With the economy a wilder ride than most roller coasters these days, it feels good to dine at a restaurant where you'll get the most for your pound. Which places offer the best quality-to-cost ratio? Zagat Survey has done the math for you. Here are the top five picks from our Best Buys list from the 2009 London Restaurants guide.
31 Neal St., WC2; 020-7836 9072
“Serving for over 30 years”, it “looks like an old-school vegetarian restaurant, but the flavours are modern and interesting” at this meat-free mecca that’s “a must for the health-conscious”; yes, the Covent Garden “cafeterialike basement” is “pretty grotty and cramped”, and service “canteen-style”, but fans “forgive all, for it’s the most wholesome best-value food in London” – and the Best Buy in the Survey.
119 Kensington Church St., W8; 020-7727 4242
“Don’t be fooled by the price” (“cheap” would be an understatement) – this “kitschy” Notting Hill pub with a “Thai in the back” and “lots of interesting memorabilia [and plants] hanging everywhere” offers “generous servings” of “good, freshly prepared” fare; “service is rushed and they look to turn over the tables very quickly” – in fact, “seating is limited to one hour.”
4 Blenheim Crescent, W11; 020-7221 1992
“An iconic destination for serious cooks”, this “teeny-tiny” cafe “located at the back of a unique bookshop” off Ladbroke Grove features “wildly exciting”, “experimental” Eclectic meals (one choice per day), using recipes “taken from featured cookbooks”; it’s “the biggest bargain in town – but don’t tell anyone, it’s busy enough.”
Take “wholesome, tasty” “guilt-free” “foods from ethical producers”, served at “McDonald’s speed and at not much more than McDonald’s prices”, and you see why this Med chain actually provides “a joyful fast-food experience”; its “cool” bric-a-brac–laden decor “even attracts the odd minor celeb.”
83-89 Fieldgate St., E1; 020-7247 6400
“Why bother with Brick Lane” when there’s this “wonderful” Whitechapel warhorse whose “authentic Pakistani food” is “absolutely tops”; there’s “always a queue”, it’s always “cramped” and you “always feel like you’re getting rushed out”, but the cuisine “quality makes you look past any shortcomings.”
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