Initially, a buffet described a piece of furniture from which the French served food. The buffets we know today trace back to the Swedish Smörgåsbord, a buffet of small plates with bread, cheese, salted fish, and eggs. You take a small portion from each dish and later return. It is more restrained than the free-for-all we tuck into at buffet restaurants.
The all-you-can-eat buffet is a Las Vegas innovation to keep gamblers in casinos. It is now an integral part of the city’s culture. I can vouch for the self-indulgent food extravaganza. They put on an impressive spread, surpassing expectations and thoroughly deserving of the Buffet Capital of the World title. A bit closer to home, let us check out seven of the best buffets in London.
The Best Buffets in London
Suppose you are feeling hungry and are undecided about what to eat. A buffet is an excellent option for selecting a varied menu at a self-service counter. Here is our guide to seven of the best buffets in London.
1. Babur – Sunday Buffet
Babur has 37 years of experience creating award-winning Indian cuisine using a blend of traditional and modern recipes.
Babur’s menu options include the Sunday Buffet. The buffet runs from noon to 4 pm, with various starters, mains, salads, plain naan bread and rice. Babur supplies vegetarian and meat choices for each course. Prices are,
- £21.95 for adults
- £14.95 for children aged 7 to 12
- Children under seven eat for free.
Babur has a sample menu giving examples of what you can expect from the buffet, including:
For an appetiser, Deep-fried Tilapia in ground spices, then Black Lentils in a creamy sauce or Mughlai Chicken in creamy tomato with fenugreek, saffron basmati rice, and a roasted pumpkin with black onion dressing salad.
To experience one of the best Indian buffets in London, Babur comes highly recommended, with some reviewing it as outstanding. The buffet offers plenty of interesting choices.
Address: 119 Brockley Rise, Forest Hill, London SE23 1JP
Telephone: 020 8291 2400
2. Royal Nawaab – Best Halal Buffet Restaurant
Royal Nawaab recently appeared in our Halal Buffets feature. As the restaurant has collected several awards for Best Restaurant and several Best Buffet Restaurant of the Year awards, we felt it was worthy of being included again.
It is of importance to Royal Nawaab that they serve 100% halal meat at their two restaurants in London, one in Perivale and the other in Ilford. They source their meat from London, Manchester, and Bradford in West Yorkshire.
The buffet restaurant serves a range of Indian and Pakistani dishes, such as Tarka Daal, Chapli Kebabs, Mutton Chops, Chicken Tandori Drumsticks, and Pakora, Aloo Tikki.
- The price for adults and children over the age of 11 is £26.95
- Children aged four to ten are £13.95.
We would advise going on an empty stomach. There is a vast range of food so you can try all types of Pakistani food. The restaurant has a reputation as one of the best Indian buffets in London and gets busy most times. The restaurant takes reservations for parties of 15 or more. Otherwise, it is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Address: 7 Hoover Building, Western Avenue, London, UB6 8DB
Telephone: 020 8998 6151
3. Indian Veg – Cheap Vegetarian Buffet
The Indian Veg opened its doors in 1985 when it started producing great vegetarian curries and promoting the power of vegetables in its unique all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffet.
Reviews of this cafe/restaurant rave about the quality of the food, its unique decor and value for money. The Indian Veg advertises itself as being the cheapest buffet in London. You can bring your own bottle of alcohol to keep down costs.
Displayed inside The Indian Veg are sayings and information promoting mindfulness, kindness and healthy eating through vegetarianism.
One of the sayings is,’ Help someone even when you know they can’t help you back.’ They live by this quote by giving homeless people a free takeaway meal and bottle of water at any time of day.
The menu is subject to change as they buy fresh produce daily and create dishes centred around those ingredients.
Some examples are Onion Bhaji, Pakoras, Paneer gravy, Chana dhal, Aloo peas curry and rice.
The buffet times are noon to 10.30 pm daily.
The latest price quoted is £13.99 per person for all-you-can-eat.
Indian Veg is a charismatic cafe that appears to inspire its diners. It serves traditional Indian cuisine, and with its compassion for others, the unique restaurant is one of the best vegetarian buffets in London.
Address: 92-93 Chapel Market, London, N1 9EX
Telephone: 0207 837 4607
4. Sushi Cafe – Authentic Japanese Sushi
Sushi Cafe opened its doors in 2013 after the founder and his friend gave in to their longing to open a restaurant. The plan was to offer premium sushi at affordable prices. First, they had to learn the intricate skill of sushi making. Eight years later, they have not looked back.
Sushi Cafe has an A L’Carte and a buffet menu with over 50 dishes.
The buffet price at Sushi Cafe is,
- £24.80 per person for one and a half hours of all-you-can-eat
- Children under 120 cm are £12.80
- Under the age of three are £6.80
Some restaurant favourites include Chicken Teriyaki, Tempura, Salmon Nigiri and Chicken Katsu.
Several vegetarian options are available such as Tofu Teriyaki, Avocado, Asparagus, and Cucumber Hosomaki.
Sushi Cafe reserves the right to charge £5 per person for wasted food, so only order what you can eat. Although it is an all-you-can-eat buffet, you can only order six items at a time as everything is freshly prepared.
At Sushi Cafe, the quality remains high for an all-you-can-eat buffet in London, and the time allocated of 1.5 hours appears reasonable.
Address: 555 Battersea Park Road, London, SW11 3BL
Telephone: 0207 228 7011
5. Chutneys – Vegetarian Buffet
Chutneys is a traditional Indian restaurant serving authentic curries. The diner provides an all-you-can-eat vegetarian lunch buffet,
- 12 to 2.30 pm Monday to Saturday
- 12 pm to 5 pm on Sunday
The price is £9.95.
The buffet is refreshed regularly and offers an impressive array of hot and cold dishes of curries, dhals, pakoras, salads, chutneys, bread and rice.
The Indian restaurant provides a menu with meat and seafood dishes. However, the lunch buffet is vegetarian.
Chutneys are not licensed. You are welcome to take alcohol at no extra corkage charge. The service is friendly and efficient.
For an excellent value buffet, Chutneys has to be one of the cheapest buffets in London. After all, only a few places offer an all-you-can-eat buffet for less than a tenner. The only downside seems to be the decoration would benefit from updating.
Address: 124 Drummond Street, London, NW1 2PA
Telephone: 020 7388 0604
6. Urban Meadow Cafe – Stylish Farmhouse Fare
Urban Meadow Cafe is part of the Double Tree by Hilton and enjoys a fantastic location near Kensington Gardens, opposite Hyde Park. They source ingredients locally and serve a selection of London beers.
Various menu options include tapas-style plates, a multi-course dining experience, and a grab-and-go service. They serve a popular Afternoon tea.
There is a Full English breakfast buffet for £18.50 per person. The breakfast menu starts at 8 am and finishes at noon. Breakfast can be busy as it is part of the hotel.
Urban Meadow Cafe has indoor dining and a large patio dining area for an alfresco feel.
The Cafe not only serves a good breakfast buffet in London, but it is also dog friendly and serves dog treats. All proceeds go to the Dogs Trust.
Address: 150 Bayswater, London, W24RT
Telephone: 0207 792 7066
7. The Ned – The Ultimate Extravaganza Feast
For a luxury buffet in London, try The Ned every Sunday at 7 pm in Millie’s Lounge. The hotel serves an extravagant feast.
Ned’s Feast is £90.00 per person or £155.00 per person with free-flowing Champagne.
You can dine on limitless lobster and oysters, including a new addition of Lobster Mac and Cheese.
From the carvery, roast options include pork, beef, and chicken, served with all the trimmings, such as Pigs in Blankets, Yorkshire Puddings, and Bread Sauce.
If you have room for more, there is Red Velvet cake, Rhubarb Eton Mess, Sticky Toffee Pudding, a cheeseboard, and a fruit selection.
Located in the former Midland Bank headquarters, The Ned has established an excellent reputation since its creation in 2017.
For an indulgent feast, The Ned has to rate as one of the best buffets in London. It might be on the pricier side, but it is not an every week occasion.
Address: 27 Poultry, London, EC2R 8AJ
Telephone: 020 3828 2000
3 Tips For Getting the Most From a Buffet
- Go with an empty stomach.
- Wear loose clothing. You want to feel comfortable as you fill your tummy.
- Try to avoid taking too much. It is essential not to waste food. You can always return for more.