Nobody likes spending money. Well, we don't. Thankfully, our dear capital ensures that we don't have to. There are a remarkable number of restaurants that serve excellent food at prices that won't go anywhere near to breaking the bank, so please peruse these pocket pleasing places and discover the art of eating well for less: it really does taste good.
Mien Tay
180 Lavender Hill, Battersea, London, SW11 5TQ
We've picked this particular Mien Tay because it's marginally better than the Kingsland Road version. Both, though, serve sublime Vietnamese food at really rather ridiculous prices. And it runs a BYO policy, so you can head down with your very own bottle of Liebfraumilch, you classy devil.
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5 reviews
This place looks a bit psychedelic, what with all the colour, but tuck into the quality Lebanese food and you'll be very pleased. Delicious tagines at £6.50? Huge platters for two at under a tenner? Value in Mayfair? Wonders may never cease.
Dishoom
St Martins Courtyard, 12 Upper St Martins Lane, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9EF
You can certainly get cheaper curries in London, but these are very, very tasty curries, and still cheap. If we're feeling like pinching some pennies, we just sit down for a quick lamb biryani - a tenner with tip.
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6 reviews
Koya
49 Frith Street, Soho, London, W1D 4SG
This great little place is well worth the inevitable queues - they do some of the best udon noodles in town. The saba (smoked mackarel and green leaves - £9.80) is our particular favourite.
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4 reviews
Tayyabs
83-89 Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel, London, E1 1JU
No cheap eat list is complete without the inclusion of Tayyabs. It might not be as groundbreaking as it was, but the Punjabi grills are still amazing and the prices, still impressive.
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45 reviews
Keu! Deli
332 Old Street, Shoreditch, London, EC1V 9DR
This little Vietnamese cafe is perhaps best known for its cracking banh mi baguettes but there's plenty more to get your teeth into, without having to spend too much of your hard-earned cash. The crispy pork belly with veg and rice is a steal, as are many of the other lunch deals.
Makan Minum
741 Green Lanes, Winchmore Hill, London, N21 3RX
Superb and authentic Malaysian food up the posh end of Green Lanes shouldn't be this reasonable. Happily it is - just be wary of the huge mark up on their wine as that's clearly where they make their money. Still more than worth a visit, though.
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1 review
Mooli's
50 Frith Street, Soho, London, W1D 4SQ
This ever-popular Soho haunt serves impressive and affordable homemade rotis all day long, making it one of the best cheap eats in London. It's from one of the guys from the Michelin-starred Benares, so the quality of these little Indian wraps is easily the match of those very pleasing prices.
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5 reviews