Among the city’s gold cobblestones and platinum lampposts, travellers hole up in every nook and cranny of London ready to explore Europe.
The scentless waft of beige fast food waits at a fork in the road ahead, but you don’t have to go down there. It may seem like a crazy little concept, but with a wee bit of research you can fill your boots and enjoy it. There are tonnes of like-minded gastro-entrepreneurs on the streets of London, understanding that food needs to be accessible, fun, hearty and delicious.
So can London really let go of its affluent reputation and allow us penny-pinching vagabonds to enjoy decent grub? Of course it can – we just have to eat in basements, toilets and car parks ‘tis all. Let me explain.
1. Roti King, Euston
Tucked beneath the sign of ‘Euston Chinese’, the Roti King is a bit of a basement dive. Like all good canteen-style cafes, the love isn’t in the decor – it’s in the food. Ignore the Chinese offerings and reach for the roti menu. All plain rotis come with a curry and cost around £4 – £5.50. Authentically tasty Malaysian food doesn’t get much cheaper than this in London.
2. Thai Restaurant in Old Pack Horse, Chiswick
In a town that’s full of turtlenecks, flash cars and one-bed houses above the £1m mark, the Old Pack Horse pub conceals an exotic little secret. Walk through the saloon doors and breeze past the selection of pumped bitter ales, to find a tiny Thai kitchen. Chiswick plays host to one of the best pad thai dishes I’ve ever had (£7.75). Staff even treat you like a human being when you ask for a tap water.
3. Attendant, Fitzrovia
Where can you get involved with London’s blossoming breakfast scene? In the depths of a restored public toilet, of course. On the mean streets of Fitzrovia is a ceramic bowl of goodness, named Attendant. Treat yourself to smashed avocado on toast under poached eggs, without having to tip the toilet attendant. The menu starts at £2.50 and never surpasses £9 (unless there’s a daily special). Want to be part of a cheap and exclusive breakfast club? You’re in.
4. Hurwundeki, Shoreditch
When the Red Hot Chili Peppers wrote Under the Bridge, they may have been singing about a BYO Korean restaurant that looks like the outside of a black cab garage. Hurwundeki is a weird old place that sits in the east end of Cambridge Heath, offering huge bibimbap lunch bowls for £7.90. Did we mention these guys also cut your hair during the day? Take me to the place I love.
5. Frank’s Cafe, Peckham
At the top of a concrete rampart, Frank’s Cafe reserves no spots. This permanent pop-up cafe is Peckham’s homage to the London skyline. A rooftop cinema and al fresco eats feature in the summertime, with hearty portions of cheap nibbles (antipasti). Smaller dishes, including smoked aubergine, sardines and pickled peppers all come in around £3-4, while daily market dishes (fish, meat, kebab) float among the £10 mark. Just remember to leave the car at home.
Other
Honourable mentions go to the London tube restaurant, Basement Galley (Walthamstow), and Smack Lobster Roll (Soho). The Basement Galley provides a tasting menu, in London, on a disused tube train for just £40! It’s not as cheap as the aforementioned venues, but tasting menus in London usually start at £80. Alternatively, Smack Lobster Roll makes this upper-class crustacean accessible, with massive rolls and salads costing under £10.
Are you keen to visit London for the first time? Search our guide to taking a gap year in the United Kingdom or to do more than being a tourist consider gap year jobs or working holidays. Now load up on those tea and crumpets and check out our very British adventures.