How much do you need to earn to live in London?

[BJG1]

okgo said:

I went to duck and waffle the other week, few drinks each, some food. £200.

Of course if you insist on Bella Italia it will be cheap, but if you go to decent places, it gets pricey, that is the truth.

Loads of better places than Duck and Waffle for a lot less money in London.

[Du1point8]

okgo said:

speedysoprano said:

Yikes. Husband and I go out at least twice a week and wouldn't even get close to spending that. We eat well, we like a drink or several and certainly don't skimp...

I went to duck and waffle the other week, few drinks each, some food. £200.

Of course if you insist on Bella Italia it will be cheap, but if you go to decent places, it gets pricey, that is the truth.

And I have dinned in the Mayfair and it was a lot less than £100.

Why assume that a decent place is instantly pricy?

I know of tapas places in Zone 1/2 that are a £5 a dish and are fantastic, like wise with most other styles of dish in different areas of London.

If you know the hidden places then you can dine out on not a lot and its all decent.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

okgo said:

speedysoprano said:

Yikes. Husband and I go out at least twice a week and wouldn't even get close to spending that. We eat well, we like a drink or several and certainly don't skimp...

I went to duck and waffle the other week, few drinks each, some food. £200.

Of course if you insist on Bella Italia it will be cheap, but if you go to decent places, it gets pricey, that is the truth.

If you use the internet and look for offers, you can eat at some top places for reasonable money.

Wife and I have had dinner at the Landmark (Marylebone) for £40 a head and the 4 of us had lunch with champagne at The Savoy for £50/head.

There are also innumerable very good places to eat for far less than that. Without going to chains like Bella Italia.

Try Bisto 1 (about 3 dotted around the West End.) A very acceptable 3 course meal is available for around £13 ex drinks.

Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Tuesday 19th August 14:48

[okgo]

I am not moaning. Just saying. And I know there are better places to go, just using it as an example.

Any of the steak places are going to be £70 per head easy. £50 per head with drinks is not that easy IMO.

[TEKNOPUG]

okgo said:

I am not moaning. Just saying. And I know there are better places to go, just using it as an example.

Any of the steak places are going to be £70 per head easy. £50 per head with drinks is not that easy IMO.

Nonsense.

[Shaoxter]

okgo said:

I went to duck and waffle the other week, few drinks each, some food. £200.

I think "few" drinks and "some" food is understating it slightly. Their duck and waffle dish is £17.

[okgo]

TEKNOPUG said:

Nonsense.

For 3 years my entertaining budget was bout £70 a head. It wasn't easy if you had a few drinks.

Any drink is £10 in DW so it doesn't take long.

[Westy Carl]

okgo said:

I am not moaning. Just saying. And I know there are better places to go, just using it as an example.

Any of the steak places are going to be £70 per head easy. £50 per head with drinks is not that easy IMO.

Wow, I must have got lucky. I visited the "big smoke" with the wife recently, found resteraunt's by just wandering about (Soho ish) and both nights we ate and drank like kings. Less than £75 total each night.

[speedysoprano]

okgo said:

speedysoprano said:

Yikes. Husband and I go out at least twice a week and wouldn't even get close to spending that. We eat well, we like a drink or several and certainly don't skimp...

I went to duck and waffle the other week, few drinks each, some food. £200.

Of course if you insist on Bella Italia it will be cheap, but if you go to decent places, it gets pricey, that is the truth.

We don't do Bella Italia. We go to local, independent restaurants with excellent food. Sometimes we eat at pricey places, but for the most part, if you find good local spots it is nowhere near that expensive. This is my actual experience. This is what I do, week in and week out. I'm sorry you haven't been fortunate enough to find decent, inexpensive local restaurants the way we have, but there's no need to pretend that my experience doesn't exist.

[TEKNOPUG]

okgo said:

For 3 years my entertaining budget was bout £70 a head. It wasn't easy if you had a few drinks.

Any drink is £10 in DW so it doesn't take long.

That's because you are drinking in a cocktail bar on the 40th floor of a tower in the City. I expect it would be similar prices if you went to an equivalent venue in any other city. It's not specific to London. If you want to spend a fortune on drinks, that's easy. You don't have to though. It's quite easy to get a great meal in a great restaurant without spending anything like that much.

[okgo]

You are and drank like kings for £35? Given the average pint is £4.50 and a cheap bottle of wine is £18. I do wonder where you went what what you define as "like a king"

[BJG1]

okgo said:

I am not moaning. Just saying. And I know there are better places to go, just using it as an example.

Any of the steak places are going to be £70 per head easy. £50 per head with drinks is not that easy IMO.

Le Renais is £23.95 for a salad starter then 2 rounds of steak and chips.

[Du1point8]

okgo said:

I am not moaning. Just saying. And I know there are better places to go, just using it as an example.

Any of the steak places are going to be £70 per head easy. £50 per head with drinks is not that easy IMO.

You talking the tourist steak houses?

http://www.angussteakhouse.co.uk/pdf/menus/12.pdf

or proper steakhouse?

https://www.facebook.com/FlatIronSteak

(£10 for flat iron and a side)

http://www.thepottedpig.com/dinner-menu

How about looking at the deals?

http://www.tablepouncer.com/london/steakhouse/blog...

(including many at 50% off)

All of the above are £50 per person unless you are spending over £30 a head on booze... that on a steakhouse is doubtable.

[paranoid airbag]

okgo said:

speedysoprano said:

Yikes. Husband and I go out at least twice a week and wouldn't even get close to spending that. We eat well, we like a drink or several and certainly don't skimp...

I went to duck and waffle the other week, few drinks each, some food. £200.

Of course if you insist on Bella Italia it will be cheap, but if you go to decent places, it gets pricey, that is the truth.

So, maybe you don't go to duck and waffle twice a week, every week.

There's nothing wrong with splashing out our having high standards I suppose, but is being unable to afford duck and waffle twice a week, every week, something worth complaining about? (Not saying you are okgo).

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Westy Carl said:

okgo said:

I am not moaning. Just saying. And I know there are better places to go, just using it as an example.

Any of the steak places are going to be £70 per head easy. £50 per head with drinks is not that easy IMO.

Wow, I must have got lucky. I visited the "big smoke" with the wife recently, found resteraunt's by just wandering about (Soho ish) and both nights we ate and drank like kings. Less than £75 total each night.

Agree. I must have got lucky too, every time I've eaten out in town over the last 40 years.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

okgo said:

Given the average pint is £4.50 and a cheap bottle of wine is £18.

Are you living out of the hotel mini bar?

I don't drink beer so can't comment but I can often order a bottle of house wine for around a tenner.

[Westy Carl]

okgo said:

You are and drank like kings for £35? Given the average pint is £4.50 and a cheap bottle of wine is £18. I do wonder where you went what what you define as "like a king"

"like a king" does not mean "getting hammered"

One was a Thai place, the other was an small family Italian. Both nights came out after 2-3 hrs full and happy (but not hammered , great food, with un-rushed service.

[okgo]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Are you living out of the hotel mini bar?

I don't drink beer so can't comment but I can often order a bottle of house wine for around a tenner.

Ok. I shan't bother anymore, that comment is nearly as farcical as claiming flat iron is a proper steakhouse.

Go into ANY pub and it's £4 a pint minimum. My local in zone 6 is 4.50 for Meantime and £5 for peroni.

[Baldy881]

okgo said:

Ok. I shan't bother anymore, that comment is nearly as farcical as claiming flat iron is a proper steakhouse.

Go into ANY pub and it's £4 a pint minimum. My local in zone 6 is 4.50 for Meantime and £5 for peroni.

Centre Parcs trumps those prices, £6.50 for a 660ml Peroni in Strada. I said to my missus (in front of Strada waiter) why the hell would I pay that for one bottle when I can get 3 for a fiver in Spar Neither were impressed. I am from Yorkshire...

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Baldy881 said:

Centre Parcs trumps those prices, £6.50 for a 660ml Peroni in Strada.

Wow! At least Dick Turpin wore a mask.