London was the first European city that Clarissa and I have travelled to without a tour group and without my parents. Aaaaand we took Singapore’s convenience and culture for granted, assuming that London's eateries would stay open until dinner time on the weekend. We walked around London Bridge area, attempting to find some fish and chips our hostel recommended, only to find it closed. Unfortunately, so were most of the eateries that were within our student budget. With London food being more pricey than back home, we settled for the fast food chain, Chicken Cottage. Ending our first night with mediocre fried chicken and a decent hot sauce for £5-7 (~S$9-12, depending on the combo).
So TLDR, do check the opening hours of everything! Especially if it is the first time in Europe or United Kingdom because things work rather differently here than in Singapore.
I have thus put together a short list of affordable places I’ve tried and recommend during a short stay in London. Feel free to comment and recommend more below!
Just a couple minutes’ walk from our hostel (St Christopher's Oasis), is one of the most well-known market. Established in 1855, Borough Market is a fun place to eat for tourists. I was told that the prices are higher than other markets but since it is situated in a central location, you could always head over and soak up the market vibes.
I was on a mission during my first visit to Borough Market, to score some Bread Ahead doughnuts that have been popping all over my Instagram. They have a couple of doughnuts available and I picked their best-selling vanilla filled doughnut for £2.50 (S$4.40). The doughnut was generously filled with vanilla crème and covered with sugar. Definitely a hit for sweet tooth and a 4/5 from me!
As I was ill during my first visit to Borough market, I made it a point to re-visit when I brought my parents around London. My dad is a huge fish and chips lover, however the Asian in me is reluctant to spend £15 and above for a plate. While Googling for affordable fish and chips, I saw that Fish!Kitchen, supposedly one of Britain’s tops, has a takeaway counter next to their restaurant. I got a £4.95 beer battered cod fish and chips instead of the £17.96 if you eat in their restaurant. It was my second fish and chips and unfortunately, it reaffirms that I am not a fan of British Fish and Chips. They are a little too bland for my taste buds. Good chips though.
Along the perimeters of the market, you can find Thai mini coconut pancakes for £5. The vendors make the pancakes by batches and each batch is ready in 20 minutes! I was afraid that the coconut flavour would be subtle but it came through nicely.
Didn’t have enough stomach space to try the Ethiopian food and caffeine sensitive me could not afford to visit the famous Monmouth Coffee Shop (£2.50 for café au lait) in the afternoon. I did try some sea urchin and oyster at one of the seafood stalls but it felt like a waste of money as they were not fantastic. Guess it is a hit and miss for the seafood.
8 Southwark St, London SE1 1TL, UK
Another market on the list! Made up of six markets, vintage stores, fast food, souvenirs and handmade crafts are abundant at the fourth-most popular visitor attraction in London! Open every day from 10 am to 6 pm, Camden Lock Market is where you want to go to have some good grubs. Do keep an eye on your belongings to prevent being pick-pocketed.
Cheap eats are plentiful with a wide variety of cuisine to choose from. Sadly, the crowd was too much for me and my parents were not hungry so I just got us a chicken burrito. It was originally £6.50 but nice guy gave it to me for £5 because that was the smallest change I had with me. Cheers, man.
Camden Lock Pl, Camden Town, London NW1 8AF, UK
Nope, you did not read that wrongly. Spent the whole day going round museums? You can get a satisfying meal at this museum’s Central cafe.
Since it was just Clarissa and I, we got a meal to share which was about £6-8. The price is decent for a lasagne with potatoes on the side. What I really liked was the Greek yogurt and honey cheesecake! Clar and I shared a moment for silence, enjoying the medley of smashed nuts-and-butter crust with the tart creaminess of the cheesecake. I loved it so much, I went back to the museum with my family for another round of cheesecake! I really want to know their recipe…
Cromwell Rd, Kensington, London SW7 5BD, UK
4. Beigel Bake
I had my first ever bagel at Brick Lane’s 24/7 Beigel Bake. The store sells pastries and bagel sandwiches at really affordable prices. You can find this bakery, in the midst of hipster cafes, serving Jewish traditional baked goods. The Salt Beef Bagel with Mustard at £4.20 is the most popular filling but I tried the £2 Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Bagel. They did not skimped on the fillings although the bagel is rather stiff than chewy.
Tip: Make your order when you have finally decided on what you want as it is usually busy.
159 Brick Ln, London E1 6SB, UK
5. Joe’s Southern Table and Bar (Permanently Closed)
In the heart of Covent Garden, this interesting diner serves up scrumptious fried chicken! The décor was cute – with red leather seats and round tables while donning United States of America flags. The Southern Fried Chicken Wings (£13 for 12) did not disappoint however the wait for the food could be a little long.
Update: Joe’s Southern Table and Bar has officially closed on April 2018. However, their website mentioned that they have convince the Chef of their sister restaurant, Maxwell’s Bar & Grill to keep some of Joe’s best dishes.
Other budget friendly places: You can get wraps from Wrap It Up! for approximately £6. A healthier fast food alternative which comes with a side snack, we chose the potato crisps! Other fast food chains will serve as a wallet-friendly alternative to restaurants. Shake Shack offers burgers from approximately £6 and I enjoyed their Peanut Butter Shake at £5.15. Five Guys is another popular recommendation but if you can’t eat beef, it isn’t an option. Our friend recommended getting quick meals from Mark & Spencer’s as well. Hit the markets for affordable snacks and cakes. Alternatively, you can do some grocery shopping to cook at your accommodation. I found that groceries in London are relatively cheaper than in Singapore.
Happy Eating!
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