London's best cheap eats
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By Guy Dimond and Charmaine Mok. Photography Tricia de Courcy Ling
Updated: Tue Oct 20 2009
Central | North | South | East | WestCheap restaurants in north London
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Dotori
3 Stroud Green Road, Finsbury Park, N4 2DQ
Lanterns covered in hangul (Korean phonetic script) indicate the culinary emphasis at Dotori, though the mixed clientele clearly relish the gyoza and the salmon sashimi on the Japanese side of the menu, too. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £40. Read more
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Masa
24-26 Headstone Drive, Harrow, Middx, Harrow, HA3 5QH
The menu here incorporates a medley of flavours from the region, plus low pricing and sublime dishes. Expect meaty kebabs with strains of Middle Eastern character, Central Asian dumplings, Indian-inspired curries, and a selection of pastas and flatbreads. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £40. Read more
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Satuma
8 Fortess Rd, Kentish Town, NW5 2ES
The food at this tiny-but-stylish restaurant is what marks Satuma apart from the usual hole-in-the-wall Japanese joints. Presentation is simple yet stylish – the lunchtime bentos, ranging from £6.50 to £8.50, represent the best value for money. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £45. Read more
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Little Star
26 Station Parade, Willesden, NW2 4NH
The feel is initially French, but the menu is rather more eclectic European. The portions seem to be in inverse correlation to the price – which is a very good thing, indeed. Look out for the specials, which can, oddly enough, be cheaper than the normal selections. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £40. Read more
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Tbilisi
91 Holloway Road, Holloway, N7 8LT
It’s remarkable that despite everything working in its favour – great Georgian food and wine, friendly service and modest pricing, with mains coming in at less than £10 – Tbilisi is still something of a secret. Meal for two with wine and service: around £40. Read more
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Tong Kanom Thai
833 Harrow Road, Kensal Green, NW10 5NH
This is a real find, hidden on a rather derelict stretch of Harrow Road. Staggeringly, most dishes here are under the £5 mark, but there are no discernible corners cut. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £25. Read more
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Yum Cha
Eat here for under £10, 28 Chalk Farm Road, Chalk Farm, NW1 8AG
Here it’s the dim sum, rather than the bog-standard stir fries and noodles, that’s the draw. Since dim sum is for sharing, you can get your fill for dozens of tasty morsels for under a tenner (We suggest 3-4 dishes per person). Cost per person without wine or service: £9.45. Read more
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La Voute
10 Archway Close, Archway Rd, N19 3TD (7281 7314). Archway tube.
This daytime-only caff is bright and comfortable, offering a range of French-tinged treats for the famished. An elegant counter of pastries and confectionery is expected, and here they come laden with éclairs, croissants and cheesecake. Salads and soups of the day are vibrant and filling – try a Mediterranean-style sarnie filled with goats’ cheese, fresh pear and strawberry jam, paired with a crisp green salad. Perfect for spring and summer days is a sunny back garden, where Archway’s denizens have staked out the seats to enjoy fantastic breakfasts (lamb sausages and halloumi among the offerings) and coffees. Meals served 8am-4pm. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £35. Unlicensed; no alcohol allowed.
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Zeytoon
94-96 Cricklewood Broadway, Cricklewood, NW2 3EL
It’s not just the nostalgic Persian decor that has made it such a hit; the pleasingly authentic dishes straight from the Irano-Afghan border, served at bazaar prices, are simply inspiring. Meal for two with wine and service: around £35. Read more
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Jambo
Eat here for £10, 127 High Cross Road, Tottenham Hale, N17 9NR
Jambo might inhabit a utilitarian building, but seven days a week it serves up Ugandan food of the highest quality in the warmest of atmospheres. The £10 'variety meals' here are the best value. Cost per person without wine or service: £10. Read more
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Tandis
Eat here for under £10, 73 Haverstock Hill, Chalk Farm, NW3 4SL
This striking Iranian restaurant serves up a feast of subtly marinated chicken or lamb kebabs, slow-cooked khoresh stews and faloodeh shaved-ice desserts – we suggest skipping the starters to order one of these instead. Cost per person without wine or service: £9.60 Read more
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44 comments
Thought I'd add another place, I use this place every couple of weeks as it's consistantly good, nice staff and it's a BYO. Cafe Nawaz on Snowfields, just behind Guy's hospital. REally good Indian food.
Hello, we've been in London in summer and went to some "cheap eats" and it was really good to have your guide.
My big Pro: The "Dehli Wala" got the best veggie indian food I'd ever had (...and I had a lot!)
My big "Con" was a cafe at carnaby street/Marlborough.
Quite expensive, old scones, cold water for the tea and unprofessional waiters...
But to make along story short: Your guide is really helpful and we will use it next year again.
Keep at it!!!
Greetings from Braunschweig/ Germany
I love this - a lot. There are so many great places in London to eat cheaply and really enjoy yourself. I find that I don't really enjoy fine dining - I prefer spending between £5 and £20 on some good food, a few drinks and a great atmosphere. My favourites include: Many of the Vietnamese and Turkish places in Shoreditch, Leon, Wahaca, Strada and Zizzi (with vouchers!), Giraffe, Daddy Donkey Mexican Grill and Wagamama.
Time Out - come one! Chaat over Mien Tay?!!! Chaat curries swim in sauce and so long to arrive, not only that but there is only a choice of about 3 dishes so there is NO excuse. Mien Tay is unreal - you missed a trick here.
I had a wheatgrass shot, then a delicious curry meal followed by a homemade superfood truffle at the Inspiral Lounge in Camden, paid about a fiver! Staff were lovely too :-) Inspiral gets my vote!
I have been to inSpiral lounge in Camden on several occasions for the delicious food and exciting events they do there.
I am also surprised not to see the venue listed in Time Out as its the most exciting place I have been to in London.
They have great dance events, DJ,s, singer songwriter performances and the quality of the food including vegan ice cream, makes it a real land mark for alternative entertainment and healthy eating. All Londoners should know about inSpiral lounge.
Agreed on the inSpiral Lounge comment. This place should really be up here. It has awesome food for bargain prices, not to mention the AMAZING healthy dairy, sugar and cholesterol free ice cream and cakes...yum! Best place in Camden in my opinion.
I have been to many restaurants, i must agree with Time Out, Comptoir does it for its 10 out of 10 for less than £10.
Go there have a lamb & prunes tagine with fluffy organic coucous and rose water lemonade all in £8.30.
go there during the day they have free wifi, or in the evening where you can bring your own wine with no corckage.
well worth a try.
Da siva
great selection, but i can't believe you left out inSpiral Lounge in Camden high street. having visited many of the restaurants you feature here, none of them compare to the wide range of tasty and healthy food at inSpiral. that gets my vote
A bit weary of this list as it excludes probably the best cheap eat I have been to in all of London - Hot Stuff in Vauxhall. Great, fresh food that is very reasonably priced and free corkage BYOB on meaning you won't get over £15 pp all in for the entire evening out.
None the less I think I'll give a few of these places a whirl.
The best cheap eat in London is Sheba Restaurant in Brick Lane under £15 per head and the most gorgeous food you will ever have.
the chippy is well nice mann its fish and chipss mmmmmmmmmmmm fish
Won Kei - good chinese?? Baozi would get my vote over that place any day. Next we'll be having recommendations for Mr Wu's chinese buffet as being authentic dim sum!
Hi David, Won Kei also in Chinatown gets my vote.. they're affordable, and the food is better than Bao Zi, although their place is more simple, canteen-like. I know we're talking about value for money here however I have to be honest, Bao Zi's use of oil in their noodle it really is too liberal... I don't know how they get away with it! Try their spicy soup noodle you'll see what I mean.
Also I did not question Baozi's authenticity. Read my post again!
Anita,
These are cheap eats. We're talking relative here and for the price Baozi is surely a very good option. If you want something better you've got to pay more or go to China. Also, not that I know for sure, I get the idea that Baozi offers something a bit more authentic in an area full of Anglicised Chinese restaurants which for me wins it extra points.