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Looking for a tasty lunch around London Bridge, Southwark, Waterloo and Borough? These spots should be on your must-visit list. They're just a few places you'll find on our list of best (and most affordable) lunches from the January 29 issue of Time Out magazine.
1. Veggie thali box at Gujarati Rasoi, £6.50
Say a big green hello to veggie food that even the most carnivorous Londoner can get behind. Gujarati Rasoi’s simple Borough Market stall dishes up authentic Indian thali boxes that overflow with brash flavours. Inside you’ll find a mixture of basmati rice, yoghurt and tamarind sauce with the curry of the day (cauliflower, lentil or chickpea). It’s such a massive portion that it’ll easily keep you going till dinnertime. A word of warning, though: avoid the midday rush or risk queuing for your entire lunch break. Angela Hui
Borough Market. London Bridge tube.
2. Gnocchi with nutmeg butter at Padella, £4
Our apologies to London’s other artisanal pasta specialists but Padella remains king. Years down the line, this London Bridge joint still draws queues every day, and for very good reasons: it’s stoopid good and stinking cheap. Just £5 will get you a plate of tagliarini with chilli, garlic and breadcrumbs. Better still, go for a pile of pillowy gnocchi slathered in nutmeg butter (£4) and some house sourdough with decent oil (£2). That, my dudes, is a good-value quality-carb coma. Tom Howells
6 Southwark St. London Bridge tube.
3. Quesadilla at Cantina Carnitas, £5
Got a hole that only a quesadilla can fill? Get a crispy, gooey, folded tortilla from this converted food truck. Think monterey jack heaped over hearty black beans and soft slow-cooked meats and veg. This Mexican grilled-cheese sandwich is best served with a big dollop of fresh guacamole, punchy salsa and sour cream on the side, but don’t forget a puddle of CC’s signature jalapeño and tomatillo sauce too. Angela Hui
77 Union St. Borough tube.
4. Falafel wrap at Falafel Rush, £3.50-£4.50
This under-the-radar enterprise does the best falafel wraps in town. The little chickpea balls that are dished out here are fried twice to ensure extra crispiness. Then they’re nestled into a lightly toasted wrap with vibrant fresh salad, pickles and a shedload of chips (plus whatever sauce you please). It’s carb-on-carb-on-carb madness that’ll leave you useless for anything other than digesting. But, god damn, it’s worth it. Angela Hui
Lower Marsh Market. Waterloo tube.
5. Panuozzo ‘oven sandwich’ at Theo’s, £5
Bored of Pret’s toastie line-up? Theo’s lunch-special panuozzo are ‘oven sandwiches’: pizza dough folded over pitch-perfect fillings such as sausage with sweet peppers, mozzarella and capers or roast aubergine with more mozzarella, sweet datterini toms and rocket. They’re basically sauceless, unsealed calzone and, ergo, are secret pizzas. The kind of statement to set Neapolitan purists on the warpath? Possibly. A delicious mega-bargain at £5? Absolutely. Tom Howells
17-18 Elephant & Castle. Elephant & Castle tube.
Still hungry? Check out our list of 100 London restaurants you have to try.