Eating Our Way Through London: What We Ate in a Week

London Food Costs & Tips

Many travelers might find that London can be a little spendy when it comes to food, though we personally did not find it shocking as we live in one of the most expensive areas in the United States. That being said, I didn’t want to go overboard with spending money on food so we tried to keep things relatively simple this trip.

We love pub-style food, and we really stuck to that for a good portion of the trip. If you’re cool with that, you can really find some gems in the city that provide you with a tasty and satisfying meal without breaking the bank.

Visiting the many different markets (like Borough Market), or even the Pret a Manger shops littered about the city, will also provide you with access to quick, affordable, and delicious meals.

So, here’s a list of all the places we were able to visit in a week, what we ate, and thoughts on the food!

Temple Brew House

Address: 46 Essex St, London WC2R 3JF, UK
https://www.templebrewhouse.com/foodanddrink/

Just around the corner from our hotel sat the Temple Brew House – pinned on my map from the get go. Things that drew me to towards singling out this place: a relatively affordable menu; vegetarian and vegan items on the menu; beer; and close proximity to our hotel (Apex Temple Court).

We ventured here on our first afternoon in London, after we checked into our hotel and showered off the travel. We decided that we didn’t want to fill up right away on food, so we snacked on their deliciously crispy onion rings with sweet chili dipping sauce, Scotch eggs & beer.

Some notes about English beer: it’s relatively warm compared to the ice cold beers we are used to in America; it’s not as strong (lower ABV); and it is definitely an acquired taste (I’m used to bold IPAs).

All in all, a good first stop. Their onion rings are killer, they have a cozy vibe, and (I hope they still have this special) on Mondays, they serve up a “Moo & Brew” for £10.00 (a burger and a pint). That is a steal, ladies and gents. I also love that they are in a quieter part of town so you don’t have to battle with hoards of tourists.

Notes: Watch your bags – apparently they have a thievery problem in the bar. Secondly, you can’t open a tab without downloading a specific app.

Chambers at Apex Temple Court

Address: 1-2 Serjeants’ Inn, Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1LL, United Kingdom
https://www.apexhotels.co.uk/destinations/london/restaurants/chambers

One thing to note about staying in the financial district (where we stayed), nearby restaurants don’t stay open late, so we ended up eating at our hotel restaurant. I don’t typically like doing that because it’s generally outrageously expensive and the food quality leaves something to be desired. However, Chambers produced a beautiful meal for us.

My crab pasta was so flavorful and my husband’s lamb was cooked perfectly. Portions were small though, especially for the price.

Daily breakfast was included in our room rate, which included both the continental offerings, as well as the full breakfast menu. This saved us a bit of money on a few days and made planning a little bit easier on us for breakfast. Prices for breakfast are generally quite reasonable, though, if you do have to pay separately.

We ate here a few times during our one week stay, and some items that we got were the eggs benny, vegetarian English breakfast, and the avocado toast with beans. The Benedict and English breakfast dishes were plentiful but you will need a little salt and pepper for seasoning. The avocado toast was very delicious; I got mine without the poached eggs and opted for a side of beans instead.

The staff was always very pleasant and the dining room is comfortable.

Snog Froyo

Address: Southbank Centre, Hungerford Bridge, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX, United Kingdom
http://www.ifancyasnog.com/

It was kind of hard to miss this hot pink bus down near the water in the South Bank area by The London Eye! It is truly a cheeky business name as well. We had to go for a cup of the salted caramel, which was delicious and refreshing on a warm spring day. You can enjoy it upstairs on the bus, or just take it to go as you walk.

It is a bit of a pain in that you have to pay for everything separately – the wine bar is one separate entity, then you pay for the cheese board and salad bar separately, and then their hot dog stand (also serving the sangria) is another separate thing.

However, if you can snag a table here on a sunny afternoon in London, you’ll simply experience nothing but bliss. It’s such a great spot to not only enjoy some great wine and snacks, but also to people watch and rest your weary legs.

The George Pub

Address: 213 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1AP, UK
https://thegeorge.london/pub/

Two words: Fish & Chips. I don’t know how the fish and chips are at most other places in London, but this was damn amazing. Pretty sure we found the best fish and chips in London (and possibly even in the world). It was so good, we came back to The George on our last night in London!

Not only was the fish fried perfectly and oh so flavorful, the chips were the absolute best I’ve ever had – thick cut and salted well. Those mushy peas though…not a fan (but I really hate peas).

Cost = we paid £14.50 in 2018 but it has gone up to a staggering £23!

I also had the spice roasted cauliflower with Sriracha hummus, which was tasty, but needed something for dipping with the hummus. I also thoroughly enjoyed the the wild mushrooms with edamame and brioche sprinkled with a heavy helping of pecorino cheese. Perfection! And of course, Micah tried their Scotch eggs as well.

They also have a higher end restaurant upstairs, which I would totally try on a return visit to the city. So much to see (and eat), so little time!

The Earl of Lonsdale

Address: 277-281 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2QA, UK

We can thank a lovely thunderstorm for leading us to this pub in Notting Hill! On our ride over, the rain started to come down and totally ended up making sightseeing in the Notting Hill neighborhood impossible. We had our driver drop us off at Portobello Road, while I crossed my fingers that the rain would let up. It didn’t. Trying to manage with one umbrella for two people didn’t help either.

Frustrated and wet, we ducked into the first place we could find and decided to try to wait out the rain. It’s not the fanciest of places, nor highly rated in reviews, but it sufficed as a good shelter from the storm.

First off, this is a Samuel Smith pub, so they serve house-made Samuel Smith brews and spirits. We each got a pint of their IPA and it wasn’t half bad! IPAs aren’t really common to find on tap here, so we tried one whenever we could.

For food stuffs, we ordered the fish and chips and the cheese croquettes. The fish and chips were decent, but nothing like The George. The croquettes were, however, delicious – crispy, hot, and cheesy.

The shining moment, though, comes in the form of sticky toffee pudding. Sticky toffee pudding is a warm, gooey, date and toffee pudding that’s like a very moist cake. We chose to have ours with custard versus ice cream and it was divine. It is a serious contender with my true dessert love – panna cotta.

We can thank fellow Google reviewers and my husband for reading said reviews. If you come to this pub for one thing and one thing only, let it be this sticky toffee magic!

Afternoon Tea at Egerton House Hotel

Egerton House Hotel, 17-19 Egerton Terrace, Chelsea, London SW3 2BX, UK
https://egertonhousehotel.com/dining-and-drinks/afternoon-tea

Afternoon tea should totally be a regular thing in the U.S. Who doesn’t love finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, and tasty little desserts?! Oh yeah, and the tea too.

I wanted to find a vegan afternoon tea in London because I was trying to keep my diet more plant-based at the time, and I came across the Egerton House Hotel as having a great vegan afternoon tea (also very affordable, compared to other places at least). They also serve traditional afternoon tea so my husband chose that while I got the vegan option.

The staff here is so friendly and attentive, the trays of food were filled with goodies, and the tea was delightful. I’ve written a separate post about our experience here, but below are some of the details:

• Cost: We paid £45.00 (for both the vegan or traditional) but it has since gone up to £75.00 (talk about inflation eh?)
• Seating: Reserve the window spot for best lighting (it was dark and rainy on the day we went so hard to take good pics)
• Savory goodies: Ask for more savory finger sandwiches to balance out the sweets!
• Teas: I loved the rooibos (beautiful orange color), and the black currant and hibiscus was amazing (lovely pink coloring)

Snacks at Pret a Manger

Address: Everywhere! (Even the airport)
https://www.pret.co.uk/en-gb

There’s no way to miss seeing at least one Pret a Manger store when you are in London. It’s a chain of little stores that have easy grab-and-go/prepared foods, and I so wish we had some in my area. There is always plenty to choose from – both cold and hot foods – and they have plenty of vegetarian and vegan items as well. We ate something from a Pret shop three times while in London! It’s fast and easy, cheap, and pretty tasty.

I can personally recommend the falafel wrap and the baguette with avocado, olives and sundried tomatoes, both vegan options. Everything is clearly labeled (as far as vegan/vegetarian), and notes allergen information on each label.

Italian at Adore Remo

Address: 1BA, 227 Strand, London WC2R 1BE, United Kingdom
*Sadly closed since we visited*

We ate at Adore Remo one night as it was just around the corner from our hotel (Apex Temple Court) and was very highly reviewed. It was a cozy little spot tucked away in the financial/business district with delicious food! I’m sad they closed but hopefully something good will take its place.

One of my favorite Italian dishes is eggplant parmesan, and many places prepare it differently. Adore’s version had tender eggplant and tons of cheese baked together in one big dish of cheesy awesomeness. It was really tasty and I devoured it! Great sauce, great flavor, great texture. Just perfect!

My husband went for the Diavola pizza with spicy nduja, salami (pepperoni), peppers, and chili. I think he could have used a little more of the nduja and peppers, but overall a good pizza. Our drinks were also very good (keeping it Italian with a Negroni and Aperol Spritz), and the spritz was huge!

Borough Market

Address: 8 Southwark St, London SE1 1TL, UK
http://boroughmarket.org.uk/

My absolute favorite foodie experience in London was at Borough Market! I love markets like this because you can sample a bunch of different foods in one place. You could come back again and again and have something different every time! If you are visiting London, I highly recommend coming here at least twice.

The Big V

I had researched the Big V ahead of time and knew I wanted to try one of their vegan burgers and boy were they spot on! The bun, the “cheese,” the spicy sauces. Om nom nom! I got The Killer which came with jalapenos, vegan chili jack cheese, Sriracha, onions, and another spicy sauce. 

Turkish Delight

Another thing fell head over heels for was the Turkish delight. It was both our first times having any, and I gotta say…wow. What a treat! So soft, sweet, and flavorful. Definitely try the pomegranate flavor. I really wish I had gotten more pieces to try and bring back home as gifts!

Cider & Exotic Meats

We also stood at a cider stand and sipped tall glasses of sour cider (not as sweet as what I’m used to in the U.S.), while my husband taste-tested exotic meats of kangaroo, llama, camel and crocodile. He sure is a brave soul! But that’s what markets like this are for. Get a little taste test of everything and try something new!

Scallops & Hot Sauce

Micah also satisfied his scallop craving with these Dorset scallops, and we found the best hot sauce stand! We stocked up on bottles of their super spicy sauce, and I can’t wait to order more from them (or maybe just take another trip back to the market?).

Every corner you turn, you’ll find something delicious. No doubt!

Indian City

Address: 4 New Bridge St, London EC4V 6AA, UK
https://indiancity.co.uk/

One of my favorite human travel experiences was had at a restaurant called Indian City. Let me preface this with the fact that I had already had three very strong rum punches at this point from happy hour down the street.

Aside from the fact that I spilled water all over the floor (which they quickly cleaned up as I apologized profusely while thinking to myself I probably should have stuck to a max of two rum drinks), and also the fact that I left my bag of goodies from Borough Market in the restaurant (I picked it up two days later because they saved it for me!!!), our meal was insanely flavorful and the servers were so friendly!

I ordered the bhindi bhajee (okra cooked with onion and tomatoes) and the bombay aloo (potato dish) and they were good, but something was amiss. I tasted Micah’s sauce that he had with his lamb and I just about fell in love. I asked for my own side of the sauce and promptly poured it over my plate and went to Indian food heaven.

My favorite moment: We tried to leave our waiter a little tip after our meal because he was so accommodating and he refused, saying “We are friends.” And that was enough. I instantly felt a little ashamed at myself for only thinking that money was the best way to thank someone.

What he said has stuck with me and will always remind me of the most important part of traveling – connecting with other humans in the world. We are all the same regardless of skin color, race, ethnicity- whatever you want to call it – and we all have the capacity to love and be kind to one another. Leave it to food to facilitate the best human experiences!

Loch Fyne Seafood Grill in Bath

Address: 24 Milsom St, Bath BA1 1DG, UK
*Location closed since our visit*

This restaurant was not technically in London but still a part of our trip so I’m including it on this diary. We had a day trip to Bath and Stonehenge and ended up having lunch in Bath. We wandered around looking for some grub and just happened upon this place serving a 3-course lunch with a glass of wine at a reasonable price (£13.50)!

Here’s what we had:

• For me: Courgette soup, prawn spaghetti, garlic kale, and Eton Mess for dessert
• For him: Seafood soup, fish cakes, fries, and crème brule for dessert (he also had to add the scallops)

Kao San Thai & Beers at The Raven

Address: 375 Goldhawk Rd, Hammersmith, London W6 0SA, UK
https://www.theravenw6.com/

One of the best things I enjoyed about our time in London was our time we spent in the various pubs. I kind of felt more like a local! When we got dropped off at the tube station across the street from The Raven after our Stonehenge tour, we didn’t feel like making our way back to the city center on the tube. So, we popped over to The Raven for some pints, a glass of wine, and some delicious Thai food!

I got the veggie pad kee mow (spicy drunken noodles), crispy spring rolls, and we shared some calamari. The calamari wasn’t the best but the noodles and the spring rolls were super tasty. We sat back and enjoyed watching rugby on the big screen with the rest of the patrons.

Totally off the beaten path and exactly what you want a pub experience to feel like.

Crosstown Doughnuts – Spitalfields

Address: Spitalfields Market, 56 Brushfield St, London E1 6AA, UK
*Permanently closed

I became mildly obsessed with getting a vegan doughnut when we were walking through the Shoreditch neighborhood. We passed up the Crosstown shop and I decided against a doughnut since they were a bit spendy, but by the time we reached Spitalfields Market, I still had that itch to get one. So, we located a Crosstown cart and got one!

Crosstown makes a sourdough style doughnut, so not as sweet. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the lemon thyme doughnut – I think it was a bit too savory for me with the thyme flavor. Next time, I will go with my first instinct – the chocolate!

BrewDog Shoreditch

Address: 55 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA, UK
https://www.brewdog.com/bars/uk/shoreditch

Lastly, we finally made it to a couple of BrewDog locations. I used to watch the guys at BrewDog on Spike TV when they would traverse the U.S. breweries, making up new concoctions for beer lovers to test out. There was no way I was going to miss a stop at one of their brewhouses in the UK! There are quite a few and we actually made it to two different ones, Shoreditch and the Tower Bridge location.

BrewDog definitely had the best beer we had on our trip, and Micah even had to get a beer out of the beer can vending machine! They do offer beer that is more our style (IPAs and such), which is why we enjoyed this beer spot the most. 

The Shoreditch location is also where we had our food. I had their vegan Hail Seitan burger which was quite flavorful, though I wish it came with a few more toppings (that’s the piggy American in me always wanting more). I added avocado of course because I am a #BasicMillennial.

Micah had the Spicy Meaty pizza (almost exactly like the one at Adore Remo) and we shared an order of the buffalo cauliflower wings. Actually, they brought us two orders of cauliflower by mistake so I felt obligated to eat a few extra. Rough life? They were amazing – crispy and flavorful! I’m drooling thinking about those right now.