11 Best places to eat near The Shard in London

The Shard is located in the popular neighbourhood of London Bridge, an area with a wide range of dining options, from burgers to pizzas to traditional British food. What are you in the mood for?

María Cano

María Cano

9 min read

11 Best places to eat near The Shard in London

View of The Shard in London | ©Olga Lioncat

On your visit to London you'll have the opportunity to look out over the city from the highest observatory in Western Europe, The Shard. And after your visit, what better time to eat? This observatory is located in the well-known district of London Bridge, where there are various options for eating, from tasty burgers, to traditional British dishes, to fusion food or food from other corners of the world such as Italy, Peru, China, Mexico..... The options are numerous. Here's a list to suit all tastes and budgets.

But first, don't hesitate to visit the post What to see and do in London to plan the rest of your trip in detail.

1. The most authentic option, The Old King's Head

A Delicious Burger| ©Valeria Boltneva
A Delicious Burger| ©Valeria Boltneva

The Old King's Head is an inexpensive place with good reviews. It is a typical English pub offering a wide selection of ales and traditional dishes such as sausages, burgers, mince pies with mash or chips, as well as starters such as Doritos or chips.

The staff is very helpful and the atmosphere is very friendly, many of the customers are locals. The pub also broadcasts sports matches and events on TV and the music is very tasteful.

  • Opening hours: The pub is open daily from 11am to 11pm and the food service is available from 11am to 5pm.
  • Estimated price: 10 - 15€ approximately.
  • Type of cuisine: British.
  • Where: Borough HIGH Street 45-49 Kings Head Yard, London.

Buy tickets for The Shard

2. British cuisine at Bunch of Grapes

Roast Dinner at Bunch of Grapes| ©Nadia J
Roast Dinner at Bunch of Grapes| ©Nadia J

Bunch of Grapes is situated between the Shard and Borough Market and is a typical British restaurant with a varied cuisine ranging from vegetarian dishes such as salads and hummus, a variety of burgers, sausages, battered cod, steaks and the occasional Italian dish. All made with fresh, seasonal produce. It also has an air-conditioned winter garden, ideal for a beer in good company.

The staff is very friendly and the service is quick. Many of the customers are residents of the city and tend to repeat.

  • Opening hours: This establishment is open every day of the week from 12 noon to 11pm.
  • Estimated price: from around €23.
  • Type of cuisine: British.
  • Where: 2 St. Thomas Street Borough, London.

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3. A tasty burger at Patty & Bun

The Burger at Patty & Bun| ©Mr Utterly Wrong
The Burger at Patty & Bun| ©Mr Utterly Wrong

Patty & Bun is an ideal franchise for a tasty burger that is also suitable for vegetarians. It has a wide range of dishes that go beyond the typical ingredients such as courgette, aubergine, mushrooms and can be seasoned with coriander, chilli and chilli. It also has other typical fast food dishes.

The service is good and the place is clean.

  • Opening hours: The opening hours are from 11:30 am to 9:30 pm.
  • Estimated price: from €8-11 to approximately €18.
  • Type of cuisine: burgers.
  • Where is it located: 19 Borough High Street, London.

Buy tickets for The Shard

4. Snack at Pret a Manger

Visiting Pret a Manger| ©Marco Verch
Visiting Pret a Manger| ©Marco Verch

This is a very popular place in the UK for breakfast or a quick snack. Ideal if you want to have a healthy snack without having to dawdle and continue your visit to London as quickly as possible.

Pret a Manger is a franchise that started in 1986 and where you can have salads, sandwiches, baguettes and a wide variety of ecological and 100% organic coffees. The attention is usually very pleasant and the service is good. In addition, they usually speak Spanish, so if you're more limited in English, you won't have any problem understanding them.

  • Opening hours: there are several Pret a Manger in the city of London, but the one next to The Shard is open from Monday to Thursday, from 7am to 6pm.
  • Estimated price: from €7-10.
  • Type of cuisine: fast food, vegetarian, healthy.
  • Where is it located: 8 London Bridge Street, London.

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5. Discover Peruvian food in Cuzco

Enjoying the Peruvian food of Cuzco| ©Nesreen S
Enjoying the Peruvian food of Cuzco| ©Nesreen S

Cuzco is a bar-restaurant where you can eat exquisite Peruvian dishes such as ceviche, calamari, yuka, chicharrón de cerdo, empanadas, chaufa de marisco or quinoa. A wide variety of proposals that make diners enjoy themselves at this little corner of Peru in London.

The service and attention is also very good, but the prices are a little high. Starters cost between €8 and €14, main courses between €17 and €23 and desserts from €6, but the size of the dishes is small.

  • Opening hours: open Monday to Saturday from 12 noon to 11pm.
  • Estimated price: from €29.
  • Type of cuisine: Peruvian.
  • Where is it located: 4-5 London Bridge Street, London.

6. The best wood-fired pizza at Pizza Pilgrims

Pizza Pilgrims Pizza Margarita| ©Bex Walton
Pizza Pilgrims Pizza Margarita| ©Bex Walton

And if you're looking for Italian, Pizza Pilgrims is the place to go, located between London Bridge and the Tower of London. They have a variety of pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven at an affordable price. They also have options for those looking for vegetarian or vegan food.

  • Opening hours: Pizza Pilgrims is open every day of the week: Mondays from 12 noon to 9pm, Tuesday to Saturday also from 12 noon, but closing time is extended to 10.30pm and on Sunday from 12 noon to 9pm. The staff is very pleasant and the place is
  • Estimated price: from 11€.
  • Type of cuisine: Italian, pizzeria.
  • Where: Unit SU48, Bermondsey Street, London.

7. Dinner in a typical sports pub, Redwood Sport Pub & Kitchen

At Redwood Sport Pub & Kitchen| ©Angelique B
At Redwood Sport Pub & Kitchen| ©Angelique B

Redwood Sport Pub & Kitchen is a sports pub, ideal for watching sport while drinking a beer or eating a burger. Very typical in England. They have a wide variety of options to eat, from burgers, pizzas, salads, hummus, nachos... And, in addition, they have several menu options from 25€. The atmosphere is good, but it tends to be very crowded. The service and attention is very good and the staff is pleasant.

  • Opening hours: This restaurant is open every day of the week. From Sunday to Wednesday, from 11 am to 11.30 pm, and from Thursday to Saturday, from 11 am to 12.30 pm.
  • Estimated price: from 17-23€.
  • Type of cuisine: British.
  • Where: London Bridge Station, London.

8. A typical breakfast at Pure

Enjoy a Hot Chocolate in Pure| ©Micha-BCN
Enjoy a Hot Chocolate in Pure| ©Micha-BCN

Pure is another very typical chain in England where you can have a breakfast, either hot or cold, or enjoy a snack or appetizer at lunchtime. You have dishes with chicken, chilli, soups, pasta, burritos, salads... And as well as coffees and teas, they have exquisite hot chocolates.

The establishment is cosy, the staff is friendly and the quality and price is right.

  • Opening hours: Pure is open from Monday to Friday, from 7 am to 3 pm.
  • Estimated price: from 6€ to 12€ approximately.
  • Type of cuisine: fast food.
  • Where is it located: 8 London Bridge Street, London.

9. The best burrito at Chilango

Visiting Chilango in London| ©Lizzy B
Visiting Chilango in London| ©Lizzy B

Chilango is a fast food Mexican restaurant with burritos, hot boxes and salads that you can combine with different ingredients and dress with typical sauces such as pico de gallo or salsa verde. The burritos and guacamole are highly recommended. You will definitely come back.

The service is good and the service is fast. The staff is very friendly.

  • Opening hours: Chilango is open every day of the week, Monday to Thursday from 11am to 10pm, Friday from 11am to 10.30pm, Saturday from 12pm to 10pm and Sunday from 12pm to 9pm.
  • Estimated price: approximately 10 - 12 €.
  • Type of cuisine: fast food, Mexican.
  • Where is it located: 90 Tooley Street, London.

10. A delicious burger at Honest Burgers

Enjoying a Burger at Honest Burgers| ©Laura S
Enjoying a Burger at Honest Burgers| ©Laura S

Honest Burgers is a great place to grab a tasty burger with good quality meat and delicious fries or onion rings. They also have vegan options. An excellent choice and highly recommended if you are visiting The Shard. The staff is very friendly and the service is good. A place to repeat.

  • Opening hours: open from 12 noon until 10pm.
  • Estimated price: from €10.
  • Type of cuisine: burgers, vegetarian.
  • Where: London Bridge Station 6 Bermondsey Street, London.

11. Travel to Hong Kong through your taste buds at Duddell's

Eating at Duddell's| ©Isobel Kaul
Eating at Duddell's| ©Isobel Kaul

Duddell's offers tasty and typical Hong Kong dishes. Highly recommended if you want to try something different. The service could be improved.

  • Opening hours: lunch is from 12 noon to 2.30pm and dinner varies depending on the day, Mondays and Sundays from 6pm to 10pm, Wednesdays from 6pm to 11pm and Thursdays to Saturdays from 6pm to midnight. Closed on Tuesdays.
  • Estimated price: from 10€.
  • Type of cuisine: Chinese.
  • Where: St. Thomas's Church 9A St. Thomas Street in the St Thomas Church, London.

Typical London dishes

Fish & Chip Dish| ©Kirk M
Fish & Chip Dish| ©Kirk M

London has a number of traditional dishes such as fish and chips, roast beef, mince pies and burgers that are so common in traditional pubs. Even so, due to its multicultural character, in this city you can eat a wide variety of dishes from other countries. Pizzerias, Mexican, Peruvian, Argentinian, Japanese, Chinese and even some restaurants serving Spanish food are very common. The options are diverse and whatever you are looking for, you will find it.

But if you want to know more about London's gastronomy, I recommend you take a food tour of London.

Book a food tour of London

How much budget you need to eat in London

Paying the Bill| ©cottonbro
Paying the Bill| ©cottonbro

As you've read in this post, the options for eating out in London are numerous and although, in principle, the city is expensive, there is something to suit all budgets. You can have a soup from 3,5€ - 4€, a slice of pizza for just 5€, a burger from 6 - 12€ or a full pizza from 8-9€ and, of course, if you are on a budget, you can go to a higher level restaurant and eat from 20 - 25€ onwards. You won't regret it!

If you want more gastronomic recommendations in London, don't hesitate to read the posts places to eat near London Eye or where to eat near the Tower of London and you will know other restaurants that are worth a visit.

Meal times and opening hours of restaurants in London

The Shard at sunset| ©Fred Moon
The Shard at sunset| ©Fred Moon

In London, breakfast is usually served from 7am to 10am, lunch from 12pm to 2pm - 3pm and dinner from 6pm to 10pm - 11pm in the evening.

Even so, being a big city with so many inhabitants and such diverse schedules, it is common to find restaurants and cafés that serve food throughout the day, even if it is not an elaborate menu, but the essential to continue with the day. So, if you're going to London and your schedule is a bit different because you're trying to make the most of the visiting hours, don't worry because there are always options.

And remember that after visiting The Shard you can continue your day's itinerary with a visit to the Tower of London. I leave you with this post where you can see all the information about tickets to the Tower of London and after that I recommend you to take a cruise on the Thames.