Finding cheap food in London can be a bit challenging, especially in central areas where prices tend to be higher. However, there are so many hidden gems and affordable options if you know where to look.

Whitecross Market, located near Old Street in the heart of London, is an excellent option for affordable and delicious food. It’s a bustling market with a variety of vendors offering diverse cuisines at reasonable prices. You can find anything from street food to international cuisine, often made with fresh, high-quality ingredients, and the best part – it’s much cheaper than any of the other mainstream markets in London!

Here are some of our favourite places you can find on Whitecross Street from Monday to Friday, 11 – 3pm.

Sunnys Olive Tree

Serving huge boxes of Mediterranean salad, this is your one-stop shop for a healthy and nutritious lunch that is packed with flavour and won’t break the bank. It’s owned by the amazing Serpil who has been running her business named after her son – Sunny – since 2002.

Prices start at just £5 (yes you read that right) for a small salad box, £6 for a large and you can add on chicken, cheese or Egyptian falafel for £1 each.

Build your box depending on what you fancy, but options include Greek tomato salad, cous cous, mixed beans, quinoa, tzatziki, mixed veg, hummus, stuffed vine leaves, sundried tomatoes, roasted peppers, rocket, spinach, jalapenos and their house- marinated olives – there are even four types to choose from!

Fresh, filling, healthy and incredible value for money.

Gozleme Works

If you haven’t tried a Gozleme yet, you are seriously missing out! Pronounced ‘Goz-Lay- May’ – this traditional Turkish street food is a must-try. You will find that most stands make their dough fresh daily, and Gozleme Works is no exception. The bread is stuffed, folded in two and baked on a hot stove in front of you. The stuffing can include delicious ingredients including cheese, spinach, chicken breast, beef, mozzarella and feta. Salad and extras are normally found on the side, but here they wrap it all up in the already- stuffed flatbread to make one delicious mouthful.

The choice of salad includes tomatoes, red onion, lettuce, red cabbage and sauces like sweet chilli, mayo, garlic and ketchup.

The owners Gazi and Emis moved from Turkey to London 32 years ago, and have been serving the food from their motherland on Whitecross for over 10 years!

 Prices start at £5 for your flatbread to be stuffed with spinach, £6 for Turkish beef sausage, chicken or feta and spinach and you can add halloumi or sucuk and go large for £8. A seriously good value lunch!

Karuna

If you are looking for warm, vibrant flavours and a hearty lunch – then Karuna is the place for you. Their curry boxes are packed with goodness, and you can choose from 3 meat or 3 veg curries with biryani rice and plenty of chilli pickle. The boxes start at £5 for veg and £5.50 for meat, and they have 3 different sizes to choose from.

The menus change every day, so you will have to keep going back again and again to try all of their amazing dishes!

They also offer Kati rolls – huge wraps stuffed with your choice of filling and fresh salad and sauces, with prices ranging from £6.50 -£8. Options include veg paneer, chicken, lamb kebab or a combo.

You can also add on sides such as chapatis, samosas and bhajis for just 50p each.

Hoxton Beach

It’s not too hard to find a good falafel wrap in London, but it IS hard to find a hot, freshly made one for this price! These falafels are perfect too, crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside, just how you like them.

The wraps are served inside Arab bread with tahini, chilli sauces, their homemade turnip pickle, cucumber and chilli pickles, salad and hummus. A small one is just £5.50 and a large one is £6.50. You can also grab salad boxes too, or even just 10 loose falafel to take home with you for dinner.

Don’t forget to ask for plenty of Amba sauce – it’s to die for!

Beijummy

The offering at Beijummy is not something you can find in many other street food markets in London! These artisan wraps are an invention of the ancient Amazonian native tribes, who created a flatbread with just three ingredients according to the team – tapioca flour, water and a whole lot of love.

The owner Gustavo, is Brazilian and makes all of the flour just 50 yards up the street in Beijummys shop and then cooks your lunch fresh on the hot plate right in front of you.

They are fully gluten-free, and a much healthier and lighter option to a traditional flatbread. They have a few options for ordering, which include building your own for £8.50, you choose your flavour (chicken, bacon, tuna, veggie or vegan) and then add toppings (sweetcorn, tomato, olives, carrot, spinach, cheese, etc). Or you can go for one of the chef’s specials for £9.50, which includes salt beef and wholegrain mustard or the creamy mushroom with garlic and goat cheese.

Don’t forget – exploring different neighbourhoods and keeping an open mind to trying new places will help you uncover some of London’s best-kept secrets for affordable dining. But if you are struggling, we will be here every month sharing some of the cheapest and tastiest options for dining out in London.

Know some delicious, affordable restaurants that you want to share? Make a Hawkker List of your favourite spots and help others find great food on the cheap!

You can also find the above spots, and many more, on our own regularly-updated list of cheap eats in London.