13 Cheap Eats in London Under £10 You Need to Try

Eating well in London does not always mean spending £20 or £30 on a meal. From Turkish wraps and Lebanese flatbreads to traditional pie and mash, Egyptian comfort food and old-school cafés, the capital has plenty of places where you can eat properly without blowing your budget.

For this guide, the focus is on 13 cheap eats in London where you can find filling, casual food at roughly £10 or less for many individual meals or dishes. Prices can change, particularly at markets and independent restaurants, so it is worth checking the latest menu before visiting.

Time Out’s 2026 cheap-eats guide similarly focuses on London meals costing £10 or less, while Visit London highlights markets, Chinatown and affordable international restaurants as good ways to keep food costs down.

13 Cheap Eats in London at a Glance

Cheap Eat	Area	Best For
Durak Tantuni	Turnpike Lane	Turkish wraps
Falafel & Shawarma London	Camberwell	Shawarma and falafel
M.Manze Tower Bridge	Tower Bridge	Pie and mash
EDAMI	Dalston	Lebanese flatbreads
Chinese Tapas House	Chinatown	Jianbing
Bus Cafe	Waterloo	Cheap breakfast
Koshari Street	St Martin’s Lane	Egyptian food
Tifinbox – Indian Street Food	Aldgate	Indian street food
Satay Street Café	Aldgate	Thai food
Chequers Sandwich Bar	Covent Garden	Sandwiches
Southbank Centre Food Market	South Bank	Street food
Piccolo Café	Euston	Classic café food
Rock Steady Eddie’s London	Camberwell	Full English breakfast

1. Durak Tantuni — Best for Turkish Street Food

If you want one of London’s most straightforward budget meals, head north to Durak Tantuni on West Green Road. The restaurant specialises in tantuni, a Turkish street-food dish made with seasoned meat, herbs, onion and tomato, served in a thin wrap or bread.

The appeal is its simplicity. You are not coming here for an elaborate menu or stylish interiors; you are coming for a hot, filling wrap packed with savoury meat and fresh toppings.

Recent 2026 listings continue to highlight Durak Tantuni as a specialist, late-opening spot, while Time Out lists its tantuni among London’s best-value meals, with a double wrap around the £5 mark in its May 2026 guide.

Best for: A quick lunch, late-night food or Turkish street food.

2. Falafel & Shawarma London — Best for Big Wraps

Falafel & Shawarma London on Camberwell Church Street is the kind of place to visit when you want a cheap meal that feels considerably bigger than its price tag.

The menu focuses on Lebanese and Middle Eastern favourites, with chicken shawarma, falafel, hummus, aubergine, spicy potatoes and mezze among the popular choices. The wraps are particularly well suited to budget travellers because they combine plenty of filling with fresh salad, sauces and sides.

It is primarily a casual takeaway-style operation, so do not expect a leisurely restaurant experience. The reward is fast, generous food that works particularly well for lunch.

Best for: Large shawarma or falafel wraps.

3. M. Manze — Best for Traditional London Food

For something distinctly London, few cheap meals are more traditional than pie and mash. M.Manze Tower Bridge on Tower Bridge Road is one of the city’s historic pie-and-mash shops and remains a destination for visitors who want to try an old-school London staple.

The classic order is a minced-beef pie with mashed potato and the shop’s distinctive parsley liquor. You can also add chilli vinegar for extra sharpness, while a vegan pie is available for those avoiding meat.

The setting is deliberately traditional rather than polished, which is part of the experience. If you are sightseeing around Tower Bridge, this is an easy way to combine lunch with a little London food history.

Best for: Traditional British food and a classic London experience.

4. Edami — Best for Lebanese Flatbreads

EDAMI is a small Lebanese bakery in Dalston specialising in manakish, freshly baked flatbreads topped with ingredients such as za’atar, cheese and meat.

The combination of warm bread, savoury toppings and Lebanese flavours makes this an excellent budget breakfast, brunch or lunch. The popular cheese-and-za’atar combination is particularly worth trying if you are visiting for the first time.

The bakery has been highlighted in London’s current cheap-eats guides, its mankoushe at around £6.

Best for: A cheap Middle Eastern breakfast or lunch.

5. Chinese Tapas House — Best for Jianbing

In the heart of Chinatown, Chinese Tapas House offers a quick introduction to jianbing, a Chinese savoury pancake made fresh to order.

The pancake is cooked on a hot plate and can be filled with crunchy and savoury ingredients, sauces and different toppings. The result is hot, filling and easy to eat while exploring central London.

The basic pancakes have been highlighted at around £6, with toppings costing extra, making this particularly useful for anyone exploring Chinatown on a budget.

The shop itself is tiny, so this is much more of a grab-and-go experience than somewhere to sit for an extended meal.

Best for: Cheap Chinatown street food.

6. Bus Cafe — Best for a Cheap Breakfast

For a traditional London café breakfast without the usual central-London price tag, Bus Cafe near Waterloo is an interesting option.

Located at Waterloo Bus Garage, it has a straightforward café atmosphere and focuses on hearty breakfasts and classic hot meals. It is the sort of place that suits commuters, workers and travellers looking for something filling rather than fashionable.

The café is repeatedly praised for generous portions and unusually low prices for the area.

Best for: Full English breakfasts and inexpensive hot food near Waterloo.

7. Koshari Street — Best for Egyptian Comfort Food

Koshari Street on St Martin’s Lane is a useful budget stop if you want to try something different from the usual burgers, sandwiches and kebabs.

Its speciality is koshari, an Egyptian comfort dish combining rice, pasta, lentils, chickpeas, tomato sauce and crispy onions. It is hearty, filling and particularly well suited to anyone looking for a substantial vegetarian meal.

The central location is another advantage. It is close to Leicester Square, Covent Garden and the West End, so it can work well when you want inexpensive food before or after sightseeing.

Best for: Filling vegetarian-friendly meals in central London.

8. Tifinbox — Best for Indian Street Food

For bold flavours on a budget, Tifinbox – Indian Street Food near Aldgate and Spitalfields is worth considering.

The casual menu covers Indian street-food favourites alongside wraps, rice dishes, curries, biryani and snacks. There are plenty of vegetarian choices, making it an easy option for groups with different preferences.

It is particularly suited to weekday lunch when you want something quick, spicy and more substantial than a basic sandwich.

Best for: Indian street food and quick weekday lunches.

9. Satay Street Café — Best for Thai Food

Satay Street Café is a small Thai café on Goulston Street near Aldgate East. The business has roots in London’s street-food scene, having started as a stall before developing into a café.

The menu focuses on casual Thai food, making it a good alternative to more expensive sit-down Thai restaurants. Depending on the menu available, dishes such as satay and Thai noodles are the sort of options to look for when you want maximum flavour without a formal dining bill.

Its simple café setting also makes it suitable for a quick lunch rather than a long meal.

Best for: Casual Thai food around Aldgate and Spitalfields.

10. Chequers Sandwich Bar — Best for a Cheap Central London Lunch

Chequers Sandwich Bar on Bedford Street is proof that you do not always need a restaurant meal to eat well in central London.

This traditional sandwich bar specialises in fresh sandwiches, breakfast rolls, wraps and simple hot food, making it especially useful when you are sightseeing around Covent Garden, Soho or the West End.

The appeal is speed as much as price. You can grab something substantial, eat it on the move and get back to exploring without spending the amount you might at a sit-down restaurant.

Best for: A quick and inexpensive central London lunch.

11. Southbank Centre Food Market — Best for Variety

If you are travelling with friends or family and everyone wants something different, the Southbank Centre Food Market is a convenient choice.

The market brings together different street-food traders, so you can browse several cuisines rather than committing to one restaurant. It is particularly enjoyable at the weekend when the South Bank area is already busy with visitors.

The location also makes it easy to combine food with attractions such as the London Eye, the South Bank walk and the National Theatre.

Prices vary between traders, so this is one where checking the individual stall before ordering is important.

Best for: Groups, weekend food and trying different cuisines.

12. Piccolo Café — Best for an Old-School London Caff

Piccolo Café near Euston is the sort of traditional café that budget-conscious travellers often overlook.

The menu centres on straightforward breakfast and lunch dishes, with hearty portions and counter-style service. It is much more old-school caff than trendy brunch restaurant, which is exactly why it works for this list.

The location is particularly convenient if you are arriving at or departing from Euston and need something more filling than station food.

Best for: Traditional breakfasts and inexpensive comfort food.

13. Rock Steady Eddie’s — Best for a Full English

Rock Steady Eddie’s London in Camberwell is another old-school café option, particularly if breakfast is your priority.

The café has a retro feel and serves traditional British breakfast dishes, including the kind of full English breakfast that can keep you going for hours.

It is a good reminder that some of London’s best budget meals are not necessarily trendy or heavily promoted. Sometimes a simple café with generous portions is exactly what you need.

Best for: A filling traditional breakfast.

Best Cheap Eats in London Under £10

If your budget is around £10 per person, street food and independent cafés are generally your safest choices.

Some of the options on this list are particularly budget-friendly, including:

• Durak Tantuni for a Turkish wrap
• Edami for Lebanese manakish
• Chinese Tapas House for jianbing
• Koshari Street for Egyptian koshari
• Chequers for sandwiches
• Piccolo Café for traditional café food
• Bus Cafe for breakfast

Time Out’s May 2026 guide specifically notes that its featured cheap-eat venues offer full meals for £10 or less, although prices and portion choices naturally vary between businesses.

Best Cheap Eats in London for Students

Students have plenty of reasons to look beyond conventional restaurants. Independent cafés, takeaway counters, food markets and international street-food shops can offer much better value for a filling lunch.

Good options from this list include:

• Koshari Street — filling and vegetarian-friendly
• Chinese Tapas House — quick Chinatown food
• Edami — inexpensive Lebanese flatbreads
• Tifinbox — Indian street food
• Chequers — sandwiches and lunch options
• Piccolo Café — traditional café meals
• Durak Tantuni — affordable Turkish street food

Another useful strategy is to look around London’s major markets. Visit London recommends places such as Chinatown and street-food markets as reliable options for inexpensive international food.

Best Cheap Eats in Central London

Central London is usually where food budgets disappear fastest, but there are still plenty of affordable options if you know where to look.

For Covent Garden and the West End, try Chequers or Koshari Street. Around Chinatown, Chinese Tapas House is an easy choice for a quick street-food meal. For South Bank, the Southbank Centre Food Market provides multiple options in one location.

The trick is to avoid assuming that every meal needs to be a sit-down restaurant. A good sandwich, wrap, bowl or market dish can save a considerable amount while still giving you a proper meal.

Cheap London Food by Cuisine:

One of the best things about eating cheaply in London is the sheer range of cuisines available.

For Turkish: Durak Tantuni
For Lebanese: Edami or Falafel & Shawarma
For Egyptian: Koshari Street
For Indian: Tifinbox
For Thai: Satay Street Café
For Chinese: Chinese Tapas House
For British: M. Manze, Bus Cafe or Rock Steady Eddie’s

This variety is one reason London’s budget food scene is so interesting. You can travel across several cuisines in a single day without needing a huge restaurant budget.

Tips for Eating Cheaply in London

Eat at lunchtime. Many independent cafés and street-food traders are particularly geared towards weekday lunch, and you can often find better-value portions than at dinner.

Look for markets. Food markets allow you to compare several stalls before deciding what to eat.

Choose takeaway when appropriate. Some of London’s cheapest places have little or no seating because their business model is built around quick takeaway meals.

Check the menu before ordering extras. A £6 or £7 base dish can become considerably more expensive once you add multiple toppings, sides and drinks.

Explore beyond Zone 1. Some of London’s best-value food is found in neighbourhoods such as Camberwell, Dalston and Turnpike Lane rather than directly beside the major tourist attractions.

Carry some cash. Although card payments are widespread, some independent businesses have payment policies that can differ from larger restaurants.

FAQs About Cheap Eats in London

What is the cheapest food to eat in London?

Street food, sandwiches, wraps, traditional cafés and food-market dishes are generally among the cheapest options. Meals such as Turkish tantuni, falafel wraps, koshari and Lebanese flatbreads can be particularly filling for the money.

Can you eat in London for £10?

Yes. A £10 budget is still workable for many casual meals, particularly if you choose independent cafés, street-food stalls or takeaway counters. Time Out’s 2026 cheap-eats guide specifically focuses on meals costing £10 or less.

Where can I eat cheaply in central London?

Chinatown, Covent Garden, the West End and South Bank all have affordable options. Chinese Tapas House, Koshari Street and Chequers are three examples from this guide.

What is a good cheap traditional London meal?

Pie and mash is one of the most distinctive choices. M. Manze is a long-established place to try it, particularly if you are visiting the Tower Bridge area.

What are the best cheap eats for vegetarians?

Koshari Street, Edami, falafel shops and Indian street-food restaurants provide plenty of vegetarian-friendly options. Always check the current menu if you have specific dietary requirements.

Final Thoughts: Where to Find the Best Cheap Eats in London

London can be an expensive city, but eating well does not have to mean eating expensively. The best cheap eats in London are often found in small cafés, takeaway counters, food markets and neighbourhood restaurants rather than the city’s most fashionable dining rooms.

Whether you want a Turkish tantuni in North London, Lebanese manakish in Dalston, pie and mash near Tower Bridge, Egyptian koshari in the West End or a classic London breakfast, there are plenty of ways to keep your food budget under control.