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Street foodShoreditch Spitalfields
The Brick Lane Beigel Bake bakery in east London, trading since 1974, runs hand-rolled bagels and salt beef sandwiches from a 24-hour counter.
TrySalt beef bagel
TipOrder at the counter, pay at the till. Salt beef bagel with mustard is the orthodox order. £6 cash-or-card, queue runs 15 minutes after midnight.
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Street foodCovent Garden
Karim Salama's Egyptian street-food counter on St Martin's Lane in Covent Garden London, opened 2014, runs koshari (the Cairo bus-station dish).
TryEgyptian koshari (rice, lentils, pasta, tomato sauce)
TipBox of koshari is £8 with all toppings. Counter takeaway or eat in the small upstairs space. Closed Sundays.
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Street foodStoke Newington
Mangal 2 Turkish ocakbasi on Stoke Newington Road in north London, trading since 1994, runs charcoal-grilled lamb adana, doner, lahmacun and pide.
TryTurkish ocakbasi grill (lamb adana, doner)
TipBYOB; £3 corkage. Open until midnight Mon-Sun. The artist Gilbert and George are regulars; their original Mangal is across the street.
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Street foodBrixton Tooting
Honest Burgers' first counter in Brixton Village in London, opened 2011 by Tom Barton, Phil Eeles and Dorian Waite, runs dry-aged Ginger Pig beef.
TryBritish burger with rosemary chips
TipThe Brixton Village original is walk-up only. Beer list from Beavertown and The Kernel. Plant-based burger is the vegan option.
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Street foodSoho
Erchen Chang and Shing Tat Chung's Taiwanese bao counter on Lexington Street in Soho London, opened 2015, runs the classic pork bao that defined the British.
TryTaiwanese steamed bao
TipWalk-up only at the counter; queue 30-60 minutes on weekend nights. £6 per bao; pair with peanut-milk shaved ice for dessert.
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Street foodBorough
Padella's hand-rolled pasta counter at Borough Market in London, opened 2016 by Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda, the budget-priced (£8-15) fresh pasta.
TryHand-rolled fresh pasta
TipUse the Padella app for the virtual queue at 12:00 sharp; otherwise 60 minutes on Saturday. The Shoreditch sibling has same kitchen.