xyz123

Benjy's sandwiches are a little cheaper but then again Benjy's resorts to that trick of importing coca cola products from long distances which I have a problem with!

And I have never had a problem with PM as to the freshness of their food something I can't say about Benjy's.

I also get sandwiches from time to time from Tesco shoppes and the prices are about the same as PM.

henneth

"Tesco shoppes", have they gone all quaint or something, with little thatched roofs and Mr Pickwick lookalike shop assistants?
Anyway, I would never look foward to a Benjy's sandwich in the same way I'd look foward to one from Pret, but when I'm trying to save money then needs must.

david_west

Benjy's is dreadful. Really really bad. The fillings are non existant and of poor quality. Stick to M&S, the supermnarkets (who have mini versions all over the place) and pret - also the independent places are usually OK.


Beer costs no more than £2.50 a pint (and it's a bigger pint - 20 fl oz)

m_kingdom2

Sandwiches are the most depressing thing. You're best to find little ethnic places where you can get things such as falafel, and grilled meats for under 5GBP.

Where are you staying in London? With this information it'll be easier to give you some more specific recommendations.

Robespierre

Quite to the contrary, I find sandwiches inspiring, elevating, enriching, stirring. Especially the more exotic collations from the all-British non-ethnic kitchens of Marks & Spencer.

Here, grilled meats and picnic portables include succulent bacon from East Anglia, delectable York ham, and tasty Cornish pasties.

Only an inbred snob would turn up its nose at Pret a Manger's Hoisin Duck Wrap or Christmas Turkey Baguette.

m_kingdom2

I detest Pret a Manger with a passion. It's pretentious, and on numerous occasions I've had to endure their food (a very quick bite/drink and they were the only place around). It's just bland.

Picnic affairs from Fortnums and suchlike are charming, but sandwiches alone and from chains are dull. Home produced sandwiches can be better, but even then they're bland. Cheese sandwiches are acceptable in as much a good quality cheese, with some fruit on fresh bread is delicious, but you don't get that in any shop really.

I think fish and chips would be preferable to that, although that isn't so cheap. Have one course in a restaurant/café to reduce costs.

But a tight budget for you might be a liberal one for someone else...

david_west

The cornish pasty places you find near railway stations are pretty scrummy too.

M Kingdon - you can't inflict kebabs on the Americans - they don't drink much. It's not fair to give a sober person a kebab.

WillTravel

I know a few places at home where I can get reputable kebabs, and I've had good ones in countries other than the UK. However, on my last trip to London, I got mild food poisoning from a kebab. My daughter who had a vegetarian burger was not affected. I felt punished for eating a sweet, little lamb.

So I disagree that properly-done kebabs are only for drunk people, but I'd be very cautious about another London kebab.

m_kingdom2

I'm not talking about kebabs. I'm talking about quality grilled arabic foods that are homemade. Ali Baba in Ivor Place in Marylebone does excellent fish too.

I wouldn't touch a kebab dear.

PatrickLondon

Not even after a night on the Newcastle-Brown-and-blackcurrant?

Keith

"Prices in London, contrary to the perpetual whining you can read on this board from people who leave their brains at home, are pretty much what you let them be."

Your idea of a fun vacation is different from mine.

Though I don't mind an occasional meal, I don't want to fly several thousand miles to have every meal be premade sandwiches from a supermarket.

Keith

janisj

Keith: &quot;<i>I don't want to fly several thousand miles to have every meal be premade sandwiches from a supermarket.</i>&quot;

One doesn't have to. Sandwiches were recommended because the OP is on a very tight budget.

On my average week-long trip to London I'll have maybe 2 pret sandwiches or a take away - and those are usually more for convenience/speed than to save money. Otherwise I eat in pubs, restaurants, museum cafes, a couple of splurge meals. And my food costs are no more than they would be in San Francisco, Chicago or any big US city.

christina79

I've seen a lot of talk about sandwiches in London, as well as the more recent posts about kebabs, but what's the deal with curry? Londoners are famous for loving &quot;takeaway curry&quot;... I'm curious about this phenomenon... Is curry cheap in London? Where are good places to get an inexpensive curry? I'm staying in Bayswater and looking for good and cheap places to eat. It looks like we'll be living off staples from Tesco, PAM and fish and chips during our trip but I would like to know more about the infamous curries.

Kate

curry is simply a shorthand term for food from the Indian subcontinent.

When we get an Indian takeaway, it usually comes from a restaurant rather than a dedicated home delivery place, as many Indian restaurants do home delivery.

there are numerous great cheap indian restaurants across London (indeed across the UK). Far too numerous to mention.

You can search this very reliable restaurant review website for curry houses in your area. You'll need to register (free) but then you can search by area, food type, service, atmosphere, price per head and food quality:

www.hardens.com

david_west

Rubies (Ruby Murray - Curry) are part of the English way of life.

You go and have one after a few Brittneys (Brittney Spears - beers). There's a whole curry subculture.

I'll explain tomorrow unless any other Brits want to do it.

Mr Kingdom?

Mathieu

Thanks for the slang !

'Brittney' was a new one for me. Quite contemporary too. Any others ?

Walter_Walltotti

There's a pub in Soho (The Duke of something or other, anyway it's opposite the NCP car park and film merchandise collectables shop) and that is very very very cheap - only thing is Everything (from the beer to crisps to the coke) is unbranded - but the prices are some of the cheapest you'll find in London and outside of it too. The Pub Grub looked cheap and substantial as well.

I'd keep an eye out for pubs belonging to the JD Weatherspoon change these are often very reasonably priced.

david_west

That's because it's a Sam Smiths pub. They're all like that.

Just down from there in Gt Windmill St there's a pub called the Golden Lion which is the cheapest one I know in the west end.

henneth

Sam Smiths pubs are cheap for food and beer but not so cheap for a decent wine. Try the Chandos or Lyceum if you are in the West End.
Everything is own brand including their 'cola' (yuck!).

Lovejoy

The Sam Smiths Brewery pubs in London do tend to have some of the lowest prices for beer.In addition the pubs themselves tend to be well kept and interesting to visit.
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street is a good example.
Here is a link to a listing for their London Pubs.
http://tinyurl.com/9sqfv