Cheap Eats: Affordable Restaurants In London

A bit of a Shoreditch locale for a cool atmosphere and affordable evenings out, Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes is as quirky as they come. The name comes from the 1980s bag and shoe wholesalers who used to occupy the building before it was turned into a two-floor arts and culture bar, playing host to music performances, workshops and more. Alongside exhibitions, you'll find a delicious selection of cocktails and super affordable eats from Taco Collective, a pop-up that's evolved from Lewisham and Brockley Brewery. Nab two tacos for £8 or three for £11: toppings include 12-hour slow-braised beef brisket, hand-pulled king oyster and enoki mushrooms, plus black beans and feta.

A dark and dreamy beacon of South American fun times, Salsa! knows how to bring the party and the good food, with some pretty tasty dining options, at venues in Soho and Embankment. An explosion of colour, sassy culture and vibrant style, the restaurant's menu of tapas plates averages out at all under £8 each, so you can load up for less. Choose from panko-crumbed squid strips for £7.95, halloumi fries served alongside a fresh tomato and chilli salsa at £6.45, or tacos for £6.90 a pop. If you're looking to share, order a mix-and-match plank where three plates come in at £16.45.

With locations in Canary Wharf, Victoria and Oxford Street, Market Halls has three major destinations serving up affordable meals in cool yet contemporary food hall-style spaces. Ideal for groups or casual dates, they promise multiple bars alongside a selection of street food traders spanning global cuisine - think everything from delicious sandwiches from Sexy Buns, to incredible sushi whipped up by the legends at Inamo. 

Not far from Brixton, you'll find Jalisco, where casual, Mexican fare reigns supreme. The family-run haunt has been serving delicious dishes for over 14 years and was founded by a husband and wife duo, Carolina and Wilson, the latter of whom trained as a chef in London. Expect large, customisable burritos starting from £9, enchiladas for £10.50 and quesadillas filled with chipotle chicken at £9.50 - plus all cocktails for washing it down are under £10 too.

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YO! Sushi outposts on the likes of Bond Street and Stratford are among the cheap restaurants Central London has to offer, especially when it comes to their set menu items AKA an absolute steal. Head to this affordable Japanese hotspot to marvel at the sushi conveyor belt, or order tempting plates of chicken yakisoba, beef teriyaki, classic edamame and more, followed by ice cream bites wrapped in cherry cookie dough for dessert. 

Rise and shine, it's time for brunch in the city's favourite venue, The Breakfast Club. What began as two 80s kids' ambition to set up a humble cafe in the heart of London and paint it egg yolk yellow has turned into a nationwide hotspot, still serving hearty spreads to this day. Shake up your morning routine with a steaming plate of blueberry pancakes topped with crispy bacon and maple syrup (£7.50), or opt for the Club Med Benedict (£15.25) served with fried halloumi, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado, and red pesto hollandaise.

On the hunt for the best affordable restaurants London has to offer? Megan's, located across the capital in Balham, Chiswick and beyond, truly rustles up a seriously enticing selection of Mediterranean eats, from moreish brunch classics like shakshouka (£12.90) and sharing plates such as buttermilk fried chicken served alongside date BBQ sauce (£8.50), through to salad bowls and posh kebabs. On top of that, the cocktails are pretty epic too - finish your meal with a house espresso martini or a picante margarita. 

Sotto Cucina & Bar is a vibrant Aldgate venue inspired by Sicilian cuisine, offering a contemporary take on it. The restaurant is full of colourful artwork, peach-coloured walls and leafy greens - decor that whisks you away from the greys of the concrete city. On the menu, you can find good value-for-money dishes like burrata with toasted pistachios (£13), saffron arancini (£10.50) and pizzas starting from £12. Don't forget about the cracking dessert selection either, where a chocolate and almond cake will only set you back £7. 

A quirky Camden eatery serving up vampire-inspired black charcoal pizzas, Lost Souls Pizza is a rock 'n' roll haven that features spooky lettering, monochrome posters scattered across the ceiling and is inspired by the 80s cult film, The Lost Boys. Wednesdays give you the biggest bang for your buck as, if you have the password from Instagram, you get two pizzas for £20. Cleverly named pizzas include Fangs For The Memories (chorizo, peppers and onions), From Crust 'Til Balls (meatballs, duh), and The Jack Skellington, which features a butternut squash base. 

Looking for a place to eat that's sleek, modern and also incredibly affordable? Well, you're in luck when it comes to Cellar at Kindred in Hammersmith, a gorgeous all-day café and bar doing just that. With a pretty terrace, olive green walls and leather booths, it's certainly a refined dining space catering to all sorts of meet-ups, be it dates or hangs with friends. Boasting European wines and seasonal menus involving pizzettes for under a tenner and shakshuka for £13, it's a buzzy neighbourhood spot that won't empty your pockets.

Real Neapolitan pizza for under £10? Yes please. Well Street Pizza in Hackney is known for its budget-friendly slices, especially if you take advantage of the two for £14 offer on Mondays and Tuesdays from 7pm. Hang out in a chilled-out setting, laced with cosy booths and industrial lighting, and tuck into scrumptious toppings featuring 'nduja, fior di latte and fresh chilli. What's more, you can devour Tuscan sausage, mushroom and olive pasta for only £13 too.

Somewhere affordable in Chelsea? Never heard of it. Well, here to prove you wrong is Ollie's House, a fun, tropical-inspired hangout on Fulham Road. Its decor offers you a glimpse of a blossoming oasis, filled with plants and woven wooden accents. On the menu? Moreish Asian cuisine in the form of 50p gyozas alongside three-course £22.90 evening set menus between Sunday and Thursday, from 4pm 'til close. That's Thai green curry, Shanghai soy noodles and more on a budget.

With venues in King's Cross, Oxford Circus, Soho, Liverpool Street and more, Honest Burgers is offering some of the most renowned and scrumptious cheap eats London, England has to offer. The interiors across the city themselves are pretty casual - though it's the food that does most of the talking, especially the specials, unique to each location. Get seriously excited about tucking into burgers for just over a tenner, served with signature rosemary salted chips, with some great veggie options too.

Situated in Islington, Laki Kane is a vibrant, tropical venue filled with palm tree leaves, wooden furnishing and over-the-top decor. You can expect theatrical live entertainment and a delicious Thai menu, with dishes ranging from steamed pork dumplings to green curry or drunken noodles. You can nab a small plate paired with a large one for £26 per person, or two tinier dishes for £19 each which include fried chicken wings marinated in oyster and soy sauce, crispy squid and more.

Fancy some tasty Mexican fare on a budget? DF Tacos on Tottenham Court Road and in Shoreditch are cooking up just that. These casual venues are offering you bottomless refills of diet coke and pitchers of frozen margaritas to wash down some spicy fare. Think fully packed burritos for under a tenner, filled with slow-cooked pork, alongside tacos featuring smoky chipotle chicken, slow-cooked chilli beef and tomatillo salsa or ancho mushrooms.

London is lucky enough to have been graced with multiple Pizza Pilgrims sites in Carnaby, London Bridge and Camden – meaning award-winning Neapolitan slices for all. Their diverse menu features classic and quirky toppings, from mushroom and truffle to double pepperoni with hot honey and an 8-cheese spectacular, ranging from around £10 to £15 with halal and vegan options available. Dips are also on hand to ensure those crusts don't go to waste, as well as aperitivo cocktails and an irresistible Nutella pizza ring. Some sites even have outdoor seating and are dog friendly. 

London cheap eats don't come any finer than Argan, found just off Clapham Common high street dishing out Moroccan and Lebanese cuisine from its family-run venue. It offers a relaxed setting to take your tastebuds on a journey through North Africa and the Middle East with plates like lip-smacking tagines, and you'll be pleased to find that all its cold and hot mezze plates are under a tenner. Look forward to tabouleh, moussaka, kibbeh lamb and more.

When you see how gorgeous this 1930s Miami clubhouse-inspired space is, you'll be even more impressed when you take a peek at the menu boasting affordable prices. Head down to The Palm House for dishes with a Cuban influence, and dine surrounded by plush greenery and coral-coloured lamp shades. On Tuesdays see tacos available for £3.50 each all day, topped with barbacoa beef, jerk chicken or crispy fish, and there's even an express lunch deal throughout the week where you can enjoy a main alongside a soft drink for £12.50 each. 

Vapiano Paddington doesn't scrimp on quality and still manages to offer some affordable eats in the city. The laid-back haunt features minimal decor and an open kitchen where you can watch your dish come time life. You can even customise your pasta by choosing the shape, toppings and sauce. Tuck into light sourdough pizzas from £11.25 and bowls of creamy carbonara for £13.75 and more across its Tottenham Court Road and West End locations too. 

Kraft Dalston is a vibrant little rooftop spot with a menu that appeals to your tastebuds and your wallet. Downstairs offers a bright and airy spot thanks to its conservatory-style roof, dangling foliage and pastel furnishing. It's here that you can find German beer brewed on-site, seasonal cocktails, plus Latin American and Japanese cuisine. Delight in small plates consisting of robata grilled mini chorizo bites (£7.95), stir-fried oyster mushroom tacos (£8) and more. 

A trendy laid-back restaurant with venues in Stockwell and Haggerston, Arepa & Co offers a menu of vibrant Venezuelan eats that won't break the bank. Enter a contemporary dining space filled with navy walls and dangling lights to tuck into a selection of small bites like yuca fries (£7.95), twice-cooked green plantain crostini with pico de gallo (£7.75), and arepas filled with shredded beef and black beans (£10.25). 

Cheap and cheerful Pasta Remoli is a great affordable restaurant serving hungry Londoners in Ealing and Bromley. Head to either of their venues to find a delicious menu of homemade pasta made with genuine Italian eggs and flour that can be customised however you like, right down to the cheese on top. As for dishes, you can expect cacio e pepe, pork sausage ragu and much more.

A pretty restaurant with sites strewn about the city, Ping Pong delivers Asian flavours in Southbank, Covent Garden and more. Look forward to glorious cherry blossom-adorned rooms, oak furnishings and plenty of natural light at its outposts, alongside bargain eats. The joint serves up steaming buns in the form of an impressive all-you-can-eat banquet AKA Lazy Sumday for £29.95 per person. Load up on black prawn dumplings, chicken and truffle gyozas and crispy tofu to really make the most of this great deal. 

OctaGreen is a great choice for saving your pennies. The South West London spot provides a warm and inviting environment to tuck into some healthy, hearty grub that doesn't come with the eye-watering price tag. Fresh food is on the menu in the form of an amazing bottomless lunch deal where you can enjoy unlimited drinks and food for two hours at £25 per person. You can also bag a main and two salads for £9 if you're not looking to load up - choose from the likes of vegan moussakas, halal Thai chicken curries and more. 

Slug and Lettuce have always been a name synonymous with affordability, with sites all over London, including Croydon, Richmond and their pretty Tower Bridge spot. Head down to enjoy 2-4-1 cocktails throughout the week between 4pm and 10pm, and delicious picky plates (think chicken skewers, crispy coated prawns and halloumi bao buns) where you can bag three for £17. It also runs a cracking lunch deal where you can devour a sandwich, burger or light bite alongside a soft drink for only a tenner. 

If you're on the lookout for bargain tacos, then you'll find plenty of them at Del74 Dalston on Tuesdays, when they're £3 a pop all night long, paired with £4 beers. And if you can't make it down on that day? Fear not, as happy hour means they're that price Wednesday to Friday from 5pm 'til 6.30pm. Hit up this cool, glossy tiled spot on Kingsland Road to make the most of the munchies mid-week, and enjoy toppings such as braised leg of pork alongside red pickled onions, sautéed tilapia topped with homemade coleslaw and smoky chipotle vegetables.

Home to a selection of tempting cheap eats, Covent Garden is both a bustling shopping district and top food destination. Particularly when it comes to the 1930s-inspired French eatery, cafe and cabaret bar Brasserie Zédel. Fronting fancy Art Deco decor with tall pillars and specks of gold, it oozes an opulent feel which is misleading when it comes to the price tag. You can delight in a prix-fixe menu that sees two courses available for £16.95. In addition to that absolute steal, most starters are under a tenner, including the classic French onion soup. 

Roti King is a Malaysian street food concept born from owner and chef Sugen Gopal's love of the country's authentic flavours and ingredients. It spans Euston, Waterloo and Battersea, near the Power Station, nestled under the arches with industrial interiors, silver chairs and an open kitchen where you can spy creations come to life. You'll be spoilt for choice here, as everything on the menu is super affordable, from the creamy dahl (£8.95) served with two pieces of roti to the delectable beef rendang.

Famous for its very cheap offering of cheesy goodness, Pizza Union Dalston is somewhat of a go-to when you're in need of a decent bite to eat but are saving the pennies. You'll find this outpost near the station, fronting its signature red neon signage and communal seating arrangement. On the menu? A marghertia comes in at a fantastic £5.95, plus frozen raspberry mojitos and margaritas for just £5.50 too.

Mangal II earns its place in our cheap eats list because of the quality of food in comparison to the prices, especially the set lunch menu where you can snap up two courses for £25. The modern Turkish restaurant offers a refined dining experience in Dalston and is run by the sons of founder Ali, Ferhat and Sertaç Dirik. You'll be able to try a mix of authentic plates here, as well as modern ones, all made with ingredients from UK-based suppliers. On the menu? Clams and smoked sucuk with samphire, and lamb belly shish alongside a house chilli sauce. 

Created by British chef Stevie Parle, Pastaio brings pasta to the masses that's great value, doesn't scrimp on quality, and is also considerate to nature. The Carnaby location of this modern haunt features vibrant art adorning the walls and low-hanging light fixtures, and on marble-topped tables, you'll find seriously scrumptious plates. Look forward to chomping on fresh ribbons of pasta covered in wild garlic and hazelnut pesto (£15) or slow-cooked tomato sauce (£12), followed by tiramisu (£8.50).

At this social, canteen-style eatery, you'll find some of the most silky and delicious noodles you've ever tasted. Only a short walk from Aldgate East, Xi'an Biang Biang Noodles is whipping up eats for under a tenner. Begin with boneless chicken in special sauce (£8.50), with a helping of smacked cucumber in garlic sauce (£7.80) for good measure, before moving onto its signature handmade belt noodles starting from £11.50.

Grab some seriously tasty slices at very reasonable prices at this cool Waterloo haunt. Crust Bros serves up some of the best pizza in this city and is well-known for its leopard print crust (hence the name), as well as its bottomless brunches which include 90 minutes of unlimited pizza, free-flowing beer and prosecco for £35 per person. If you're looking for a regular marghertia however, you'll be able to inhale one here for the pocket-friendly price of a tenner. 

This bright pink beauty is not only eye-catching but also incredibly great value. When approaching Kingly Court, head over to Club Mexicana, a vibrant spot slinging out delicious plant-based tacos and margaritas. Every Tuesday, join them from 5pm onwards for all-you-can-eat tacos for only £20 per person. And throughout the week? Load up on three of the same fillings (think Baja fish and 'cheezburger') for £13.50. 

Where would we be without Padella? The city's renowned pasta house was founded by Tim and Jordan, two guys with a passion for fresh egg delights and a desire to feed the people of London their creations, inspired by trips to Italy. The first outpost began in Borough Market, with a second in Shoreditch opening up later on, much to the delight of those looking to book their spot (the former runs on a walk-in-only basis). The menu includes generous helpings of tagliarini with dried chilli, garlic and pangrattato (£9.50), pici cacio & pepe (£12) and fettuccine with Cobble Lane Cured 'nduja, mascarpone and lemon (£13.50). 

Formerly a Malaysian pop-up and now a thriving restaurant in the heart of Holloway, Sambal Shiok is a front-runner when it comes to inexpensive places to eat. Founded by Mandy Yin in 2013, all of its food is halal and it's even a dog-friendly establishment that's come under critical acclaim. Bag 20% off during off-peak hours and choose from a fragrant menu featuring its signature curry laksa, rice noodle salad and handmade fenugreek crackers.