Most people associate London with British
food - the usual overcooked vegetables, fish & chips, pork
pies, corned beef etc. However due to London's ethnic diversity
a variety of cuisines have appeared in London and added much
to the city diet. For budget meals head to the local pubs for
good beer and inexpensive meals. You can also picnic out (if
the weather is willing) in the many gardens and squares. Read
on for more details.
-SPECIALITIES -CAFES -RESTAURANTS -BARS AND PUBS -TEA
SPECIALITIES
Beans on toast
Mushy peas
Chip butties - french fries between two slices of buttered white
bread
Pie filled with spiced eel
Sunday roast
Yorkshire pudding - light batter baked until fluffy and eaten
with gravy
Cornish pasties - filled with minced beef or mutton, diced potatoes
and onions
Steak and kidney pie
Fish and chips
CAFES
Cafe in the Crypt
Plenty of offerings for vegetarians with dishes from £5-6.
Open 10am to 8pm every day. Duncannon Street, Tube: Charing
Cross.
Benjy's
Huge English breakfasts on Earls Court Roads and bottomless
cups of tea and coffee. Popular with travellers. 157 Earls Court
Road, Earls Court, London SW5. Tube: Earls Court.
Brick Lane Beigel Bake
Renowned for its Beigel's and open 24 hours. 159 Brick Lane
E2, Tube: Shoreditch
Dome
A chain of French style cafés with a £4.95 three-course
meal deal. Numerous locations including: 341 Upper Street, Islington,
London N1 (tube: Angel). 8-10 Charing Cross Road, WC2 (tube:
Charing Cross or Leicester Square). 57-59 Old Compton Street,
London W1 (tube: Piccadilly Circus). 354 Kings Road, Chelsea
SW3 (tube: Sloane Square or South Kensington). 194-196 Earls
Court Road, Earls Court, London SW5 (tube: Earls Court). 32
Long Acre, Covent Garden, London WC2 (tube: Covent Garden).
35a Kensington High Street, London W8 (tube: Kensington High
Street). 4 St Paul's Churchyard, London EC4 (Tube: St Pauls).
The Footstool
Housed in the crypt of an old church and now concert hall, buffet
soups, casseroles, lunches and dinners (after the concerts).
St John's Smith Square SW1, Tube: Westminster.
RESTAURANTS
Quo Vadis
Karl Marx lived up here from 1851 to 1856 and artist Damien
Hirsts's sculptures were once on display. That's all long gone
but the French menu is pretty affordable for the location in
the Soho district. You can get by on around £20 for a
two/three course meal lunch. 26-29 Dean Street W1, Tube: Leicester
Square
Indian Veg Bhelpoori House
Indian vegetarian restaurant with four main dishes, rice and
a range of snacks for £2.75. 92 Chapel Market, London
N1
Try Brick Lane for wall-to-wall cheap Indian and Bangladeshi
restaurants. Tubes Aldgate East or Shoreditch will get you there.
New Tayyab
Authentic Indian and Pakistani food for less than £10.
83 Fieldgate St E1, Tube: Whitechapel
Mr Wu
A 10 course all you can eat Chinese lunch or dinner is a tremendous
magnet at just £5. There are three restaurants, two in
Bayswater and one near Leicester Square. 69 Westbourne Grove,
London W2, Tube: Bayswater. Royal Oak or Queensway. 54 Queensway,
London W2, Tube: Bayswater or Queensway. 28 Wardour Street,
London W1, Tube: Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square.
Sofra Café
A chain of Turkish eateries with options for vegetarians also
at budget prices. 66 Wigmore Street, W1 and 33 Old Compton Street,
W1
O Sole Mio
Standard and decent-value Italian restaurant. Pizzas and pastas
all around £6. 39 Churton Street, SW1, Tube: Victoria
Stockpot
Good value, simple food and great locations are the hallmarks
of these two popular restaurants. 18 Old Compton Street, London
W1, Tube: Leicester Square and 6 Basil Street, Knightsbridge,
London SW3, Tube: Knightsbridge.
Wagamama
A popular Japanese noodle. 23-25 Eastcastle Street, London W1.
Tube: Tottenham Court Road.
Tawana
Thai restaurant with small and large dishes for £4.95-6.95.
3 Westbourne Grove W2, Tube: Bayswater, Royal Oak
Cranks
Popular restaurant chain with outlets in Soho, Leicester Square.
Full meals cost from £10, breakfast from £2.25.
The menu is vegetarian.
Solly's
Kosher food on Golders Green Road including Middle Eastern dishes
like felafel, North African sausage and tahini. The restaurant
upstairs does full course meals. The cafe downstairs can cost
just £4 for a plate.
BARS AND PUBS
Pubs often offer cheap meal deals as well.
Grumbles
Pleasant wine bar with meals as well. 35 Churton Street, Tube:
Victoria
The Churchill Arms
Traditional English pub with chamber pots and excellent Thai
food. 119 Kensington Church Street W8, Tube: Notting Hill Gate.
Captain Kidd
Hidden away in a quiet residential street, just a minutes walk
from Wapping tube station with a riverside beer garden and views
across to Butler's Wharf and Tower Bridge. Popular with locals
with cheap beer. 108 Wapping High Street, London E1. Tube: Wapping.
The Church
The Church started back in 1979 when a group of Aussies living
in London got together at a local pub every Sunday to get smashed.
The tradition gained a following and now for five hours every
Sunday a huge warehouse in Kings Cross Freight Depot plays host
to thousands who come to dance and drink. Start queueing at
11am. Entry is £5. Kings Cross Freight Depot, off York
Way, Kings Cross, London N1. Tube: Kings Cross. Walk up York
Way and follow others when you cross the canal.
Fettler & Firkin and Frog & Firkin
The Firkin Brewery run a chain of theme pubs with traditional
atmosphere, ale and good food. Locations include 15 Chilworth
Street across from Paddington Tube station. And 96 Ladbroke
Grove, London W11. Tube: Ladbroke Grove.
The Fire Station
Popular gastropub with main courses and lunches and dinner.
Jazz on Sunday afternoons. 150 Waterloo Road, SE1, Tube: Waterloo.
The Market Bar
Great access to the Notting Hill market with an interesting
crowd. Jazz on Tuesday and Sunday. Thai food upstairs. 240a
Portobello Road, W11, Tube: Ladbroke Grove
Kings Head
A popular Earls Court pub. A good English pub busy on Friday
or Saturday night. Hogarth Place, Earls Court, London SW5. Tube:
Earls Court.
Punch & Judy
Inside the central market hall of Convent Garden with a balcony
that lets you overlook the street performers in the piazza below.
40 The Market, Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2. Tube: Covent
Garden.
The Red Lion
Near Big Ben and the Horse Guard Parade, and a good break from
sightseeing in the Westminster area. A typical English pub.
48 Parliament Street, Westminster, London SW1. Tube: Westminster.
The Swan
Popular with tourists and located on Bayswater Road opposite
Hyde Park. Outdoor seating makes it a good spot for a meal or
leisurely drink. There is a piano bar inside. The infamous highwayman,
Claude Duvall had his last drink here before he was hanged in
1670. 66 Bayswater Road, London W2. Tube: Queensway or Lancaster
Gate.
TOP TEA
Claridges Hotel
A grand 18th century foyer is your surroundings for high teas
from 3 to 5.30pm. It's not cheap at £18.50 a head, £25
if you want champagne. Brook Street W1, Tube: Bond Street
The Savoy
Tea is served here in the Thames Foyer daily from 3-5.30pm.
Costs £18.50 or £28 including champagne. Strand
WC2, Tube: Charing Cross
Other locations for tea include Brown's Hotel, Fortnum and Mason,
Waldorf, Orangery and The Ritz.
