best cheap eats in london (2026) - how to eat well without going broke

tldr: london is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. the top 3 cheap eats: sainsbury’s meal deal (3.25 pounds for sandwich + snack + drink, genuinely the best food deal on earth), the falafel wrap spot (under 7 pounds, line out the door for a reason), and the all-you-can-eat thai buffet (13.50 pounds, 12+ dishes, authentic as it gets). plus a chinese restaurant doing lunch specials at 8.50 that would cost triple in the US. full list with exact prices below.

london’s food reputation is split into two extremes. there’s the “everything costs 25 pounds for a mediocre sandwich” london that tourists experience, and then there’s the london where locals actually eat. this guide is about the second one.

i spent three days specifically hunting for the best cheap eats across the city. the rules: everything had to be genuinely good (not just cheap), i paid for everything myself, and i tracked every pound spent. total damage across three days: about 55 pounds. for context, that’s roughly what one decent restaurant dinner costs in central london.

if you’re looking for london’s food markets specifically, i’ve got a dedicated guide for that.

the awards (my personal picks)

• best overall value: sainsbury’s meal deal. 3.25 pounds. sandwich + snack + drink. nothing else comes close.
• best proper meal: the chinese restaurant’s lunch special. 8.50 pounds for authentic sichuan food that rivals china.
• best street food: falafel wrap. under 7 pounds, half a pound of food, line out the door at lunch.
• best buffet: all-you-can-eat thai street food buffet. 13.50 pounds. 12+ dishes. authentic. insane value.
• most filling: full english breakfast. 6.50 pounds. two sausages, two bacon, beans, eggs, hash browns. skip lunch.
• best late night: lamb and chicken over rice from street food carts. 7 pounds with a drink.
• most surprising: the neapolitan pizza from a street cart. 10 pounds for a whole pizza with perfect dough. can’t get this for under $16 in america.

the full list

the top tier (the ones i’d go back to every time)

1. the meal deal (sainsbury’s / tesco / boots)

all across london / 3-4 pounds / 9.5/10

i’m going to say something that sounds ridiculous: the single best food value in all of london is at a convenience store. a friend expressed genuine shock that i didn’t know about the meal deal, and after trying it, i understand why.

here’s how it works. you pick a sandwich (or wrap, or microwave meal). you pick a snack (guacamole, boiled eggs, sausage rolls, yoghurt, satay skewers). you pick a drink (starbucks iced coffee, protein shake, latte, pretty much anything). you pay only for the sandwich. the snack and drink are included.

i got the all-day breakfast sandwich (sausage, bacon, egg salad, tomato sauce), guacamole, and an iced coffee. total: 3.25 pounds. the iced coffee alone would cost 3 pounds. the guac was almost 2 pounds. both were free with the sandwich.

this deal does not exist in america. nobody in the US is giving you a $4 bottle of coffee when you buy a sandwich. if you’re in london primarily for sightseeing and don’t want to spend a fortune on food, this is your answer. available at sainsbury’s, tesco, boots, and most major convenience stores.

what to get: whatever sandwich looks good + the most expensive drink you can find + guac or sausage roll as snack

verdict: the greatest food value on the planet. not exaggerating.

2. authentic sichuan restaurant (lunch specials)

near chinatown / 8.50 pounds per dish / 9.5/10

this place fills to capacity within 20 minutes of opening for lunch. the crowd is 95% chinese. that’s the only review you really need.

the lunch special menu is 8.50 pounds per dish. the double-cooked pork is one of the best sichuan dishes you can order anywhere. thin slices of pork belly covered in chilies, peppercorn, and fermented black bean sauce. some pieces crispy, every piece fatty. the fermented black beans make everything taste incredible. i could eat a whole rice cooker of rice with this dish.

the hot and sour rice noodles with beef have one of the best beef broths i’ve ever had. anywhere in the world. spicy, beefy, deep and rich in umami. three ginormous chunks of tender beef with tendon. rice noodles are bouncy and springy. adding extra chinese vinegar makes it even better.

the beef over rice with brisket breaks apart with a spoon. thick, rich, beefy gravy with chilies over white rice. the brisket has beautiful fat and tendon, cooked so well it barely holds together.

for 8.50 pounds per dish (about $11), this is cheaper than comparable food in the US. in the heart of london. that shouldn’t be possible, but here we are.

what to order: double-cooked pork, beef rice, or hot and sour noodles

verdict: if you eat one proper meal in london, eat it here.

3. falafel wrap spot

central london / under 7 pounds / 9/10

i noticed this place because it had a line out the door during lunch. took a closer look at the menu: falafel wrap 5.95 pounds, chicken wrap 6.95 pounds.

the falafel wrap is about half a pound of food. they load it with hummus, chili sauce, pickles, and vegetables. the falafel itself is crispy on the outside with deep, aromatic seasoning inside. so many different textures: crunchy falafel, pickled vegetables, toasty wrap. flavours are deep and layered. spicy.

they give you a free falafel to eat while you’re waiting in line. that’s a move that tells you the food is good enough to sell itself.

for under 7 pounds for that much food and that much flavour, this is a value for money spot that punches well above its price.

what to order: falafel wrap

verdict: follow the lunch queue. they’re always right.

the solid middle

4. all-you-can-eat thai buffet

outer london / 13.50 pounds / 9/10

this might be the greatest buffet deal in london. an all-you-can-eat thai buffet with about 12 dishes, available monday to thursday from 2:30pm to 5pm. the place hits 99% capacity within 10 minutes of opening.

the food is authentic thai street food. panang curry that’s creamy, spicy, and slightly sweet. fried chicken with citrus and heat. crab fried rice (the best dish on the line). bouncy noodles. spring rolls. crispy pork with fat and toasty edges. everything soaks into the rice beautifully.

the sign says no wifi, no bathroom. they’re not here to provide ambience. just incredibly good thai food in unlimited quantities. every person working there is thai. the food is legit.

i went back for two rounds. the second bowl was even spicier. for 13.50 pounds all-you-can-eat, you genuinely cannot beat this anywhere in london.

what to get: panang curry with rice, crab rice, fried chicken, crispy pork. go back for noodles round two.

verdict: no thrills. just the best value buffet in london.

5. kebab cart near the food markets

various locations / 7 pounds with drink / 9/10

these flame-grilled lamb and chicken carts are everywhere in london, and the good ones are sensational. the one i found was near a food market, and the owner was incredibly generous.

the rice box comes loaded with chicken and lamb over fragrant rice with three different sauces (garlic, chili, hummus), salad, and potato fries. the meat tastes like it absorbed the flames. so smoky. the chicken is off-the-charts tender. the lamb tastes like meat, juice, flavour, and fire.

the wrap version is a toasted-over-flames flatbread stuffed with the same meats, sauces, and fried salad. hefty. you cradle this like a newborn because it’s too heavy to hold any other way.

7 pounds including a drink. one of the best things i ate in london.

what to order: rice box with mixed lamb and chicken. get the wrap too if you’re hungry.

verdict: this is what late-night eating was invented for.

6. neapolitan pizza cart

near food market / 10 pounds / 8.5/10

a whole neapolitan pizza for 10 pounds. the crust is airy, properly fermented, with beautiful char. this is a bonafide neapolitan pizza. the dough has been fermented for a long time. thin, droopy, beautiful. sweet tomato sauce, milky mozzarella, basil.

you could not get a pizza this good in the US for under $16. 10 pounds is well worth it. without cheese it’s 9 pounds.

what to order: margherita

verdict: better neapolitan pizza than most dedicated pizzerias charge double for.

7. local breakfast cafe

off the main tourist streets / 6.50 pounds / 8.5/10

look for the places that locals queue at during lunch. the full english breakfast here is 6.50 pounds: two full sausages (hiding under each other), two giant slabs of bacon (also hiding under each other), hash browns, baked beans (generous portion), and a beautifully cooked runny egg.

this is not a dainty brunch plate. this is made to sustain you until dinner. i was genuinely full for the rest of the day. i started sneezing at the end of breakfast, which is my body’s signal that it’s physically impossible to eat more.

what to order: full english breakfast

verdict: the most filling 6.50 pounds you will ever spend.

8. food market lunch specials

seven dials market / various / 6.50 pounds / 8/10

inside london’s food markets, almost every counter does a lunch special around 6.50 pounds. i tried the chicken biryani (a bit watery but good flavour, with crunchy onions and a vinegary salad dressing) and the smashed philly cheesesteak (sharp cheddar, not whiz, minced meat instead of sliced, caramelised onions, chewy bread).

neither was spectacular, but for 6.50 pounds each in central london, you’re getting a solid amount of food with decent flavour. the real value is the variety. curry with rice, noodle dishes, burgers, wraps. all at the same price point.

what to order: whatever looks busiest. that’s always the best stall.

verdict: reliable, affordable, and central. can’t complain.

london cheap eats tips

• the meal deal is king. find a sainsbury’s or tesco near your hotel and make it your lunch spot.
• ethnic food is where the value lives. turkish, chinese, thai, ethiopian. seek out the places where the staff is from the country the food claims to be from.
• lunch specials are significantly cheaper than dinner at the same restaurants. the chinese place’s lunch menu is 8.50 pounds. dinner would be 15+ pounds for the same dish.
• food carts near markets close late. the lamb and chicken carts are often open until 2-3am. perfect for late-night eating.
• a full english breakfast is the most efficient breakfast. 6.50 pounds keeps you full until dinner.
• don’t eat in tourist zones (leicester square, piccadilly circus). walk two blocks in any direction and prices drop by 30-40%.
• the thai buffet is only monday-thursday, 2:30-5pm. plan around this if you want the best buffet deal in the city.
• budget 15-25 pounds per day if you’re smart about it. 30-50 if you want a mix of cheap eats and one proper meal.

if you found this useful, check out these other guides:

• best street food markets in london
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