Looking for the best cheap eats in London? Then you’ve come to the right place! London isn’t exactly known for being a budget city, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find inexpensive eateries serving up cheap and tasty delights. To save you time – and money – we’ve tracked down the 30 best cheap places to eat in London so that you can enjoy the city’s amazing food scene without breaking the bank.

1. Falafel & Shawarma London

Serving up exactly what the name promises, Falafel & Shawarma specialises in – you guessed it – delicious falafel and shawarma. Their super fresh wraps are a steal at £3.50 and you can fill them with whatever goodies you want: halloumi, chillies, garlic mayo and salad. Upgrade to a mezze plate for an extra £1 if you want to indulge even more. Keep in mind it’s a cash-only place, so come prepared.

Open daily 10am – 10pm and ‘til 11pm Thursday to Saturday. 27 Camberwell Church St, London SE5 8TR.

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2. OKAN Brixton Village

The tiny Okan Brixton Village brings downtown Osaka to the heart of Brixton Village. Pick a great value starter set for £7.95 between two and enjoy four tasty nibbles, including fried aubergine and tofu salad. For mains, the £8.95 Okan Special Okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes with prawn, squid kimchi and sweetcorn) is definitely worth a try and pairs perfectly with a glass of sweet plum wine.

Open Monday to Friday 12pm – 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am – 10pm. Unit 39, Brixton Village, Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8PS.

3. Ciullosteria

Serving high-end Italian food at low-end prices, Ciullosteria is worth a visit if you find yourself in Balham. Bringing flavours of the Amalfi coast, you’ll find fresh scallops and chorizo (£10.90) and homemade seafood pasta (£15.90) on the menu. For pizza lovers you can pick up tasty traditional pizzas for around £12.90.

Opening times vary daily between 12pm and 11.30pm. Check the website for details. 31 Balham High Rd, London SW12 9AL.

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4. Eat of Eden (Brixton branch)

Ready to spice things up? With curries, stews and flavourful patties on offer, Eat of Eden brings its Caribbean-inspired eats to London’s southside. The £2.20 patties are an absolute steal and with delicious fillings like veggies, dhal and callaloo (Caribbean spinach) we recommend you try them all!

Open daily 11am – 9pm. Unit 4, Brixton Village, Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8PR.

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5. Bun House

Here, they serve up bao buns, but not as you know them. Chinatown’s The Bun House specialises in Cantonese buns with closed tops. Buns start from £3.50, and you’ll find savoury delights in pork and fish versions and sweet treats in the custard ones. Pick from affordable rice, noodle and salad plates, too.

Open Tuesday to Saturday 12pm – 9.30pm and Sunday 12pm – 8.30pm. 26-27 Lisle St, London WC2H 7BA.

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6. Silk Road

Sticking with affordable Chinese cuisine, Silk Road is one of the best cheap eats in London. Taking inspiration from the Northwest province of Xinjiang, you’ll find plenty of tasty delights on offer like the “middle plate” chicken with noodles for £9 or the Xinjiang lamb shish for £1. What a bargain!

Monday to Friday 5pm – 11pm, Saturday and Sunday 2pm – 11pm. 49 Camberwell Church St, London SE5 8TR.

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7. ICCO – “The People’s Pizzeria”

£5.50 for a whole delicious pizza? Sounds almost too good to be true, but family-run ICCO is known for its amazing-value pizza pies. For an extra pound, it’s definitely worth splurging a little for the extra toppings if you can. The Fiorentina is our fave, with salty olives, spinach and a runny poached egg – yum.

Open Sunday to Wednesday 10am – 11pm, Thursday to Saturday 10am – midnight. 46 Goodge St, London W1T 4LU.

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8. Koshari Street

Ready for some hearty and healthy Egyptian street food? Koshari Street is one of the great cheap places to eat in London, specialising in build-your-own Kosharis, starting from £7.15. Described as a “potpourri of grains, chickpeas and zingy sauces” you can choose spiced meat or veggies for your Koshari and top with caramelised onions and doqqa spice.

Open Monday to Friday 11am – 7.30pm. 56 St Martin’s Ln, London WC2N 4EA.

9. Dosa n Chutney, Tooting

Bringing a taste of South India to London’s southside, Dosa n Chutney are masters of the dosa, a type of Indian pancake. Try out the fan favourite, Ghee Masala Dosa, with clarified butter and savoury potato stuffing for a very reasonable £6.25. You’ll also find a £7.50 classic, perfectly spiced veggie biryani on the menu if the dosas aren’t doing it for you.

Open daily 12pm – 10pm and ‘til 10.30pm Friday and Saturday. 68 Tooting High St, London SW17 0RN.

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10. The Kati Roll Company

The Bollywood soundtracks, Hindi movie posters and friendly staff make The Kati Roll Company one of the best cheap eats in London. The stars of the show are the budget-friendly kati (pronounced “karti”) rolls that come in authentic Indian flavours: veggie, cheese and marinated meat.

Open daily 11am – 11pm. 24 Poland St, London W1F 8QL.

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11. Yada’s Green Kitchen

Offering traditional Kurdish eats, Yada’s Green Kitchen is known for its tasty Middle Eastern cuisine and homely atmosphere. Enjoy a classic smoky aubergine baba ghanoush for a fiver, or indulge in a carnivore’s dream with a £40 mixed meat platter for two (dishes include chicken shawarma and lamb shifta).

Open daily 12pm – 11pm. 104-106, Rye Ln, London SE15 4RZ.

12. Cafe TPT

Cafe TPT is a great-value pan-Chinese eatery with an impressively vast and varied menu. From roast duck on rice to chilli and salt-baked crab and Malaysian laksa soup, there’s something to tickle everyone’s tastebuds. Prices range from a £3 soup to a £12 main.

Open daily 12pm – 1am. 21 Wardour St, London W1D 6PN.

13. Pizza Union Spitalfields

Offering a 12-inch Margherita pizza for a staggeringly cheap £4.95, Pizza Union goes down as one of the best cheap places to eat in London. Pair one of its Roman-style pizzas with a glass of wine or frozen cocktail for under £4 and that’s still a main meal and a drink for under a tenner.

Open daily 11am – 11pm. 25 Sandy’s Row, London E1 7HS.

14. Katakata

Brixton’s Katakata focuses on veggie and vegan food that won’t break the bank. Pick up a savoury mushroom, goat cheese and herb galette for £4 or an indulgent dark chocolate, banana and almond crepe for £4.70. The fresh juices are also bursting with flavour and a steal at £2.95.

Open daily 10am – 10pm. 132A Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RS.

15. Roti King Euston

This petite basement restaurant really lives up to its name as the Roti King. It serves up perfectly light, crisp and chewy Malaysian rotis that can be paired with delicious curries or dipped in sweet tea. Pick up a roti canai for £6.50 or traditional, local dishes, like a nasi goreng for £8.95.

Open Monday to Thursday 12pm – 3pm and 5pm – 10pm, Friday to Sunday 12pm – 10pm. Euston, 40 Doric Way, London NW1 1LH.

16. Da Maria

Family-run Da Maria offers authentic Neapolitan cuisine at budget-friendly prices. Enjoy a £12 carbonara or veggie pizza in a traditional but quirky Italian café environment. Don’t forget to leave room for a tasty tiramisu treat afterwards.

Open Monday to Saturday 9am – 4pm and 7pm – 10pm. 87 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JZ.

17. Pizza Pilgrims

For delicious, cheap food, Pizza Pilgrims has to be one of the best cheap eats in London. Pick up a sourdough pizza for under £15 and for as little as £11.95 for the mushroom and truffle number. Splurge a few extra pounds on the Nutella pizza ring for a devilishly delightful dessert.

Open Monday to Wednesday 12pm – 10pm, Thursday to Saturday ‘til 11pm and Sunday ‘til 9.30pm. 11 Dean St, London W1D 3RP.

18. Lahore Kebab House

If you’re heading to the East End, then Lahore Kebab House is definitely one for the curry devotees. This BYOB Punjabi street food joint packs plenty of flavours. Grab a bottle from the off-licence next door and get stuck into a minced lamb or classic chicken kebab for a meagre £4.50.

Open daily 12pm – 1am. 2-10, Umberston Street, London E1 1PY.

19. Hiba Street Food

For some authentic Lebanese and Palestinian eats, head west to Hiba Street Food. At £26 for two, the platters offer great value and let you sample a little bit of everything: chicken shawarma, houmous, falafel, batata harra and opt for a sweet and sticky baklava for dessert.

Open Monday to Friday 11am – 11pm and Saturday 12pm – 11pm. 10 Tottenham St, London W1T 4RD.

20. Lanzhou Lamian Noodle Bar

Serving up fresh hand-pulled noodles to order, Lanzhou Lamian Noodle Bar is another great cheap place to eat in London. Bag a late-night bowl of the Lamian stewed beef noodles for £7.90 or opt for a super-value set meal starting from £5.50.

Open Monday to Thursday 11am – 1.30am, Friday and Saturday 11am – 4.30am and Sunday 11am – 9.30pm. 33 Cranbourn St, London WC2H 7AD.

21. Mio Restaurant Bar

Pick up cheap and tasty Italian staples at South London’s Mio Restaurant bar. With pizza starting at £8.95 and pasta at £9.95 you’ll hopefully have some spare change to pair your meal with the perfect Italian beer or house wine, both around a fiver.

Open Monday to Friday 11.30am – 9pm. 58 Great Peter St, London SW1P 2HD.

22. Tongue & Brisket

As the name suggests Tongue & Brisket are connoisseurs of home-cured meats. Famous for their £6.50 salt beef sandwiches, they have plenty of other tasty offerings too. Pick up a salt beef omelette (£5.50) for breakfast or a chicken schnitzel (£8.50) for an early dinner. And don’t forget a tasty £3 apple strudel for dessert.

Open Monday to Friday 7.30am – 4.30pm and Saturday 10am – 4.30pm. 199 Wardour St, London W1F 8JP.

23. E Pellicci

If you’re out east, head to E Pellicci’s lively art deco café for breakfast and lunch goodies. Indulge in a full breakfast (meat and veggie options available) from £9.95 or a generous helping of a classic lasagne for £10.40.

Open Monday to Saturday 8am – 3.30pm. 332 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 0AG.

24. Le Rif Restaurant London

With tagine for under a tenner, Le Rif must be one of the best cheap places to eat in London. During the day, the Moroccan restaurant is a bit of a British-Moroccan mash-up with stuffed aubergines and tuna pasta on offer. But by night, it focuses on Moroccan classics, like the £5 chicken, lamb or fish tagine. 

Open daily 9am to 10pm. 172-182 Seven Sisters Rd, Finsbury Park, London N7 7PX.

25. Horn OK Please

Bringing the vibrant sounds and flavours of India to London’s bustling Borough Market, Horn OK Please specialises in fresh, budget-friendly veggie street food. From a £7.50 dosa chaat to an £8 egg kati roll, you’ll be able to pick up a delicious bargain for your tastebuds and your wallet.

Open Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm and Sunday ‘til 3pm. Unit 55, Borough Market Kitchen, Jubilee Pl, Winchester Walk, London SE1 9AG.

26. Green Papaya

Mixing Vietnamese and Xian cuisine, Green Papaya is a great-value eatery in London’s East End. Try the soft shell crab for £9.70, some Xi’anese noodles for £9.50 and up, or push the boat out a little with the bamboo leaf-baked salmon for a very reasonable £15.95.

Open Tuesday to Friday 12pm – 11pm, Saturday 1pm – 1pm and Sunday 1pm – 10.30pm. 191 Mare St, London E8 3QE.

27. Mamuśka! Polish Kitchen and Bar

South London’s hipster Mamuska restaurant offers an upbeat atmosphere with traditional Polish food at budget-friendly prices. Pick up some classic pierogi dumplings for £8 and pair them with a £7 Tyskie Polish beer for a quintessential Polish experience.

Open Sunday to Thursday 12pm – 10.30pm, Friday and Saturday 12pm – 12am. 9 Addington St, London SE1 7RY.

28. Golden Chippy

Nothing says London more than a plate of traditional fish and chips. The East End’s Golden Chippy is popular amongst locals and visitors alike and with fresh daily fish and halal options available we can see why. Enjoy a £14 fresh fish supper with cod, rock or skate or go for pie or sausage options if fish isn’t floating your boat. Sit out in the pretty floral terrace or take your chippy away with you.

Open Monday to Saturday 11am – 11pm, Sunday 12pm – 11pm. 62 Greenwich High Rd, London SE10 8LF.

29. Sông Quê Café

Sông Quê Café is one of the best cheap eats in London serving up delicious Vietnamese food. Touted as having the best pho in London, it offers incredibly flavourful and warming beef, chicken and tofu noodles starting at £13. If you can splurge a little, the spicy soft shell crab is worth it, but you can pick up plenty of other tasty starters, like prawn rolls, sesame prawn toast and tofu soup for a very reasonable £6.50.

Open Monday to Friday 12pm – 3pm and 5.30pm – 11pm, Saturday 12pm – 11pm and Sunday 12pm – 10.30pm. 134 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8DY.

30. Benito’s

Taking its name from Mexican statesman Benito Juarez, Benito’s is last, but certainly not least, on our list of the best cheap places to eat in London. Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast burrito or a cheap and cheerful evening meal, Benito’s brings the feast and fiesta. Tuck into some £8 – £9 chicken, beef brisket or cauliflower tacos and pair with a £7.50 margarita. Take advantage of the lunch deal and bag yourself a burrito, drink and tortilla chips for a bargain basement £10.50.

Open Sunday to Wednesday 11.30am – 9pm, Thursday and Friday 11.30am – 10pm, Saturday 11.30am – 11pm. 19 New Row, London WC2N 4LA.

On a final note

From Polish pierogis to tasty Italian pizza, Egyptian street food to unbeatable Malaysian rotis, whatever your taste there’s sure to be plenty of budget-friendly London eateries to choose from.

For laid-back, friendly and affordable accommodation check out Clink261 Budget Hostel or Clink78 backpackers youth hostel in King’s Cross, or if you’re travelling as part of a larger group, take a look at our cheap group accommodation in London.