Nice, budget friendly places to eat between Columbia Road and Spitalfields?

[wanderingtopographer]

We're down in London this week and I'm taking my mum to Columbia Road and then down to Spitalfields for an event in the evening. Its been a long time since I lived in London so my local knowledge is badly out of date! Can anyone recommend some nice, reasonably priced restaurants in either of those areas or between the two, where we could have an early dinner? She doesn't like anything too spicy but otherwise likes a wide variety of cuisines - the last place we ate that she particularly liked was lunch at Comptoir Libonais so am looking for something like that or in the Carluccios sort of category.

Well, I think many if not most of the budget friendly places in that area will be Asian/ethnic restaurants, and possibly a bit spicy for you.
Other than that there are the good-but-not-exactly-budget-friendly ones like St.John Bread and Wine, or Galvin Bistrot and bar. You would need to check out the seating options for the latter, I think.

SmokeStak is incredible if you like a good bbq!

Lots of Vietnamese restaurants in that part of town - you can be careful about your heat levels (they leave chili sauce on the table, but the dishes alone are generally not so spicy). Cay Tre might be a nice choice.

St John is lovely, I always feel very classy when I eat there.

I think eating in Spitalfields itself might be a bit overwhelming/busy.

Manteca for pasta.