l'Atelier de Joël Robuchon

For a quick something on the go, Pret is above average. Nice oatmeal for breakfast, and the sandwiches are very nice and fresh.
For a decent chain meal at the end of the day, Café Rouge is just fine. I think they are like Applebees in the States, meaning most dishes are made at a central site, frozen, and microwaved at the restaurant, but I had the duck and it was really good.
Also, plenty of pubs have pre-prepared items that are heated on site and quite pleasant without spending an arm and a leg.

l'Atelier de Joël Robuchon

Most people don't know l'Atelier means food court.

L'Atelier means workshop

OP did state "cheap and budget" I'd hardly call L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in this category - fixed price of £55!
Pizza Pilgrims does great pizza - eat in or take away .
Fra Diavolo- Five Guys does great burgers but it's American but very expensive in UK . My dh who is the hamburger king in our family has had many good burgers in UK - pubs and cafes .
Our family likes Patisserie Valerie - of course for cakes but light meals too.
Agree with EAT being a good choice - soups, dish of day.

<<Any American from the South West is likely to be disappointed by Wahaca.>> Totally agree. I had better Mexican food in my company's HQ staff restaurant in Texas but for the UK it is pretty good.

I quite like Giraffe although have only eaten breakfast there at LHR T5.

Comptoir Libanais for Lebanese food.

I've heard that many Thai restaurants in the U.S. and Canada hand out chopsticks. Poor king Wotsisname will be turning in his grave

It seems that it was King Chulalongkorn [Rama V] who brought the spoon and fork to Thailand Sensible man.

Leon's (go to http://leonrestaurants.co.uk/ and click on their all day menu) is tasty. They have over 20 locations in London. There are Leon's locations in the US...notably the DC/MD/VA area...and one in Chicago.

We also liked Nando's (http://www.nandos.com/) for Portuguese/African-influenced chicken. There are locations all over the UK & World and probably forty or fifty in London.

Pret is also decent, but you can usually find similar sandwiches in any number of mini-marts in London. (I admit we have not been to a Pret in ages.) Also, there are Pret's in the US.

SS

Garfunkels is an appalling tourist trap on a par with the infamous Aberdeen Steakhouses. How anyone could seriously recommend that I cannot fathom. Frankie and Bennies is a very similar crap pastiche of a neighbourhood US restaurant. Trouble is that overseas visitors go to these places then whinge about how bad the food was on their holiday in the UK.

Pret always gets rave reviews here - personally I can't see what the fuss is about, it's just a sandwich bar (albeit a very good quality one). But I certainly wouldn't want to have my main meal of the day there.

Pizza Express does consistently good pizza. ASK used to be very good but they've re-branded as more of a place for people with young kids (crayons on the tables etc) and it's lost its edge. Prezza/Strada are poor imitations of Pizza Express/ASK. Carluccios is a more up-market Italian chain which I rate pretty highly. Jamies Kitchen is jamie Oliver's chain of restaurants - only been there once with a group from work and it was dire, but many like it a lot.

Cafe Rouge (and more so, it's more upscale rival Cote) do reasonable French bistro type food.

Wagamama is popular especially among the young but I find it over-priced and over-hyped, especially when there is so much choice of excellent non-chain Asian food in London.

Las Iguanas is a Tex/Mex/South American themed chain which is cheap and fun (especially with a group) but would probably not impress a US visitor used to really good Tex/Mex food.

l'Atelier de Joël Robuchon

Most people don't know l'Atelier means food court.
___________

Really it is expensive and doesn't mean food court? Does Joël know this? Did you know originally he wanted to call his place Abattoir de Joël?

<i>Very suspect. I have never had a good burger in the UK. They are always "enhanced" to their detriment.</i>

Exactly. Though, to be fair, the British burger joints are easily the best in Europe. The rest of Europe is a vast wasteland of c**ppy burgers.

<i>l'Atelier de Joël Robuchon</i>

Now that is what I am talking about. I'd also include Hakkasan on the list of "chains" that would be worth a trip.

Regarding what I think the OP meant by "chains"... Most of those mentioned are fine, but I agree there are largely better options if you aren't in a terrible hurry. I know everyone is different, but I don't see the point of seeking out a Pret, for example - it is a pre-made sandwich/salad place, which hardly seems exciting or worth a stop. FWIW, there are Pret branches in the US.

I have nothing against Wagamama, but I agree that it isn't terribly novel. I was studying in London when it opened and it was maybe a bit daring then, but now noodle shops are a dime a dozen. If you are flying BA home, note that there is a branch in T5.

The only chain I would seek out was mentioned by PalenQ - I love West Cornwall Pasty.

How about M & S take-out food stores? Big selection, all kinds of prepared food. When we rent an apartment in Britain, practically all our dinners come from M & S. (You don't need to search out an M & S department store; there are food-only places called Simply Food. For example, a big one in Victoria Station.)

Or have a picnic. I particularly remember sitting on a bench opposite Salisbury Cathedral eating strawberries and cream from M & S.

M & S takeaway is always a good idea.

I should also mention Paul's for breakfast and sandwiches. Always pick up sandwiches for the flight home at Paul's. Found Hakkasan different than the usual Chinese but very expensive for the food and probably a better bet for interesting cocktails. Could not stand Wagamama, The worst restaurant in Japan does much better food. Marsala Zone was better than most Indian restaurants in the US and so I think it to be decent.

One chain that hasn't been mentioned yet is Loch Fyne, a chain of fish restaurants that serves everything from fishcakes and fish & chips to lobster and oysters. There are also a small number of meat and vegetarian dishes on their menu. They offer a set menu and a la carte, and are good for anything from a quick meal to a special treat. Service is usually good and informed.

Another possibility is Bill's, a chain of rather quirky all-day restaurants, often in former shops made to look like distressed-industrial premises. They offer a widely ranging menu, and informal, chatty service.

Restaurant chains start with a theme, which in Britain is often based on some other ethnic cuisine, but over time get lazy, stick with the same menu, and go steadily down market. Cafe Rouge was once fresh and new, but is now rather cliched, and they have closed a lot of branches recently. I fear the same is happening with Pizza Express, now everyone gets a discount of some sort, and children leave with balloons.

Incidentally, Marsala is a wine from Sicily, usually found in its fortified variety, and used to make zabaglione. Masala is a type of curry. There is a difference.

travelgourmet on Jun 5, 15 at 10:51am

You're comment about bad burgers brought back memories.

In 1970, my wife and I spent 3 weeks in the UK living in a pup tent. Though we did have a car (tiny) for travel, we scrimped on everything else.

There was a dreadful burger chain called Wimpie's that we went to fairly often.

In the five visits to London since my retirement in 1999, I've never seen one. Does it still exist?

[This is NOT a recommendation! :-) ]

SS

Wimpy's doesn't exist anymore, I remember that place. I think it was the competition from McDonalds and Burger King that forced it out, since McDonalds was a huge improvement on Wimpy's....

There are lots of good burger places now; GBK, Byron, Shakeshack.

Ssander

If Wimpy's was so dreadful, why did you go back?

Shakeshack is American - but along with Five Guys also American does good burgers.