5 Money-Saving Tips for Foodie Travellers + Cheap London Eats

Travelling on a budget as a foodie can be, putting it lightly, a little bit sad. Typically, the go-to way to save money while travelling involves microwave meals instead of eating locally or sticking to those quality ‘meal deals’ you can get at grocery stores for 3 pounds instead of sampling the offers of the city.

Personally, while that certainly has its place, I feel like food is some of the travel experiences that stay with you the longest. It’s the Piri Piri chicken livers of Kwazulu-Natel, the ostrich carpaccio in the Freestate, the macarons in Paris, the hot chicken in Nashville, the fish stew in Iceland; you name the adventure, there’s a food associated with it. So, while I was sticking to the hostel breakfast and ridiculous amounts of black coffee, I wasn’t about to dismiss the more foodie-central adventures in London, despite the budget.

So… how do you actually do that? How do you try some of the local delicacies, without breaking the bank? Here are my go-to ways, all of which I employed while staying in London.

1- Choose Lunch

Lunches are always a cheaper way to eat out than dinner. If you’re on vacation, you can still have a glass of wine with lunch(which you might get judged for at breakfast), and the menu is typically comparable to evening menus, but with slightly smaller portions and much lower prices. The lunch menu will also likely host some of the place’s ‘greatest hits’ or most popular dishes, and the overall feeling will probably be a bit more zen; they may not be trying to turn tables as quickly, allowing you to enjoy the atmosphere.

2- On The Go

Throughout the UK(and especially in Scotland) most of the time when ordering at cafes you’ll be asked if it’s “sit in or to go” and by taking it to go, you not only eliminate the need to tip a server, many places will also give you a discount. Choose to go, find a seat on a park bench, or eat while walking! I did this with a cone if Iberico jamon and walked around the natural history museum and then again during a visit to the Dominique Ansel bakery.

The jamon was an easy snack to go and walk around with, something small to work through over the day, and was cheap, as it was primarily scrapped from their larger cuts; I’d never have been able to afford the ham by itself, but given the quick, otherwise-would-have-been-thrown-away nature of the to-go cone, I was able to enjoy much higher quality for the price.

Dominique Ansel, on the other hand, was not only less expensive, as the purchase of two pastries without an accompanying coffee(or three) was significantly more affordable, but it was also a time saver. Had I waited, the bakery would have likely consumed half of my day, but instead, I got to stroll up and down the streets, nibbling pastries instead of stuck in a beautiful albeit overfilled café.

Though it was hard to choose, I ended up picking up a tiny blackberry pavlova and the ladybug cake pictured below. Both were fantastic, and I can only imagine they tasted better amongst the London architecture than they would have in the café.

3- Explore The Markets And Stalls

By exploring food markets, a lot of the time, you can get gourmet food for less, due to the lower overhead costs, the smaller portions, and the ability to mix and match from different booths. Additionally, the frenetic energy of food markets adds to the experience. While in London, I spent afternoons exploring both Harrod’s and Camden’s.

Harrod’s provided a bit more of an upscale, posh environment, with a wide diversity of options all clearly made by top chefs.

There were also evidently a plethora of vegan options, and you could pick up ingredients for dinner at home.

Almost anything you could think of was available; meat, seafood, exotic fruits.

And of course, there were options if you wanted to eat then and there- the scotch eggs caught my eye, in their perfectly cooked splendour, and there were racks upon racks of steamed bao and Dim sum

There was also, of course, the made-to-order pasta bar, with sauce options like traditional bolognese, truffle and cheese, and arrabbiata.

Truly, a sight to behold.

On the other hand, Camden had a much more relaxed feeling-which is understandable, with its open-air stalls, outdoor seating, and generally younger audience.

That being said, the food was still fantastic, and there was a little bit of everything; I was salivating over the look of this pasta but ended up heading for the arepas stand-and needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed.

Additionally, many neighborhoods have street stands that are pretty affordable; while I was in Swiss Cottage, there was a Portuguese street stand and an empanadas stand I ate at.

4- Think About Neighbourhoods

Different cuisines have a tendency to cost different amounts, and depending on the area you’re dining in, the value ratio tends to soar. Typically, I find seeking out the local Chinatown, Little India, and middle eastern food areas tend to have really fantastic food while still being a reasonable price. In London, I visited Chinatown and had a fantastic spicy noodle and beef soup for a tenner. It’s hard to beat that! Another day, I adventured into little India and picked up a samosa for 3 pounds. It was more than enough for lunch and was the same price as a grocery store prawn and mayo sandwich. Take your pick, but I’d take the samosa any day.

5- Don’t Dismiss The Gas Station

Okay, okay, this may not be the high end, top quality foods. BUT the gas station, as I discussed in my Scottish road trip snacks post, shows a different side of local favourites. Candy, chips, and other snacks are different everywhere you go; Iceland’s gas station hotdogs being the perfect example that sometimes, though it may not be glamorous, that doesn’t mean the food is bad. Keep an open mind, and you may stumble upon gold.

To Long; Didn’t Read: Where I ate in London

• Tesco – lunch/dinner, ‘meal deal’ (£3)
• Swiss Deli, Swiss Cottage – empanada, lunch(£3 takeout, £5 eat-in)
• Palmer’s Lodge, Swiss Cottage – Breakfast (included with hostel price)
• Camden Market -Arepas stand, lunch/dinner (mostly ~£6-10, depending on the stand of choice)
• Harrod’s Food Market -Various stands, lunch (~£15)
• Baiwei, Chinatown – beef noodles, dinner (~£15)
• Viandas, South Kensington – Iberico Jamon cone, lunch (£5)
• Dominique Ansel Bakery – blackberry pavlova (£5 takeout,£ 8 eat-in)

Alright! I hope this post helped you, and thank you for making it this far!! Let me know if this is good content, what y’all are looking for from this kind of internet space and any of your own travel budgeting hacks!