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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

London Ladies: Please tell me your favourite cheap restaurants!

35 replies

Laugs · 17/12/2008 11:26

We have booked a 3-day honeymoon in London and promptly found ourselves skint!

So we are looking for some lovely cheap places to eat out. We like cuisine. Tucked down a back alley/ bring your own booze/ early bird specials - I know they are lurking somewhere in the capital, but I don't know where. Please let me into your secrets!!

Thanks x

OP posts:
PaddingtonBore · 17/12/2008 11:29

new tayyabs near brick lane

CountessDracula · 17/12/2008 11:31

Mon Plaisir's pre or post theatre menu is great, is about £14 for 2 courses or a bit more for 3 courses including a v generous glass of wine. Plus if you go to their website and subscribe to the newsletter you also get a voucher for a free glass of champagne.

It is in Covent Garden

PaddingtonBore · 17/12/2008 11:32

also andrew edmunds. not super-cheap, but cheap for such a nice restaurant in the centre of town

CountessDracula · 17/12/2008 11:32

here

CountessDracula · 17/12/2008 11:34

little bay always great value, there is one in Farringdon

CountessDracula · 17/12/2008 11:36

For really cheap eats go to Centrale just off Cambridge Circus - it's down the road to the right of the Spice of Life pub as you are looking at it. Italian cafe, you share formica tables, I think it's a BYO so more savings there. It is about £4 for the biggest bowl of pasta ever and they do other stuff

Original poster
Laugs · 17/12/2008 11:39

Oh wow thanks for all these suggestions so quickly. I'll get researching them!

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 17/12/2008 11:40

Stockpot cafes are v good value too

Also patogh in Crawford St is really good and cheap. Opposite the Windsor Castle pub does good cheap Thai food too

Original poster
Laugs · 17/12/2008 11:51

oops just read my OP again - I meant 'we like any cuisine'

OP posts:
jujumaman · 17/12/2008 12:07

Ragams in Cleveland Street W1 near post office tower

Fab south Indian food, v reasonable prices

Also Ikkyu in Tottenham Court Rd next door to the Scientology Centre does v good Japanese and - though this might have changed - prices have stuck for more than 10 years now.

NotQuiteCockney · 17/12/2008 12:14

Wehaca is Mexican, and very good. I like Leon, too. Neither is very datey, though.

fishie · 17/12/2008 12:18

japan centre in piccadilly does very cheap sushi.

fourkidsmum · 17/12/2008 13:20

EV's in waterloo...

georgiemum · 17/12/2008 13:24

Stick and Bowl on Kensington High St.

westendgirl · 01/01/2009 18:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

andaSOLOnewyear · 01/01/2009 18:27

Was just trying to remember the rude Chinese place! I've never been, but have always wanted to as I'd heard it was very good value and the waiters are incredibly rude(that's supposed to be fun btw!).

MrsMattie · 01/01/2009 18:30

I second the Wong Kei. They really are the rudest waiters you will ever come across and it's not romantic (noisy, usually very busy) but the huge noodle soups are fab for warming the cockles at this time of year, and the crispy duck is so yummy.

Also second The Little Bay.

If you want location, there are chain restaurants down on the South bank near the Royal festival Hall - Strada, Wagamama, PingPong etc - which are reasonable and in the perfect location for a walk by the river or film at the NFT.

Also, there is a small chain of Turkish restaurants called Tas which are fairly reasonably priced and very popular with the pre-theatre / pre- night out crowd in London

bigTillyMint · 01/01/2009 18:33

I third Wong Kei's - deffo go upstairs. Cheap and fast!

And I second Tas

MrsMattie · 01/01/2009 18:36

Also, don't know any of these ones personally, but thought it might be of interest - Time Out Feature

Simplysally · 01/01/2009 18:38

Posting so I can bookmark thread

MrsMattie · 01/01/2009 18:42

Just thought of another one:

Busaba Ethai (one on Wardour St, one on Store St I think? off Tootenham Ct Rd, anyway...) is a nice Thai chain, very cosy and dimly lit inside. It's very popular (you might have to queue for the Wardour St one, as they don't take bookings) and you have to share big square tables with others, but it is strangely romantic!

MrsMattie · 01/01/2009 18:48

Oh, and check vouchers websites like this one for money-off deals. So worth it in London. I'm a cheap skate, so am always using them.
I was in Strada in Highgate not long ago and I swear the whole place was full of couples using the 'buy one main course get the 2nd free' off voucher

8oreighty · 01/01/2009 18:51

YES to New Tayyabs..bring your own, and delicious...and Andrew Edmunds is lovely too...also Pierre Victoire in Soho off Dean St has some fond memories for me...and is cheaper than Andrew Edmunds.
Also the Kolossi - Greek restaurant - on the corner on Roseberry Ave, Shepherds market is great...been there for years and years, the meze is best. And you can get a trendy drink at Cafe Kick just down the road before hand...

8oreighty · 01/01/2009 18:53

www.kolossigrill.com/

not sure how to do a link (duh).
the CHEAPEST and yummiest vietnemese restaurant is Viet Hua on Kingsland Road near(ish) Old Street...atmosphere not amazing, but delicious and cheap and then loads of arty farty bars around old street...

FeelingLucky · 01/01/2009 18:57

Any chinese with ducks hanging at windows in chinatown is as cheap as the notorious Wong Kei's, with marginally better service.
There's also the fantastic Vietnamese in Dalston (bottom of Englefield Road) which is cheap, cheerful and delicious. can't remember the name but it used to be the old vietamese community centre and think you can still BYOB.