The Cheapest Lunch Spots in Soho (majority under £5)

Do note: this post, and none of my posts are written with AI. Working in Soho often means accidentally spending over £10 for a lunch everyday, which very quickly adds up. As i've just graduated and spent far too much money on travel, and never have enough time to make one in the morning, I made it my mission to discover cheap but delicious takeout spots in and around Soho that don't break the bank, yet still taste delicious!

JoyBao

24A Newport Court, London WC2H 7JS

Having been to Bun House and paid more for a smaller bao, I keep coming back for the £3.50 duck and char-siu pork buns. Not only are they huge (the photo doesn’t do it justice), but also packed full of meat and served steaming, fresh and hot. If you are vegetarian, a mushroom bao is also available.

You’ll be surprised just how filling it is, but if you still have room - head over to Chinatown Bakery for one of their dessert cakes and buns (tend to cost £2.20-£2.80 region). Tesco, practically opposite Tottenham Court Road station will also bulk your meal up for cheap.

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ICCO Pizza

23-24 Greek Street, London W1D 4DZ

With lots of hype from local students for their ridiculously cheap, fresh out of the oven, and delicious thin-style pizzas - with ICCO, you have very little to complain about. Starting at £3.95 for a Marinara, £6.50 for a Margherita and £7.50 for a pepperoni, it's price makes it really stand out. You can sit in or takeaway, with short 8-10 minute waiting times, and cheap drinks to accompany your meal.

Breadstall

92 Berwick St, London W1F 0QB

To continue on the topic of pizza, Breadstall is a super trendy spot right now serving up 1/4 slices of pizza for only £7. As you can see by the video below, it's a good amount for the price point (being in such a central soho street) and they don't skimp on toppings. If you're a crust-hater, they even sell little pots of nutella which you can dip them in for dessert!

Breadstall's pizza selection is amazing, with loads of vegetable packed and meat-feast options.

Make Mine

86 Dean Street, London, W1D 3SR

Located right in the heart of Dean Street (a stones through away from Soho Square Gardens) Make Mine is renowned for their delicious, hot, ready-to-serve katsu chicken curry. A bed of warm sticky rice, hot curry sauce, soft carrots and miniature potatoes, finished with crispy panko-breaded chicken. It’s priced at £7.50 for a perfectly filling portion, so a little over my £5 budget but incredibly worth it.

There are also lots of affordable sandwich options, including bagels and soup with a roll for under £5.

IKEA

214 Oxford St, London W1C 1DA

Whilst it may not be in Soho, if you work in the area it's not too far to walk to London's flagship IKEA store. IKEA's Swedish food hall feels like a cheat code due to their cheap menu. My personal "meal hack" is getting the kid’s meatball (vegan option available), with mash, peas and gravy (you are able to swap out mash for chips) which fills me up for £3.50, or you can get a larger portion with the adult's meal for £5.95. It's a short walk from the entrance, just head straight to the escalators and then down one floor. It likely will be busy, but the line moves fast (especially due to the touch-screen checkouts). There are many options, so if meatballs aren't your thing you can have e.g. gravlax and salad, breaded cod and more.