Food

Ten Great Cheap Eats in London

Some of London’s most interesting food can still be bought for less than a tenner, if you know where to look.

By Dave Hart

Vice President of Onyx

3 min read

City of London, Leadenhall Market - geograph.org.uk - 7912306 (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Michael Garlick (opens in a new tab) on Geograph (opens in a new tab) / Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab)

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London has a reputation for being an expensive city and there’s no doubt that eating out can make a significant hole in your budget. But you don’t have to spend £30 on lunch to eat well. In fact, some of London’s most interesting food can still be bought for less than a tenner - if you know where to look.

Here are ten places where the emphasis is on freshly prepared food, rather than something that’s been sitting under a heat lamp.

1. Diwana Bhel Poori House, Euston

An old London favourite on Drummond Street, and an extraordinary bargain. Its vegetarian Indian lunch buffet costs around £9, giving you the chance to try a selection of freshly prepared curries, dhal, rice and other dishes.

2. Falafel & Shawarma, Camberwell

This Lebanese takeaway has been a Camberwell institution for years. Huge falafel or chicken shawarma wraps cost around £6.50, while a substantial mixed mezze comes in at £9.50. The falafel is homemade and cooked fresh, and queues at lunchtime tell their own story.

3. Baban’s Naan, Finsbury Park

There is something wonderfully simple about watching naan dough being slapped onto the side of a tandoor and emerging seconds later. A falafel wrap in freshly baked naan is about £6, with other Kurdish fillings available.

4. ICCO, Soho

A Soho institution for inexpensive pizza. Large pizzas start at around £6.50, making this a particularly useful discovery if you’ve been wandering around the West End and don’t fancy paying West End prices.

5. Pockets, London Fields

The clue is in the name: warm steamed pitta stuffed with freshly fried falafel, salad, pickles and sauces. Around £9 buys a seriously satisfying lunch - and it is street food in the best sense.

Central London doesn’t necessarily mean central-London prices.

6. Keco Food, Monument

A daily meal box containing meat, vegetables and rice can cost around £7. It’s the sort of lunch that reminds you that central London doesn’t necessarily mean central-London prices.

7. Chang’s Noodle, Holborn

Hand-pulled Shanxi noodles are the attraction here, with dishes starting at around £7.90. Watching noodles being made to order is half the fun.

8. Edami, Hackney

This Lebanese bakery specialises in mankoushe - flatbread baked to order with fillings such as cheese, labneh, minced beef or za’atar. It is fresh, fast and distinctly different from the usual London sandwich.

9. M Manze, Bermondsey

For something quintessentially London, try traditional pie, mash and liquor. M Manze has been serving it since 1902, and the Bermondsey shop remains a wonderful survivor from another London.

10. Roti King, Euston

Finally, Malaysian roti canai: flaky, crisp, freshly cooked and served with curry. Rotis start at around £9.95, leaving you precisely one five-pence coin from your tenner.

These cheap eats are often the ones you’ll enjoy most, and remember longest from your trip to London.

Written for the guide in September 2026. Prices, opening hours and booking arrangements change, so check with each venue before you go.

Header photograph: Leadenhall Market, the City's Victorian arcade.