember, sorry, Brewer Street. In which three fast-working, frighteningly enthusiastic and rather lascivious young men frantically serve superb, bursting wraps to a backdrop of deafening techno. Invigorating and slightly terrifying, especially if you are a female between 16 and 90. It's next to an old-fashioned sweet shop, which makes it a double hitter.
2 Gourmet Hotdog Company, Berwick Street. I'm generally sceptical of single-issue lunch venues such as Hummus Brothers (get over it everybody, it's just a dip. And anyway, I'll blow them out the water when I get round to opening my World Of Guac franchise), but that's before I discovered the GHC. You want a sausage smothered in pork scratching and mushy pies? Here's where you go. There's also a game element: dare your colleagues to eat the most disgusting combination you can construct from the menu (salmon sausage and baked beans). Also: beautifully ergonomic sausage containers.
3 Marino's, Rathbone Place. Best for cheap pasta, ciabatta and banter. A fail safe stop gap.
4 El Burrito, Charlotte Place. After decades of stagnation, London's Tex-Mex scene has finally taken off. First we had the Beach Burrito Bar on Berwick St, which then rebranded to disappointing effect. Now we have this little beauty on Charlotte Place. Excellent burritos, with queues out the door. Top tip: if you don't want to queue, cross Charlotte Street to the Mexican van outside Oxfam where you can get equally good, slightly cheaper but sometimes lukewarm burritos in half the time. Both are considerably more enjoyable than the poncy sit-down 'proper' Mexican place behind Trafalgar Square.
5 Peyton & Byrne, Heal's, Tottenham Court Road. Good soup, excellent pork pies and cakes to die for. Slightly snotty and the sandwiches are nothing to write home about, but stick to the soup+pie+cake formula and you won't be disappointed.
What are your favourites? Where should I lunch today?
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11 comments
I've always liked Wahaca at Covent Garden as it's really cheap, good, fun Mexican food, but i think they make up the rest off thier money with the drinks prices
It's not pretty, is it? At least they got the hair right.
Peter what happened to your face? Are you on drugs?
Mark B/Siobhan - Jumbo Eats, thanks, that's it. It is great, but I'm not sure I'd dare go there if I was female, I'd have to send a male colleague!
Brewer St place is the best in W1 for wraps, have been going there for 4 years. Try their specials. Don't buy anything else, you won't be able to fit it in!
It's called Jumbo Eats/ Jumbos. Advert over.
MaCondos in Camden Passage in islington does a nice veggie or chorizo tortilla with a lovely big salad for about £5.95, very tasty but the service is a wee bit laid back.... but its worth it if you like a tortilla and are not in a hurry. They play good music too and have very tasty big cakesand good coffee if you're still hungry.
Your comments on the wrap place on Brewer Street is uncannily accurate!! It is intimidating and hardcore but the wraps are SOOOOOO good!!!
For a quick, healthy, veggie lunch that's available all over London, I go for hummus and salad (with a dash of chilli sauce) in pitta bread. In the best places you get a quarter of lemon and a whole chilli too – and plenty of change from a fiver. In one of those Turkish emporia between Old Street roundabout and Pitfield Street, it's very well packed with crunchy salad goodness and costs around £2.50.
The all-you-can-eat Brazillian cafe on Oxford Street is my hidden secret. Great food, and as a mark of it's authenticity it's full of Brazillian students. Even the staff speak to you in Portuguese.
For Sushi hit up the Japan Centre at Piccadilly Circus, you can't go wrong and so much better value than Itsu takeaways or the like.
e.g. Japan Centre = 8 just made large Cai Rolls for £2.30
Mizuna salads are my favourite treat - seriously good for you (well, apart from the feta -mmmmm salty cheese), innovative recipes and speedy services - the perfect payday celebration! See ya there....