Visiting a new city can be daunting, especially when you’re on the look out for somewhere to eat. Many people visiting foreign cities tend to stick closely to eateries they know and love from home. This is one reason why staples such as McDonald’s and Burger King are always full of tourists during lunch times.
While dinner time might allow a visitor to enter into more extravagant establishments, lunch time solutions often float around the good old “tried and tested” restaurants people know from home. However, for a real bargain and more variety of choice, it’s a good idea to check out where the locals eat.
London is notorious for being one of the most expensive cities in the world. This extends to the food and beverage market also. However, there are some very good local places to eat that will not stretch your holiday budget too far, and also offer rest bite from yet another Big Mac.
Having been a student in London, you quickly find good lunch time eateries that offer a nice variety of food for decent prices. While you may scoff (please excuse the pun) at a student’s choice, I do have to comment that many of the places I frequented during my time in the city are more strictly used by professionals and visitors. Just because they are less expensive that other establishments, it doesn’t mean that the quality of food, ambiance or standard of service suffers.
One of my favourite places to eat in London is Icco Pizza. This fast paced, New York style pizza house is located right on Goodge Street, just up the top of Tottenham Court Road. This little gem is fantastic for the quality of food served and prices that will not burn your cash. Pizzas are made fresh to order and ready within minutes. You can add a wide variety of toppings and watch the pizza chefs make your meal directly in front of you. What’s more, a full 10 inch pizza costs around £4.50 which, in a city that often charges £1.50 for a can of coke, is a real bargain. While the restaurant is often busy, you can always find a spot to sit down and enjoy your meal. This is a fantastic place to go for a very filling, fresh made lunch that won’t leave you starving come 4 p.m.
If you’re looking for fresh cooked food on the fly, then a good place to try is Benji’s. This is a chain restaurant with numerous branches on every main street and is very popular with local professionals as a nice cheap spot for lunch. Their menu consists of fresh lunch staples such as warm sandwiches and omelettes, with an average price per meal of just under £5. Additionally, they serve great coffee and snacks for very reasonable prices. If you’re looking for something warm, filling and cheap, Benji’s is the place to go.
If you don’t have children with you and feel like some good old fashioned “pub grub”, the Weatherspoon chain of pubs is an ideal place to go for lunch. These can be found all over London, but I suggest taking a trip down to the one in Tottenham Court Road. The bar is very open and you can always find a nice spot to sit down and eat after a morning of shopping. Weatherspoons is well known for great food and amazing deals. Lunchtime specials consist of around six filling meals and you can choose two meals for just £5.99. The lunches are always piping hot and fresh. What’s more, Weatherspoons offers good old English pub fare such as fish and chip or a roast beef dinner. Additionally, if the lunches don’t quite fill you enough, their desert menu is cheap and to die for.
Are you fan of good Chinese food? If so, head down to China Town in the Soho area for some excellent, authentic Chinese restaurants and buffets. My personal favourite is Mr. Woo’s. This “no frills” buffet is located on Lisle Street, just a short walk from Leicester Square tube station and is very close to all the main shopping areas. While the selection of dishes may be limited, the quality and price of food is excellent. This is a brilliant place to bring the kids for a quick bite to eat. The cost is around £5 per person for an “all you can eat” buffet. Excellent value for money and the service is amazing.
Eating in London need not be expensive. There are many places that offer great food for a fraction of the price of more famous restaurants. What’s more, there is something for everyone’s tastes.
Bon appetit!
