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 east London
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Albion at The Boundary Project
2-4 Boundary Street, Shoreditch, E2 7DD
High-end British caff in Shoreditch, run by Terence Conran and providing nicely made British nostalgia food. Breakfast is served all day, plus, of course, sandwiches, fish and chips, pies, and school puddings. Meal for two with wine and service: around £45. Read more
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China Palace
2 Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock North, Docklands, E16 1DR
Brimming with savvy Chinese families congregating for weekly dim sum, China Palace is held in high regard despite the trek from most areas in London. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £40. Set meal £16.50-£18.50 per person (minimum 2). Read more
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Chaat
36 Redchurch St, Shoreditch, E2 7DP
Chaat is a welcoming Bangladeshi café in Shoreditch offering traditional home-style dishes with broad appeal. If you're looking for a simple, inexpensive curry at the top of Brick Lane, Chaat should be top of your list - the cheap pricing doesn't do Chaat justice. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £30. Read more
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Lahore Kebab House
2 Umberston Street, Whitechapel, E1 1PY
As noisy and boisterous as a school canteen, this long-established Pakistani caff offers earthy cooking with plenty of smoky grills and hot, buttery breads. Meal for two with service: around £25. BYO: no corkage charge. Read more
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Green Papaya
191 Mare Street, Hackney, E8 3QE
Vietnamese food veterans tired of the usual offerings in east London should head to Green Papaya, where ingredients like banana flowers and smoked tofu are used with great effect. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £35. Read more
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Mangal Ocakbasi
Classic cheap eats, 10 Arcola Street, Dalston, E8 2DJ
This Turkish ocakbasi (charcoal grill restaurant) was London’s first in 1992, and just look what they started. This remains one of the most endearing, and simplest; for heaps of prime meat at low prices and its BYO policy. Meal for two with service: around £35. Read more
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Song Que
Classic cheap eats, 134 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, E2 8DY
There’s a distinct canteen-style feel about Song Que – it's all terribly efficient, the Vietnamese food on offer is always fresh and satisfying, and all dishes offer great value for money. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £30. Read more
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Tayyabs
Classic cheap eats, 83 Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel, E1 1JU
This legendary Pakistani eatery is a veritable temple to meat, with many coming in their droves to sample as much of Tayyabs’s specialities as their stomachs will allow. The portions are epic and sharing is encouraged. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £25. Read more
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Square Pie
Spitalfields Market, 105c Commercial St, City, E1 6BG
Transcending its humble days as a mere van in Spitalfields market to become a competitive flagship outlet, Square Pie’s longevity is owed to its good value, and darn tasty pies. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £20. 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.