To think that there's nowhere cheap and cheerful to eat in London , near Hyde Park?

[cheapeats]

Been looking for some
Ideas where to eat when we travel to the UK from Ireland next month.
We'll be staying near Hyde Park but I'm
Stumped when it comes to finding cheap ish eats ???
Are there any??
We aren't too choosy but like the odd burger and are open to all cuisines but gosh, the prices are nuts from what I can see, online.

@cheapeats

I have no idea how the tube works.. would that just be added stress?

Tube is fine, if you have a contactless card or Apple Pay/Android pay on your phone, just tap in and out and it will bill you at the end of the day (the price is capped). Or buy an Oyster card for £2. Kids are free (I think under 10?).

It isn’t hard to find your way about. Ask in the tube station if you aren’t sure, the staff on the entry gates are used to it and other passengers on the platform won’t mind.

Download the Citymapper app (it also has most major cities so I have used it when on European city breaks)

Put in your to and from destinations and it will tell you all the different routes (bus, tube, walk etc) plus the price. For walking it gives a map and you can also put sound on so it will tell you when to turn corners, move to a different road in your headphones

Try and use buses where feasible. Not only is it cheaper (unlimited for one hour for £1.55 regardless how many buses you are on) but you see sites too

Head to Liverpool St (central line/red line from Queensway) From there you have Spittalfield Market which has some really good food stalls. Right outside the station you have Eataly which is an Italian food market. Good to walk around and have a look even if not buying anything

Short walk from Liverpool St is the sky garden. Free but have to book a slot. Great viewing platform where you can see across London

Near the Sky Garden beside St Paul’s is the One New Change shopping centre. Take lift to very top (it looks like you are going to a bar but don’t worry you don’t need to go in). Another great viewing space where you get a great view of St Paul’s

I would download the tube map, city planner, map of Hyde Park before you set off, Bayswater is near the Kensington Gardens entrance where you can sit and have a picnic, it's lovely to walk through Hyde Park but it's bigger than you think. You can walk to the RAH from the park.
If your dh likes military history and you enjoy art/museums maybe a trip to the Changing of the Guard in The Mall 11.00 days depend on the time of year, daily June and June, M W F Sun Aug to May. Nearby is the Guards Museum, Cavalry Museum, Mall Art Gallery, National Gallery, Buck Palace, Green Park which is really lovely to walk through.
From there you can easily walk to Whitehall where there are the Churchill War Rooms and from there walk through to the River and get a uber riverboat to Greenwich for the Maritime Museum, weekend market and Greenwich Park which has amazing views over London.
Near your apartments there will be supermarkets and Portobello Road market which has fab fruit and veg, at weekends they have fashion and antiques.

Can you define "cheap"?

The cheapest options would be places like KFC or Maccys... If you are eating at the apartment but don't want to cook, have a look at Deliveroo for takeaway options, there are often deals. It will also give you an idea of places/prices nearby in case you decide to eat out.

The Italian gardens in the park are very close to your apartment. It has a cafe too. Watch out for friendly squirrels who want to share your picnic though!

www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington-gardens/things-to-see-and-do/gardens-and-landscapes/italian-gardens

There are some very good value Lebanese and Turkish deli and restaurants around bayswater, the Kensington Food Hall has lovely food but it can be a bit pricey.

Wow! I'm overwhelmed with all of your responses. Thanks for taking the time to post.
By'cheap' I mean inexpensive. We dont want a formal sit down at a restaurant for our meals. Rather eat on the go.. picnics and food markets and open to trying global cuisine ... the Kurdish and Lebanese food ideas sound sublime btw!

@BlanketsBanned haha crossed posts!

Near the Imperial War Museum is the Cut in Waterloo which has food stalls and inexpensive cafes - if you wanted a picnic you could take food away from there and then eat it Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park which is the park surrounding the Museum. It has a very pretty peace garden. Depending on when you are in London there might be a half day art course at nearby Morely College that you could do while DH is at IWM.

Alternatively he could do IWM and the Churchill Rooms in one day (walkable distance between them) and you could do the Tate and then take the Tate to Tate riverboat to the Tate Modern.

I meant how much do you want to spend!

I think the Kurdish places on Edgware Road are inconveniently far from where you are staying. Ranoush Juice on Edgware Road is the classic Lebanese takeaway/cafe to go to and 5 mins from the park. If you aren't planning on eating in, the nearby Green Valley Lebanese supermarket is good for getting a picnic. It has a French patisserie, Arabic pastries, sweets and baklava, ice cream, a freshly squeezed juice bar, a great choice of fruit and veg (including preprepared fruit), bakery and a deli counter with rotisserie chickens, prepared Lebanese salads, savoury pastries, manakish (a bit like pizza) and prepared dishes that they will heat for you:

green-valley.co/delicatessen/

The Asian supermarket on Queensway is also good if you want to try picnic foods from different cuisines.

I'd third Zedels - the main restaurant in the evening (big) has jazz bands from 8.30pm/9ish and there's no charge. If I'm right, they're introducing them on Sunday lunch too. For war history, Churchill's War Rooms are meant to be fun, and by St James' Park and walking distance to Piccadilly Circus.

The Barley Mow for good pub grub.

Where you come out of the Bayswater tube station (Queensway) is packed full of cheap and cheerful eateries. A fair few chains, some Chinese restaurants, a pub or two.

Plus, if you walk down from Queensway towards Westbourne Grove (5minute bop) there are some nicer restaurants all along this road.

There are also street food markets/food halls with multiple food stalls and communal tables. Pergola in Paddington is walking distance from your apartment. There are also food trucks and takeaway cafes at Paddington Basin (as well as sit down restaurants) where you can buy food and picnic on the lawns or by the canal during the day. There are a few street food markets that are convenient for the Tate/IWM. Mercato Metropolitano is good.

www.pergolapaddington.com
www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/londons-best-street-food-markets-and-food-halls
mercatometropolitano.com/home

City mapper is a really useful app you put where you want to go and will give routes....

That sounds exactly what we're looking for . Thanks everybody !

@cheapeats

That's great. We are doing London on a budget so like the idea of food markets and picnics.We are staying in an apartment so can have food there too but would like to eat out once per day, preferably I. The evening.

If you are doing London on a budget then the War Rooms and Borough Market aren't a great idea.

Adult admission to the War Rooms is £27.50

Unless you just want a snack, Borough Market can be pricey!

www.timeout.com/london

www.timeout.com/london/food-drink/londons-best-cheap-eats

If you spend any time around Covent Garden the head to Seven Dials Market for a modern food court experience, reasonably priced.

Brick Lane near Tottenham Court Rd

Staying near Hyde Park and being told to go to Kew Gardens for a picnic

Have the some people ever been to London??

*Have some of the people posting

It's central London, everything is fairly expensive. I'd plan to go to Franco Manca a couple of times because you can get an amazing pizza for about £7.

@Faffandahalf

Brick Lane near Tottenham Court Rd

Staying near Hyde Park and being told to go to Kew Gardens for a picnic

Have the some people ever been to London??

Lol sorry brick lane was me.

I was actually thinking about Greek street location wise and getting mixed up

I did live in London but it was about 24 years ago. I will be humbly silent in future 😂

Bit of a treck but Docklands museum in canary wharf is great if your partner is interested in military history

Also lots of great little food markets catering for office workers. Good one near the Churchill war rooms actually in Strutton ground. lots of choice, everything fresh, about £7 Max per head.

Enjoy your trip!

Thanks a million!