“Credit crunch” this, “credit crunch” that…it’s all we hear about these days. London’s always had a reputation for being pricey, and in these troubled financial times it’s even more useful to have an eye out for a bargain. When it comes to eating out the capital can be as expensive or as cheap as you are flush or skint - you just have to know where to look.

TrustedPlaces is here to make the search more simple - just typing value or cheap in to our search bar throws up a whole load of options for you to read about. It’s great if you’re stuck in a West End rut too - you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many fantastic (and affordable) eateries reside outside Central London, and there’s no need to resort to manky fast food chains either!

As always we’re indebted to our fantastic reviewers for showing us the way. Reporting from Leytonstone, jimitaylor flags up Japanese restaurant Ichiban as “offensively cheap”, with dishes served “fresh from a tiny kitchen”. George48 agrees that Ichiban serves “fantastic, fresh, delicious food that is so reasonably priced it’s amazing” with “lovely service” to boot.

Over in Kingsbury, Lahore Kebab House offers “great food, really cheap” and lktinos assures us it’s the place for local Pakistanis to go “for a little home cooking”. What better recommendation than that? If you’re in the mood for Chinese food, head to Mega Bite Cafe in Holloway, stantoncarlisle’s recommendation for a “great lunch-time place you can take a date and still have change from a tenner”, with “plain and simple home cooking - served up fast with no pretensions”.

To Hackney, for “great value grub” from LMNT, a favourite of keirand. mundek goes in to more detail, describing the “wonderful food” and “amazing” decor, including “what seem to be leftover theatrical props, with an Egyptian slant”, “little hideaway tables up stairs” and, most intriguingly, “sexily decorated toilets”!

Down South, Vauxhall’s Bonnington Cafe gets the thumbs up from LuluMcC, who describes the vegetarian and vegan food as “not haute cuisine but what you don’t get in style and sophistication you make up for in a home-cooking kind of way”. At under £10 for three courses - “Not a reflection on the quality of the food but rather on the community nature of the restaurant” she says it’s definitely the place for a “unique night out”.

We’ve only scratched the surface on London’s cheap eats - now it’s over to you! What are your top recommendations for thrifty dining? And what about you non-Londoners? We want to hear all about your favourite bargain eateries so please get in touch by commenting…

Still looking for a taste of luxury? Why not enter our fabulous competition to win a £500 dinner at a top London restaurant? From now until the 8th September everyone who writes a review will be entered in to the draw, and if you write more than one you’ll have more chance of winning…so what are you waiting for?!

Photo credit: Fork #2 by Erica Marshall (CC License)

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