By agoudsward
Compared to almost every other major city in Europe, London isn't exactly renowned for its food. Next to Italian pasta, French bread and cheese and Spanish tapas, bangers and mash don't really stack up. I was told on several occasions that going to study in the England, I'd be giving up good food for a while.
However, I really haven't found that to be the case. London is so multicultural that you can find delicious food from just about every corner of the globe... and I've even found some of the local cuisine to be pretty good too. Here are my favorite food places in London that won't break a tight budget.
1. Italian street food
Down the street from my residence hall is a park area that is filled with food stands at lunchtime during the week. My favorite is one that sells Italian street food. The stand serves up great paella and a delicious assortments of Italian paninis. I usually get the full house with breaded chicken, spinach, mozzarella and salsa. It's amazing.
2. Ponchon Korean Fried Chicken
This unique stand has become one of my favorite lunch stops near UCL's campus. They have some sort of special method of frying the chicken that leaves sort of a glaze over the breading. It's served in a chicken box over rice with a side of chili mayo.
3. Herman Ze German
Billed as the best German sausage in London, it'd say the claim holds up. You can get beef, pork, chicken, even venison sausage with tons of different sauces and toppings all on a really fresh, buttered roll. Get fries (chips as they're usually called here) on the side or even on the sandwich to top it all off.
4. Franco Manca
Being from New Jersey originally, I was expecting to give up great pizza for a few months while studying in London. Luckily, just down the road is one of the most popular pizza joints in the entire city. You can get a classic, mozzarella, garlic and basil pie for under 5 pounds and add all the classic toppings for a bit more. The almost continuous line out the front door tells you all you need to know about the quality of the pizza.
5. Gigs Fish and Chips
This place isn't quite as cheap as the others, but because it's a British classic, I felt compelled to include it. It's one signature of British cuisine that I've found to be quite tasty. Gigs has the best fish and chips that I've had since I've been in the U.K. The fish is flaky and crispy all at once and the golden fried chips on the side aren't bad either.
Studying abroad allows you to experience food that's a little bit different than you're used to. While London food isn't exactly exotic and doesn't haven't a stellar reputation, the city's diversity allows you to experience unforgettable dishes from all across the world.