Soho has a reputation for being expensive, and to be fair, it’s not entirely unearned. You can easily drop £50 on dinner without trying particularly hard, and that’s before drinks. But here’s what the tourist guides won’t tell you: if you know where to look, Soho has some genuinely affordable food that doesn’t taste like a compromise.
The trick is knowing which places cater to locals versus which ones are banking on you never coming back. One charges £18 for a mediocre pasta because the location’s good. The other charges £7 for something actually worth eating because they need repeat customers.
Why Cheap Food in Soho Matters
Central London attracts everyone. Students studying at nearby universities, office workers on tight lunch budgets, tourists trying to stretch their spending money, and locals who live here but can’t afford to eat out at Michelin-starred spots every night.
For all these people, finding affordable food isn’t about being stingy, it’s about being practical. You want something filling, tasty, and ideally under a tenner so you’re not mentally calculating whether this meal was worth two hours of work.
What Counts as Cheap in Soho?
Let’s set realistic expectations. A £5 meal in Soho is rare unless you’re talking meal deals from Tesco Metro. Under £10, though? That’s achievable if you know where to go.
ICCO Pizza starts their Margherita at £6.50. The Pepperoni is £7.50. Even their more loaded options like the Fiorentina (spinach, black olives, egg, mozzarella) only hit £8.25. You’re getting a full meal, not a starter portion or something reheated from frozen.
Compare that to most sit-down restaurants in the area where starters alone cost £8 and mains push £15-20. Suddenly, fresh pizza made in front of you for under a tenner starts looking like proper value.
Quality Over Gimmicks
Cheap food gets a bad reputation because too many places cut corners. Frozen bases, tinned toppings, microwave finishes. You can taste the shortcuts, and it’s depressing.
The difference with places like ICCO is the dough. It’s made fresh daily on site, which isn’t standard practice for budget spots. That means the base actually has flavour and texture instead of tasting like cardboard. The toppings are generous rather than sparingly scattered. It’s cheap because the overheads are lower and the setup’s simple, not because the quality’s been sacrificed.
Where Students Actually Eat
If you want to know where the genuinely affordable food is, follow the students. They’re operating on loans and part-time wages, so they can’t afford to waste money on mediocre meals.
ICCO’s location on Greek Street puts it right between several universities: UCL, University of Westminster, and UAL are all within walking distance. Students don’t keep coming back to places that rip them off. They come back when the food’s good and the price makes sense.
The Halal and Vegan Advantage
Finding cheap food that fits dietary requirements adds another layer of difficulty. Halal options in Soho tend to skew either very casual (kebab shops) or quite expensive (proper sit-down restaurants). ICCO sits in the middle: fully halal certified, but priced for everyday eating.
We created a complete guide on Halal Restaurants in Soho. You won’t have to struggle to find the best halal pizza in London after reading our guide.
The vegan scene’s similar. Plenty of expensive plant-based restaurants have opened in recent years, but affordable vegan options? Harder to find. ICCO’s Vegan Veggie comes loaded with caramelised onions, aubergines, and peppers for £9.50, which undercuts most vegan-specific spots in the area.
Timing Your Visit
Here’s an insider tip: Soho’s cheap eats work best when you avoid peak times. Lunch rush (12:30-1:30 PM) and pre-theatre dinner (6-7 PM) mean queues and stress. Come slightly earlier or later and you’ll have a much better experience.
ICCO’s counter service setup helps here. There’s no waiting for tables or awkward hovering while someone finishes their coffee. You order, you eat, you leave. It’s efficient without feeling rushed.
Late-Night Value
The value proposition gets even better late at night. When you’re hungry at 1 AM and most places are closed, your options narrow fast. Pay £12 for a sad kebab or find somewhere still making proper food.
ICCO stays open until 3 AM on weekends, and the prices don’t magically inflate after midnight. A Margherita costs the same at 2 AM as it does at 2 PM, which feels almost radical in central London.
Learn more about The Ultimate Guide to Late-Night Eating in Soho to find Food After Midnight.
Eating Well on a Budget
Cheap food in Soho exists, you just need to look past the obvious tourist traps and chain restaurants. The best value usually comes from places that have been around long enough to know their customers aren’t one-time visitors.
You don’t need to spend £20 on lunch to eat well in Soho. You just need to know where the locals go. Hungry in Soho but watching your budget? Get fresh, quality pizza from £6.50 at ICCO on Greek Street. Visit us here.
