The phrase “recession” is again on the forefront of our financial vocabulary and even middling native eating places are charging inflation-heavy £70-a-head payments. Nabbing a discount may show a tough enterprise. However bargains do exist.
This checklist is a useful reminder that prices needn’t climb perilously excessive. Right here, 20 of the capital’s finest cooks share the place they go for an reasonably priced meal, all throughout the capital and with all types of cooking included, from Chinatown classics to severe sandwiches. Some have lengthy been celebrated; others are obscure. Tuck in.
N.B: the checklist is ordered by location of the restaurant or café, not the place the chef works.
Benjamin McMahon
KILN (58 Brewer St, W1F, kilnsoho.com) in Soho is my go to identify for a fast meal. The Thai cooking with influences from Myanmar, Loas and Yunnan and with British produce is a winner. The menu modifications commonly and most objects are available below £17.
I at all times go to Lanzhou Lamian (33 Cranbourn Road, WC2H) in Leicester Sq.. The dan dan noodles are scrumptious and price about £13. I believe they could have simply put their costs up, however it’s nonetheless very affordable, and excellent.
Tom Booton, The Dorchester
Through Tukdin
Tukdin (41 Craven Rd, London W2, tukdin.com) in Paddington is the true winner for me right here. The Malay meals is subsequent degree. I like the meat rendang (£15.90) however my favorite are the curry puffs (£9), made with assist from chef Syed’s mum.
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An affordable, ace deal with is a terrific ham and cheese croissant (£8) from Maison Bertaux (28 Greek Road, W1D, maisonbertaux.com). It is perhaps breakfast, elevenses and lunch in bites, or a hearty meal if scoffed in a oner. Nibbled on whereas queuing at Bar Italia or Flat White for a espresso, Soho nonetheless offers deliciousness with out too grim a price ticket. Maison Bertaux by no means disappoints and it’s been a favorite since I first arrived on the town.
Anna Sørgaard, Bistro Freddie
I like Umut 2000 (6 Crossway, N16), a Turkish restaurant in Dalston. It’s tremendous reasonably priced and beneficiant and at all times scrumptious, and it’s near the place I dwell so I am going fairly commonly for late-night meals. I at all times go for the grilled aubergine salad (£8.50) and the new ezme salad (£8.50) — the bread is unreal too!
Meriel Armitage, Membership Mexicana
Saravana Bhavan (throughout city, saravanabhavanlondon.co.uk) serves unimaginable and super-authentic vegetarian Indian meals. There are seven in London however nobody has heard of them outdoors the Indian neighborhood. The menu is big and spans totally different areas and cuisines: north, south, the India-China borders — so consuming there’s a unending schooling in Indian meals. The star of the present listed below are the dosa: all enormous, all filled with punchy flavours and served with a eager provide of sambars and chutneys. I additionally love the south Indian thali — it’s £8.95 and a full meal and also you don’t want the rest. I am going with my spouse nearly each different Sunday.
Toconoco (28 Hertford Highway, N1, toconoco.com) is a café I preserve returning to. My youngsters love onigiri — the Japanese rice snack — and this “mother and pop” fashion place isn’t solely youngster pleasant, however the dozen or so choices for onigiri begin at simply £3 every. There’s additionally nice bowls of soba noodles (£7) and a scrumptious chawanmushi, a savoury egg custard dish (£2.40).
Chantelle Nicholson, Apricity
Matt Writtle
For me, Hawker’s Kitchen (64 Caledonian Highway, N1, hawkerskitchen.com) is my semi-local. There isn’t a lot to not like right here, from buttery, flaky roti with wealthy channa masala, to fish curry, to a comforting Punjabi samosa with tamarind sauce. Or possibly simply the masala dosa. And lest we overlook the coconut chutney and sambal. Heaven.
Through Rasa Fb
Our go-to native restaurant, not simply due to how low cost it’s, but additionally as a result of it is completely wonderful is Rasa in Stoke Newington (55 Stoke Newington Church Road, N16, rasarestaurants.com; plates from £9). Favourites are the rava dosa with inexperienced chillies and onions, and the bagar baingan, which is an aubergine curry with a cashew and onion sauce with yoghurt.
Xi’an Biang Biang Noodles (62 Wentworth Road, E1, xianbiangbiangnoodles.com) in Spitalfields. I’ve been going right here for years. I get the pork burger, the signature pork dumplings, the boneless chilly rooster in particular sauce. Or hand-pulled noodles with beef and dry fried inexperienced beans. All these dishes vary from £6.90 to £13.50. I am going most weeks after ending a piece shift with my girlfriend, and most significantly my son (Joey my cockapoo), as they permit canine.
Mangal 1 (10 Arcola Road, E8), definitely. It doesn’t harm that I dwell lower than two minutes away however my girlfriend and I are in there at each alternative. You’ll be able to’t replicate the flavour you get cooking over coals like that. For me, there are two important dishes: tubule (£4), and patlican salata (£8), after which an order of chilli sauce to dab excessive.
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This can be a difficult one, however for me it will be Dom’s Subs (262 Hackney Highway, E2, doms-subs.slerp.com). I dwell very near the Hackney one and many of the subs are solely £9. They’re fairly giant and also you don’t really want a lot else for lunch. The grapow one, made with Thai-style spiced rooster, is sizzling and really tasty.
Sushi Café (555 Battersea Park Highway, SW11, sushicafe.co.uk) can be my choose. They do a buffet on Sundays (£28) at which you’ll order as a lot as you want for an hour and a half. It’s freshly ready so for those who’re grasping and don’t end your plates you is perhaps charged additional for being wasteful. I fairly like that. Typically my eyes are larger than my stomach so it’s a rule that retains me on the straight and slender. I typically pop in for a bento field too (from £11.50).
April Jackson, Wooden and Water
Through Wholesome Eaters Fb
I’d say my favorite low cost eat in London is Wholesome Eaters (17 Electrical Ave, SW9, healthyeaters.co.uk) in Brixton. I have a tendency to select up the rooster soup (£5) because it jogs my memory of being in Jamaica. The place is run by a pair, Stafford and Rose, and the vibe at all times provides you one thing to chuckle about: it’s such as you stepped out of London and landed in Kingston.
Through Fb
One among my prime price range pleasant choices is Cento Uno (101 Maple Highway, KT6, centouno.co.uk) in Surbiton. The world is usually missed however the house owners, Sam and Alex, characterize the perfect of a buzzing restaurant tradition quickly coming to those elements of city. I actually just like the pizza topped with fior de latte, contemporary tomatoes, rocket and burrata (£17).
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Efes Restaurant in Tulse Hill (336 Norwood Highway, SE27) is my go to. Once I got here again to the UK, I shortly discovered this nice Turkish kebab store close to the place I dwell — and I’m obsessed. The lamb kofte (£14.90) is pure flavour city.
Tom Sellers, Restaurant Story, Dovetale, Story Cellar
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Casse Croute (109 Bermondsey Road, SE1, cassecroute.co.uk; plates from £11) is at all times a agency favorite of mine, I do not assume I might choose one dish. It is a small neighbourhood bistro with a every day menu of genuine, tremendous tasty French meals, and the staff actually understands hospitality; you at all times really feel welcome once you stroll via the door. A real Bermondsey Road staple.
Chet Sharma, Bibi Mayfair
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Kanenas (65 The Grove, W5, kanenascoffee.com) is my prime choose. I usually begin with about three coffees on a Sunday morning as I’m often a zombie post-Saturday service. The doughnuts are improbable too — my spouse loves them. I am going there for brunch and get the Greek-style fry-up. Nice worth at below £14.
James Goodyear, Evelyn’s Desk
Through restaurant
My favorite must be Santa Maria Pizza (throughout London, santamariapizzeria.com). I dwell in south west London and commonly go to the one in Fulham or Brentford. I like a Neapolitan pizza and, maybe controversially, at all times go for a white base. I often choose the san mattia (£13.95), with buffalo mozzarella, mushrooms and truffle oil.
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Once I get some free time, I head to Hammersmith to go to Tosa (332 King Road, W6, www.tosa.uk). It’s probably the greatest spots for genuine Japanese meals and it’s wonderful worth. The yakitori is my favorite in London and begins from simply £2.40. The simplicity of the robata grill and the sensation of being at dwelling makes for a beautiful mixture.