Supermarkets in Central London

Grocery store chains in London include M&S Simply Food, Tesco, Waitrose, and Sainsbury.

If you go to googlemaps and google “grocery stores near Lancaster Gate” (or whatever landmark or address you want), you can see grocery stores in that area. That is what I usually do when I am traveling.

There’s a Tesco Express and a Sainsbury Local on Queensway, and Paddington Station has an M&S Simply Food. There will be other branches around too, but they’re probably the best names to look out for. Tesco and Sainsbury’s are two of the most popular UK supermarket chains and M&S does slightly fancier own-brand food, including an excellent selection of stuff that’s good for eating in hotel rooms - look for their pre-packaged deli, pies and salads.

Just a tip. Instead of asking every single detailed question here, you could email your hotel. I find locals on the ground ( your hotel) are usually very knowledgeable. Also, you can use google maps.

There should also be references to supermarkets and prepared food in the RS guidebook.

Pret A Manger is another good option, and they are everywhere. Ready made sandwiches, salads, fruit, etc. Whenever you're out and about stand in place and type in "sandwich" or "salad" in google maps. It'll bring up places close to where you are.

Thank you Laura and others

I did go to Google Maps before posting my question. I was searching incorrectly on google maps but because Laura and others told me how to search correctly, I got the information that I need. i learned how to do it right.

Pack some plastic cutlery, it doesn’t weigh anything.
Knife, fork and spoon in case the grocery stores you go to don’t give them with your takeout food.
Dispose of all the food waste immediately after eating…..hotels don’t want to attract bugs and rodents.

hello S J

You assume that I might get groceries to take back to the hotel and i might but in many situations, I might like to grab and go and eat on a bench . I do not want to eat all my meals sitting inside a restaurant or being served.

sometimes, it is nice to watch the world go by while I eat.

Thanks you for the tips.

markcw

I do have Rick's London and I plan to take it with me but have almost not yet looked at it I will be going to the airport the night before I leave and will look through it for things pertinent to me like supermarkets

Mary S E US

Thank you for your tip. I did not know you could do such with google maps. I am not yet that knowledgeable when it comes to travel or technology. Your. tip will be a big help.

All the supermarket chains (Tesco, Sainsburys etc) do a "meal deal". Usually a sandwich, drink and crisps (chips) or a chocolate bar. Price around £4.00. I like to get a pasta salad or sushi and an energy drink, to get the best value for money in the deal :-)

Out and about, I like LEON as an alternative to Pret a Manger for food on the go. There's also the small chain of burrito restaurants by the name of Tortilla. A favourite of mine, if you like an SF-style burrito.

You have already had lots of great answers about supermarkets, so I just wanted to add info on other cheap eating.
The museums all have great lunchrooms with sandwiches, salads, desserts, coffee, tea and more available at relatively cheap prices. The prices here are geared to the fact that lots of school groups/children come into the museums and eat in the lunchrooms and can't pay a fortune for a sandwich and crisps.
If you happen to be in a museum, after a morning of seeing the exhibits, it can be relaxing to have lunch at the lunchroom and then continue browsing in the museum.
Some museums have a second expensive restaurant, but I am not talking about going to those places, which require a reservation. Too expensive.

Another thing to know.....food is cheaper when you get it to go from a restaurant. They call it "take away" in England.
For example, my favorite fish and chips shop is 8-15 pounds if you go in, sit down and order, eating at a table.
If you go in, place an order at the counter to "take away", it can be as little as 5-6 pounds.
You then either take it to a bench in the park to eat or back to your hotel.
If I am planning to take fish and chips to a park bench to eat, I carry my own bottled drink in my purse rather than having to buy something from the chip shop.
I take some paper towels or napkins in my purse to use to protect my clothes from the grease from the food.

You may also run across food trucks at lunchtime near where office workers come out to grab something to eat.
A delicious wrap sandwich or burrito for 4 to 5 pounds can be quite enough for lunch and very filling.
Again, carry your own bottled drink in your purse or backpack to be prepared for a picnic.

If it's a general food tips thread, food delivery is excellent in London. Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats are the apps (or websites) I use (in that order). They will deliver takeaway food and also will have some grocery stores listed for delivery.

this is all very helpful. As said, I will be going to the airport the night before I fly out and this will be very helpful stuff to review.

All of this is information that I did not know and now I do.

as of tomorrow a ban comes into effect against single use plastic. Fast food places are exempt but supermarkets etc are not. Even many fast food places are changing quite quickly.

Expect pressed paper spoons, forks and "knives". Or bamboo. Or other wood.... in a disposable form.

It is illegal to possess a knife in public without a valid reason so if you bring your own cutlery don't bring anything large or particularly sharp.

I would def suggest to have a set of camping utensils (we have a knife, fork, teaspoon and salt and pepper shakers that all pack into a plastic container the size and shape of a toothbrush holder). Ours is always in the luggage (wouldn't work with carryon only because your TSA would have it off you.)

If you are near a larger supermarket (without the Express or Local tag which indicates city size or corner shop size and higher prices but convenient) many will have a cafe serving decent inexpensive hot and cold meals a bit more expensive than in the supermarket aisles but much less than a normal restaurant. They only serve own brand of the supermarket they are in. Some have an inhouse Costa coffee, more expensive than a supermarket cafe but a more limited but highly tasty option.

I was just in your neighborhood—made good use of M&S Simply Food wherever I found one in London and Edinburgh, and the Tesco on Queensway. My hotel had a ridiculously expensive breakfast so I had an egg McMuffin a couple of times at good old McDonalds on Queensway, then just across the street to the Bayswater Underground to start my day.

Hope it is still in operation but when you walk through the Lancaster Gate into Kensington Gardens the Italian Gardens cafe is to your left.

Grab a take away coffee and pastry. Lots of benches that you can sit on and people watch. Personally I walk along the path adjacent to the Serpentine up to and past the Peter Pan statue. Past the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and continue to the Lido when I find a table or bench. There might be swimmers. Definitely water fowl.

Great spot to enjoy being in London!

If you go into Pret, you'll be able to get some disposable utensils as well as salt and pepper packets. It's self-help. Take whatever you need. But do buy something.

M&S sells 3 or 4 different kinds of cheese is small packages. It's definitely not the cheapest way to buy cheese, but I can buy 2 or 3 kinds to eat with crackers and not feel deprived. I have become addicted to the Wensleydale with cranberries, which is way too expensive to indulge in regularly at home

I swear by the salad boxes from Pret. They're tasty and relatively healthy. Portions are fine without being enormous.

Frank II

Well, I am going to have to go into a Pret because it is so recommended on this site. I will have to buy at least one thing (probably more than one) and I will buy something, not just take the plastic ware and napkins.

Truthfully, I also want to stay at a Premier Inn at least one time just to say that I have been there.

Flying out Friday. Been a long time in the planning as you know and I thank you for all your help.

I will be posting my reviews in real time. I can not wait until I can finally post a review and answer questions instead of always asking them.

Hello to everyone

I love cheese.

I am a bird watcher. Adore wildlife. I go out to the greenbelt almost every evening to visit my friends. Yesterday, there wa a teen age raccoon.

Christa, when I was in Las Vegas some years back, the coffee at the famous coffee shops was so expensive that I went to McDonald's right next door to get a good cup of coffee at a reasonable price.

And it has been so helpful to learn that I can go to google maps and type in what I am looking for near where I am at. I have used it to search Houses of Worship as well as Charity Shops. I had no knowledge that you could do this and I am having. a lot of fun with it. It will not only be used in London but also in Lisbon at the end of my cruise.

I might even use it on the excursions that I am taking where I have free time.

I ate the ready made sandwiches from M&S several times while in London. Another thing that came in really handy was a small, foldable shopping bag tucked into my purse. The grocery stores don’t use the single use plastic bags. If you need a bag and didn’t bring your own, you’d have to buy one of their reusable ones (but maybe that’d be a good souvenir on its own).

I am a bird watcher. Adore wildlife. I go out to the greenbelt almost every evening to visit my friends.

I hope you get some good weather for sitting on benches in London’s many parks, maybe with a Pret picnic or a bit of cheese from M&S. Lots of birds but also I always enjoy watching the squirrels, some of whom are very confident around humans.

adding to that - if you go into Hyde Park, near the Serpentine, you will hear and probably see the parakeets.

If you go into St James' Park you will have the pelicans and many other birds of all shapes and colours.

The Italian Garden Cafe is a great choice. I typically dropped by once a day while I stayed on Bayswater this past summer. There is also a Waitrose in the Shell gas station about a 3 minute walk from your hotel. Just past JM Barrie house. They have premade lunches and snacks.

London supermarkets have lots of take-away options compared to most places in this country (with the possible exception of big cities).

One of our favorite things to do in foreign countries is explore neighborhood markets, pharmacies, and even hardware/general stores. They're great places to find inexpensive and unique souvenirs. Before the U.S. sold durable reusable grocery shopping bags, I brought back several from Waitrose that friends are still using.

Bostonphil, be aware that as of today, single-use plastics have been banned in shops. This covers plastic bags, but may also include free plastic cutlery. So if I were you, I’d bring my own set as advised above, just in case.

I love wildlife. I take a walk on the greenbelt almost daily and last night, we were visited by a teenage raccoon. We have lots of squirrels who are most friendly. I am developing a new interest in squirrels which are very common but I have a new respect for them. I think that I have been taking them for granted but now I have been observing them.

One mother duck has ducklings and we had two beautiful herons yesterday evening.

We have monk parakeets and many egrets and many turtles. We also have bats but they are Mexican and ready to fly back to Mexico with their young.

i have read about the wildlife around the Serpentine and Kensington Gardens. I might never get anywhere else.

By the way, I am known as the Bunny Whisperer and some call me Snow White. I have a certain place that I sit evenings and do bring snacks.

Nigel, we do not have pelicans and I think that I have seen other birds mentioned that we also do not have. I also believe that I have read your parakeets are everywhere and friendly. Is this where they might even land on you?

I am going to bring my own plastic from here including a bag or two.

So when you buy a soup or salad or entree, what do they give you.

What about napkins?

I have read your parakeets are everywhere and friendly. Is this where they might even land on you?

I have never seen them anywhere but in the trees and flying between the trees. I have never seen one approach a human in the parks.

when you buy a soup or salad or entree, what do they give you.

you will be among the first to find out after the ban went in today.

I would expect, as I said above, either paper or bamboo - but you will soon see....

There's lots of parakeets in St James' Park. If you have anything that vaguely resembles food, bird seed etc, you will make a lot of feathered friends in St James' Park. I'd imagine most of the Royal Parks will have some Parakeets these days. They seem to have thrived in many large London parks in recent years. I've even seen them locally here in Hackney.

What about napkins?

They are paper, not plastic here. Depending on the store either available to take from a dispenser or just ask. McDonalds for one have moved napkins behind the counter in several locations.

London's parks have cafes and coffee shops.
These are inexpensive and come with a view of the lakes, ponds, birds, and they're good for people-watching, too!

St. James’s Café is located in the heart of St James’s Park and offers a range of hot and cold drinks, food and snacks.
It's located where you see the knife and fork symbol on this map, on the north shore of the lake:
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/st-jamess-park#map
Where you see the coffee mug symbol, you'll find a cafe selling coffee, hot tea, pastries and more.
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/st-jamess-park#food-&-drink
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/st-jamess-park#about

Hyde Park has a variety of Cafes.
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/hyde-park
Food and drink:
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/hyde-park#food-&-drink
Map: Click on "Food and Drink" here:
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/hyde-park#map

Kensington Gardens:
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/kensington-gardens#food-&-drink
On the above food and drink page, you will find the cafe that Claudia wrote about.
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/kensington-gardens#map

My favorite park is Regents Park, farther north than the others. It has numerous cafes.
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/regents-park-primrose-hill
Food and drink: https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/regents-park-primrose-hill#food-&-drink
Click "food and drink" to the right side of the map to make the locations appear.
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/regents-park-primrose-hill#map

The London Zoo is in the northwest part of Regents Park, but I doubt you'll be going there.
They do have a walk-through bird flight cage as an exhibit, if that interests you.
There is an admission fee to the zoo.
The flight cage can be seen without going into the zoo if you take a ride on the canal boat that runs along the canal north of Regents Park.
https://www.jasons.co.uk/

Since you like to see birds, the Italian Garden at Kensington Park has waterfowl, sometimes with nests/babies. The boat ride from Westminster Pier to Kew Gardens is also good for seeing birds.

You need to keep an eye on swans and geese sometimes. The swans around The Serpentine (Hyde Park) can be a bit overconfident in my experience.

I second what was shared by Concerned Local!:
"A shout out too for all the countless independent sandwich and coffee bars dotted around London, often run by Italians."

If you get a meal deal from a supermarket, some sandwich varieties you may see that we don't have in the US would be Cheese and Pickle, Coronation Chicken, and Egg and (Water)cress.

Hi Rebecca,

I love zoos and aquariums also. Austin does not have a zoo or aquarium so I sometimes try to visit these places when I travel.

However there are only so many days and hours to visit London and I might be choosing to spend more time at museums rather than zoos.

For me, a zoo is an all day visit . I know London has a great zoo but I may not have the time to give it.

I have an old friend coming to London from North England so that we can have a visit and I have a distant cousin in London who I have never met and we are going to visit. So I think that I am going to be very busy and a visit to the zoo just might not fit in.

I have also found that zoos and aquariums are now very expensive to enter.

I have also found that zoos and aquariums are now very expensive to enter.

London Zoo certainly is. £24.30 for a Senior.

Not all Zoos and Aquariums are expensive to enter.

In the Lake District the Lakes Aquarium at Lakeside is only £6.99 (£5.99 for seniors), the Lake District Coast Aquarium (at Maryport) is £12.50/£11.

Both of them are good aquaria.

The South Lakes Safari Zoo, at Dalton, has half price admission, at £13, for all of September and October, or £26 for unlimited admissions to the year end (no senior reductions).

The Lake District Wildlife Park at Bassenthwaite (between Cockermouth and Keswick) is £12.95/£11.95, or £65/£55 for an annual ticket.

And London Zoo prices are on a par with other attractions, such as the Tower of London or Westminster Abbey. The latter places don't have lots of animals to feed and look after 24/7.

Everything is relative.