crp3

Will be in London for a few days the beginning of May --- will be staying in the Earls Court area ---where would you suggest for us to eat - one likes beef,one likes fish and I like anything and everything ! Of course it can't be too expensive - budget is about $15.00 per meal per person

JoeTro

In London, that will not get you very far. You could certainly have a meal in pub, or takeway, or supermarket food, but don't expect to have a nice meal at that price in a fancy restaurant. Sometimes there are good lunch specials to be found.

hopscotch

LOL

beaupeep

Don't laugh but I flew to London from Boston alone in 1997 and for the first time in my entire life ate at Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken because that was the only place I could afford! I have since found out that curry places are what I should have been checking out and buying picnic foods at Harrod's food court.

crp3

Sad but true --- London will be at the end of a long trip and I'm afraid that will be about what we can afford --
Perhaps a suggestion of some good pubs ???? Where they are --- maybe an address --- take pity on us and offer some suggestions !

LJ

I feel your pain, but seriously, you are not going to be able to eat in a pub in Central London for $15 per person.

hopscotch

Back again. Try Italian (!), Indian (!!), and Greek (!!!) to eat well on a budget. The English don't know how to cook and charge way too much.

crp3

Isn't Harrod a really, really expensive department store ???

Is it "that" Harrod - that you suggest we eat at ?????

NanBug

You'll be able to eat cheaply by buying pre-made supermarket food (sandwiches, salads, etc) from places such as Tesco and Sainsbury. They're actually quite good. You can have a pub meal one night, then compensate the next night by having a Tesco picnic in your room...

Fish and chip takeaways are usually pretty cheap, as are kebab/curry takeaways.

Wander away from the tourist areas and explore the backstreets to find cheap eats, they're out there. Also look at TimeOut London for more suggestions.

dfr4848

Yes, it's "that" Harrod's and Harrod's take out can be quite reasonable and very good.

traveller1959

Do not even think of buying picnic food at Harrod's - unless you have won a major price in a lottery. It is good, but outragously expensive.

My suggestion: Take half of your meals from supermarkets - sandwiches, cold meat pies etc. - and the other half in inexpensive ethnic snack snack bars. And once or twice in a not-so-fancy-looking pub (but not in the banking district).

ga9497

I have found this website helpful as it has menus and you can search by area
www.toptable.co.uk

Some others are london-eating.co.uk
londonrestaurantguide.com
www.coventgarden.uk.com/restrev.html

I am sure there are a lot of local places that aren't listed in any guides. I have asked this question and really didn't get much of a reply but plan on doing some looking as we are walking in different areas and look at the menus

janisj

Harrod's is a Department store. Beaupeep meant food halls have all sorts of prepared foods so you could put together a picnic. Very good - they are not cheap, but you could picnic for a good deal less than 15GBP pp.

Just about every large supermarket plus places like Marks & Spencer also have prepared foods for picnics/eating in your room.

But for an actual sit down meal w/ a drink of some sort and service - $15 is about the bottom of the barrel at only about 7GBP. Even just a sandwich and a soft drink will cost 5-7 GBP

ga9497

Here is one other that I found helpful
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&...ear=London,+UK

You can change the category on top to pubs or a specific cuisine for a restaurant

m_kingdom2

You could have a very plain pizza, and just a pizza in most pizza/cheaper Italian restaurants, similar suggestion for a pasta dish.

However, if you want to come in on budget then a "meal deal" a McDonalds/Burger King/other fast food chain will come within budget. Somehow I doubt that this is what either of us would call "good food", but on such a tight budget it'll be hard to recommend anything else.

Indian food perhaps could come in at that price if you eat one dish, but then that isn't really how it works.

Buying takeaway food from a supermarket might be an idea, and if you have access to a microwave oven then you can even indulge in ready meals. As for buying things to eat in Harrods, you will get a sandwich and a biscuit if you are lucky, any suggestion of delicatessen food is a false economy.

How about eating cheaper in other places (where food costs less anyway) then spending more in London?

monicapileggi

Yes, $15 may be hard to do. Here's my list from my trip in May 2005:

http://www.luvtotravel.homestead.com/Londondining.html

My best meal was at Brown's, but that was 12.50£. Cheapest was a sandwich at Pret a Manger for 3.30£.

Monica

cmcfong

I am headed to London this week. Recommended to me was The Table, near Borough food Market at 83 Soutwark St. South Bank. Described as offering Mediterranean inspired salads, pastas, bakes and garnishes.

crp3

Thanks for all you help - I think I'll start fasting ---- sounds like I better be ready to be HUNGRY --- but that is okay --- I really appreciate everyone's help !

My friend just read all the posts and she said "I wonder what they do to you in London if you eat a meal and --- don't have enough money to pay" ?

NeoPatrick

I just scoured my journals to see if we ever managed that cheaply in London. The two of us had a really good lunch upstairs at the famous Lamb and Flag Pub in Covent Garden. I had roast chicken with chips, Lee had cottage pie with chips and peas. He had a glass of wine, I had a beer (half pint). The TOTAL for the two of us was 15 pounds, so that is actually a little less than $15 each. And the food is good there.

We did a couple cheap lunches in Chinatown, and fish and chips at both Harry Ramsden, and Rock and Sole Plaice. Each of those meals came out with drinks between $15 and $20 (US) each. We also had hamburgers and fries (really good for both), a malt and a ginger beer at Hamburger Union for a total of 16.45 pounds for the two of us -- right at $15 each.

So it can be done.

BTilke

Obviously you know you've got a very tight budget. If breakfast is included with your accommodations, fill up and skip lunch, getting at most a sandwich from a Tesco or Sainsbury's (cheaper than Pret a Manger). That will give you a little more money to play with at dinner.
It's not great food, but certainly edible: the Cafe Rouge chain offers good Prix Fixe values if you're willing to eat early (before 5 pm). £8 for two courses or £10 for three (if you've skipped lunch, you probably won't mind eating early).
www.caferouge.co.uk
You may find some pubs offering two for one specials, keep your eyes peeled for those.
One small chain restaurant group that we really like is Prezzo. Their rotisserie chicken is excellent as are the fries served with them (and yes, they say fries on the menu and not chips). Also quite good is their insalata livorno.
www.prezzoplc.co.uk

If you've got budgeted $15 pp budget for lunch and another $15 pp for dinner, you can skimp on one meal and actually do pretty well on the other (your choice as to whether you want a bigger lunch or bigger dinner). But if $15 pp is to cover lunch AND dinner, your meals will be very basic.