If you feel like it costs you money every time you step outside in London, don't worry – you're certainly not alone. The city can be expensive, including when it comes to eating out. If you're wondering how you'll ever afford a delicious meal in Central London, you can rest assured that there are plenty of low-cost, affordable options and cheap eats, despite the capital's reputation for sky-high prices. From American diner food to authentic Asian cooking, get some inspiration with our guide to affordable restaurants in central London.
Guide to affordable restaurants in Central London
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Cheap eats in Central London
- 1Padella In-demand pasta bar
- 2Wok to Walk Customised Asian cooking
- 3Maries Café Low-key local favourite
- 4Passyunk Avenue Authentic American cooking
- 5Bun House Modern spot for dim sum
- 6Bancone Fresh house-made pasta
- 7Golden Union Classic Soho chippy
- 8Pizza Pilgrims Real Neapolitan taste
- 9The Kati Roll Company Portable street food
- 10Lanzhou Noodle Bar Chinese hand-pulled noodles
- 11Club Mexicana Colourful plant-based destination
- 12Viet Food Modern Vietnamese cooking
- 13Brasserie Zédel A taste of Paris
- 14Homeslice Pizza for sharing
- 15Chick 'n' Sours Contemporary chicken spot
- 16Machiya Comfortable Japanese dining
- 17Bleecker Burger High-ranking burgers
- 18Flat Iron Treat yourself to steak
- 19Koshari Street Classic Egyptian street food
- 20Bao London's go-to for Taiwanese food
- 21Le Bab Extra-special kebabs
- 22Pizza Union Fresh pizza in a flash
- 23Pastaio Vibrant place for pasta
- 24Icco No one gets left behind
- 25Lina Stores Much-celebrated pasta
- 26Café TPT Intimate spot in Chinatown
- 27Poke House Vibrant and healthy meals
- 28Kanada-Ya Award-winning tonkotsu
- 29Govinda's Budget-friendly veggie food
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Cheap eats in Central London
In-demand pasta bar
Some of London’s most sought-after pasta can be found at Padella in Borough Market. This classic and low-key venue often has a wait for tables but dedicated diners are willing to queue. On the menu you’ll find hand-rolled pasta served with various delicious sauces and fillings, providing top quality cooking at reasonable prices.
- 6 Southwark Street, Southwark
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Customised Asian cooking
Craft your ideal stir-fry at Wok to Walk. These colourful and casual spots are modern, dishing up food that’s ideal when you’re on-the-go. Choose your base – rice, noodles, or mixed veg – then pick your favourite ingredients, sauces, and extra toppings for custom Asian food that’s cooked to order just for you.
- 21 Cranbourn Street, Covent Garden 22 Cranbourn Street, Covent Garden 15 Argyll Street, Soho 129 Baker Street, Marylebone 4 Brewer Street, Soho 45 Goodge Street, Fitzrovia
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Low-key local favourite
Maries Café in Waterloo is a versatile eatery dishing up affordable food. Early on in the day you can enjoy café classics like filling fried breakfasts and later munch on authentic Thai cuisine. It’s a casual and low-key eatery but the service is friendly and welcoming and it’s a firm local favourite.
- 90 Lower Marsh, South Bank/Lambeth/Southwark
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Authentic American cooking
Discover Philadelphia in London at Passyunk Avenue. These buzzy bars and restaurants have a lively atmosphere and an affordable menu of regional American classics. Try out a Philly cheesesteak, a hot dog or meatball sandwich, or a plant-based alternative. The bar serves a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
- Leake Street, South Bank/Lambeth/Southwark 80 Cleveland Street, Fitzrovia
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Modern spot for dim sum
Set over two floors, Bun House is a favourite for steaming dumplings in Chinatown. The restaurant’s style is elegant and modern, and the menu offers up fluffy Asian buns with a variety of mouthwatering fillings – curry chicken, BBQ pork belly, and pork with prawns are just some of the options available.
- 26-27 Lisle St, Soho/Covent Garden
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Fresh house-made pasta
For top quality pasta that won’t break the bank, visit one of Bancone’s restaurants. Pasta is made in-house at this stylish modern eatery, served with sauces like cacio e pepe, braised ox cheek, and spicy meat ragu. You can complete a meal at this respected venue with wine or signature cocktails.
- 39 William IV Street, Covent Garden 8-10 Lower James Street, Soho
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Classic Soho chippy
For tasty fish and chips in Soho, check out Golden Union. This casual eatery has distinctive tiled walls in the dining room and a classic style. Traditional fish and chips are on the menu made with sustainably-sourced fish, plus there are pies and a broad choice of vegetarian and vegan alternatives.
- 38 Poland St, Soho
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Real Neapolitan taste
When you're craving authentic Neapolitan pizza you can get a budget-friendly pie from Pizza Pilgrims. The chain has a number of locations around Central London. These restaurants are bold and contemporary, using ingredients imported from Italy to create pizzas ranging from a simple marinara to Italian sausage with broccoletti.
- 11 Kingly St, Soho 23 Garrick St, Covent Garden Bermondsey Street, Southwark 100 Oxford St, Marylebone 82 Lower Marsh, South Bank/Lambeth/Southwark 11 Dean St, Soho 32 Buckingham Palace Rd
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Portable street food
Grab casual street food from The Kati Roll Company. This cosy eatery has a colourful orange canopy and specialises in hot wraps with an Indian influence, ideal for eating-in or takeaways. Each wrap is made from an Indian paratha stuffed with fillings like chicken tikka or potato and vegetable patties.
- 24 Poland Street, Soho
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Chinese hand-pulled noodles
When you fancy authentic Chinese cooking try Lanzhou Noodle Bar. This humble restaurant is lively and unpretentious, specialising in hand-pulled noodles. A range of noodle dishes are served. The menu also includes rice dishes and a small selection of dim sum. Have your noodles with additions like tomato and egg or wontons.
- 33 Cranbourn Street, Covent Garden
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Colourful plant-based destination
Try plant-based Mexican street food at Club Mexicana. This bold and colourful eatery in Kingly Court is decorated in an eye-popping shade of pink. You can try tacos, burritos, and nachos with flavoursome vegan ingredients like BBQ jackfruit and plant-based meat alternatives. Cocktails and beer, including the famous lagerita, are available here.
- Kingly Court, Soho
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Modern Vietnamese cooking
In Chinatown you can experience modern Vietnamese street food at Viet Food. The menu includes dishes at a range of price points, including wallet-friendly options. Lunchtime has a particularly good selection of affordable dishes including pho and bun. The interior is spacious and contemporary with lots of light flooding in.
- 34-36 Wardour Street, Soho/Covent Garden
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A taste of Paris
Experience a Parisian brasserie in London at Brasserie Zédel. With authentic Art Deco interiors, this place is crammed with classic style. You can choose from several menus here but the casual café menu or the two course prix fixe option are ideal if you want an affordable taste of France.
- 20 Sherwood Street, Soho
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Pizza for sharing
Homeslice cooks up whopping 20 inch pizzas with both classic and innovative toppings. With chequered tablecloths and banquettes, the restaurant has a classic feel. Some pizzas are available by the slice for a really cheap option but sharing a whole pizza still makes an affordable meal. You can get half and half too.
- 13 Neal's Yard, Covent Garden 69-71 Queen Street, The City/City of London
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Contemporary chicken spot
For fried chicken without the grease, don’t miss Chick ‘n’ Sours. This contemporary Seven Dials restaurant has a vibrant and comfortable interior. Halal fried chicken is the focus of most of the dishes here, with spices and sauces for full-on flavour. Choose sandwiches, wings, or tenders, plus there’s nachos and chicken toast.
- 1a Earlham St, Covent Garden
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Comfortable Japanese dining
Japanese restaurant Machiya feels homey and comfortable. The dining room is bright and modern, with intriguing light fixtures as a centrepiece. The menu offers affordable donburi, curries, and small plates like miso soup, teriyaki-glazed salmon, or pickled cucumber. Complete the meal with sake for an authentic dining experience.
- 5 Panton Street, Westminster
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High-ranking burgers
You don’t have to miss a great burger when you’re on a budget – Bleecker Burger is affordable and won National Burger of the Year in 2020. These eateries are cool, contemporary, and low-key. Burgers are made from rare-breed grass-fed beef and cooked to order. The menu is straightforward – simply burgers, fries, and drinks.
- 205 Victoria St, Westminster 16 Bloomberg Arcade, The City/City of London 195 Baker St, Marylebone
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Treat yourself to steak
Premium steak is usually pricey but you can get a budget-friendly version that lacks none of the quality at Flat Iron. These restaurants are full of plants and distinctive style. Premium cuts of steak are available with various sides and you get a free ice cream cone at the end of your meal.
- 17 Beak St, Soho 11 Clink St, Southwark 17-18 Henrietta St, Covent Garden 112-116 Tooley St, Southwark 9 Denmark St 41 The Cut, South Bank/Southwark 47-51 Caledonian Rd, Islington
Classic Egyptian street food
Tuck into Egyptian street food from Koshari Street. This Central London eatery is casual, bold, and vibrant. The speciality is koshari, the Egyptian national dish combining pasta, rice, lentils, and tomato sauce. The classic option is satisfying and vegan-friendly but you can add on extras like jackfruit, spicy potatoes, or chicken.
- 56 St Martin's Lane, Covent Garden 60b Cannon St, The City/City of London
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London's go-to for Taiwanese food
Visit Bao for comforting and low-cost Taiwanese food. Expect clean and simple interiors and a tempting menu of steaming bao buns with fillings like confit pork or daikon radish, plus other Taiwanese small plates like ox heart skewers or fried chicken. A couple of plates makes an authentic and affordable meal.
- 53 Lexington St, Soho 13 Stoney St, Southwark
Extra-special kebabs
Try an elevated kebab that’s a far cry from your late-night takeaway at Le Bab. Whether you opt for the regular size or go large you’ll get an affordable meal. The interior is bright, contemporary, and sophisticated. Each kebab features fresh and intriguing ingredients, and mezze is served too.
- 4 Mercer Walk, Covent Garden
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Fresh pizza in a flash
For speedy pizza, Pizza Union is a go-to destination. These Roman-style pizzas are crispy and thin, served in a buzzy and informal environment. A wide variety of toppings are offered, as well as sides and drinks. Order at the counter and when your buzzer goes off your pizza is ready to devour.
- 1 New Oxford Street, Bloomsbury
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Vibrant place for pasta
Pastaio aims to give diners the best plate of pasta they’ve ever had. This Soho restaurant is vibrant and colourful with a modern look. Antipasti is available to start but pasta is the main event. These are generous portions with diverse sauces like slow-cooked tomato, cacio e pepe, or beef and porcini bolognaise.
- 19 Ganton Street, Soho
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No one gets left behind
Bold and colourful pizzeria Icco is inclusive and affordable. From classic Italian recipes to vegan or halal versions, this place does it all. The space is simple, bold, and colourful, and food is available to eat in or take away. Sides, desserts, juices, and smoothies are there to complete a meal.
- 46 Goodge Street, Fitzrovia
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Much-celebrated pasta
Lina Stores has various sites in London and is a destination for handmade pasta, antipasti, and desserts. Each restaurant has a distinctive contemporary style. Menu choices include stracciatella ravioli and pasta shapes laden with flavourful sauces. Surprisingly low prices mean this is a popular destination for a budget meal.
- 51 Greek St, Soho 19 Bloomberg Arcade, The City/City of London
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Intimate spot in Chinatown
Cosy and intimate Café TPT is one of Chinatown’s most popular restaurants. The dining room has light wood interiors and serves a varied range of Chinese and Malaysian streetfood favourites. Try out fish, noodles, sizzling pot dishes, and a variety of authentic desserts. Set menus are on offer as well.
- 21 Wardour Street, Soho/Covent Garden
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Vibrant and healthy meals
The fresh and vibrant food and interiors at Poke House will look fab on your Insta grid. The place is full of pink tones and smooth style whilst the food is health-conscious and refreshing. Build a poke bowl customised to your preferences or choose a house bowl with toppings like chicken or vegan nuggets.
- 14 Bloomberg Arcade, The City/City of London 13 New Row, Covent Garden 3 Percy Street, Fitzrovia 25-27 Ludgate Hill, The City/City of London 11 Sir Simon Milton Square 32 Maddox St, Mayfair
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Award-winning tonkotsu
At Kanada-Ya you can sample award-winning tonkotsu ramen bowls, with a variety of affordable options to tempt you. Japanese small plates and onigiri are available for smaller appetites or to add to your meal, and there’s Japanese beer and sake. The restaurants have simple and modern interiors with distinctive lighting.
- 64 St Giles High St 28 Foubert's Pl, Soho 3 Panton St, Westminster
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Budget-friendly veggie food
Get a low-cost vegetarian meal at Govinda's in Soho, one of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in the city. It's a straightforward space serving nutritious yet tasty food and has links to the Hare Krishna movement. Thali meals are a popular choice, with several to pick from, but à la carte options are available as well. This restaurant also does catering.
- 9 Soho St, Soho
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