Restaurant Supply Stores in London?

September 23, 2007 2:45 PM

I'm a newly impoverished graduate student in London, and I need cheap cooking supplies. In the U.S., I'd head to a restaurant supply store to buy my pots and pans, but I haven't found one here that's open to the public. I'm in SE1, but happy to travel on the Tube. London MeFites, any suggestions?
posted by jed to food & drink (20 answers total)

There's a catering equipment shop on Shaftesbury Avenue. It's between Cambridge Circus and Forbidden Planet. Can't remember what it's called.

Watch out for the prices, though. As it's a trade place, they don't include VAT in their on-the-shelf prices. So, budget for adding an extra 17.5%.
posted by veedubya at 3:03 PM on September 23, 2007

Dentons 2-4 Clapham High St. SW4 7UT Near Clapham North Tube. Again check VAT on prices.
posted by Dr.Pill at 3:28 PM on September 23, 2007

I'd think you'd get them cheaper at Matalan or some other chain myself
posted by A189Nut at 3:33 PM on September 23, 2007

Thanks, A189Nut. Cheap non-restaurant supply options are also appreciated.
posted by jed at 3:35 PM on September 23, 2007

Your local Tesco will probably be the cheapest source (or thereabouts). The online store doesn't seem to store the really cheap stuff, though.
posted by Lionel d'Lion at 3:42 PM on September 23, 2007

IKEA has inexpensive and quite good pots and pans etc.
posted by iviken at 3:52 PM on September 23, 2007

I'd second Ikea. I have some of their baking trays and they are great value.
posted by oh pollo! at 3:55 PM on September 23, 2007

Ikea is such a pain to get to on public transit. I bought mine at Woolworth's, Angel tube.
posted by k8t at 5:53 PM on September 23, 2007

Chinatown. Cheap food too. At least that's what I did, but it has been a few years. Also places like TK Maxx has pretty cheap stuff. (I believe it's TK and not TJ in the UK)
posted by whoaali at 6:14 PM on September 23, 2007

Have you looked into secondhand/charity stores? These often carry crockery, cutlery, saucepans, etc. They tend to be donated en masse when an elderly person dies.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 6:37 PM on September 23, 2007

For really cheap pots and pans, if it doesn't have to last or be great quality, I'd say poundstretcher (now being rebranded "...instore") is a good bet (London shops). Also try a pound shop.

Argos is usually the cheapest place to buy branded and non-branded stuff on the high street. To save money they don't display the merchandise: you look up the product number in the catalogue in the shop, take it to the cash register or the automatic screen, are given an order number, then you collect it from the collection point desk.

Or, just find a less-well-off area and wander around looking for unbranded, non-chain cheaper shops.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 11:18 PM on September 23, 2007

How about Nisbets? Again, watch out for the VAT. They do free delivery on orders over £30.
posted by dogsbody at 3:08 AM on September 24, 2007

Try Loon Fung in Chinatown. Otherwise, it would be worth a look in the Asian stores in Brick Lane or Southall. Great for pans/woks etc. Try charity shops for mugs/plates/bowls/cutlery.
posted by jonesor at 4:15 AM on September 24, 2007

Seconding Argos.

You can view all of your choices online, but best to attend a shop (be warned, it will be quite an experience if you haven't been to one). Check Argos first for an average cheap price, look around at any other poundstretcher type places and figure out what is good for you.

Places like large Tescos (one off Earls Court) Morrisons or Sainsburys will also offer cheap kitchen stuff and can be surprisingly cheap. You need a large superstore version though, not the local ones.
posted by triv at 5:17 AM on September 24, 2007

Offtopic: Bill Bailey on Argos."The laminated book of dreams... The pale, mythical wardens of the treasure..."
posted by TheophileEscargot at 5:33 AM on September 24, 2007

Pop up to Brick Lane and footle around the streets of Whitechapel for a few hours. It's a big Bangladeshi area with a lot of curry houses. You'll find many a cheap food store and much cheap pan-age.
posted by Jofus at 6:01 AM on September 24, 2007

If you go to one of the big street markets you might find a cheap hardware stall.

I'd second Woolworths or Argos though...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:29 AM on September 24, 2007

There's a catering equipment shop on Shaftesbury Avenue.

It's called Pages and I buy a lot of my stuff from there.

I would second going to your local Woolworths. I bought a 16 piece cutlery set for something like £4 from them.
posted by ninebelow at 7:39 AM on September 24, 2007

If you're not fussy about used vs. new, or specific brands, try Freecycle. There are plenty of London based groups (individual freecycle groups typically set up a yahoo groups or similar, and members post wanted items as well as items which they are offering to the group). Everything posted is free.
posted by darsh at 9:44 AM on September 24, 2007

Pages is basically the closest the cooking industry gets to a sex shop but it is not cheap. It's kind of where you'd go if you were an eccentric millionaire or, say, Nigella Lawson.
posted by Jofus at 9:47 AM on September 24, 2007