Thaicup London: Affordable Meal at £26.90 All-You-Can-Eat Thai and Malaysian Food

Finding affordable food in London that actually feels worth the money can sometimes feel impossible, especially in Central London where dinner prices can climb quickly before drinks and dessert even enter the conversation. That’s why Thaicup caught my attention. An all-you-can-eat Thai and Malaysian menu for £26.90 per person, including drinks and desserts? In London? Honestly, I needed to see if it was actually worth it.

Located along Shaftesbury Avenue, Thaicup has quietly built a reputation for serving up comforting Southeast Asian dishes in a fun and casual setting. Their AYCE menu includes everything from curries and laksa to salads, fried snacks, drinks and desserts, all made to order rather than sitting under heat lamps waiting for someone to pick at them.

I visited on a Tuesday evening around 6:30pm expecting things to be relatively calm midweek, but the restaurant was already pretty packed. That alone told me people clearly know about this spot already. If you’re looking for somewhere to satisfy a craving for Thai and Malaysian flavours without spending a small fortune, Thaicup definitely stands out.

But while the idea of unlimited food sounds exciting in theory, the real question is whether the food actually holds up and whether you can survive more than one round. Spoiler alert: we absolutely could not.

About Thaicup

Thaicup is located at 214 Shaftesbury Avenue in London, sitting conveniently between Tottenham Court Road and Covent Garden stations. It’s one of those places you could easily walk past if you weren’t looking for it, but once inside, the atmosphere completely changes.

The interior is bright, warm and filled with vibrant yellow tones that instantly make the space feel tropical and lively. It has that relaxed Southeast Asian café feel rather than a formal restaurant atmosphere, which honestly suits the concept well. It feels casual, welcoming and somewhere you can settle into comfortably with friends.

One thing worth mentioning is that despite the name being very Thai-focused, the menu actually leans heavily into Malaysian dishes too. You’ll spot classics like nasi lemak and seafood laksa alongside Thai favourites and desserts. Personally, I liked that mix because it gives you more variety rather than repeating similar dishes across the menu.

Thaicup mainly operates on walk-ins, and there’s currently no booking system, so timing matters. Since it was already busy on a Tuesday evening, I can imagine weekends getting especially packed. If you’re planning to visit with a group, arriving earlier is probably the safest option. There is indoor and outdoor seating.

What is Thaicup Known For?

Thaicup is best known for its all-you-can-eat Thai and Malaysian dining experience, especially because the price includes drinks and desserts, which honestly still feels kind of wild for Central London.

For £26.90 per person, you get access to a huge menu filled with curries, noodles, rice dishes, salads, snacks, seafood, drinks and desserts. Instead of buffet trays, everything is ordered fresh from the kitchen and brought directly to your table. That alone already makes the experience feel more enjoyable because the food arrives hot and freshly prepared.

One thing I found interesting was the ordering system. When you sit down, you’re handed a laminated menu sheet alongside a whiteboard marker. You simply tick off the dishes you want and hand the sheet back to staff. It’s simple but also strangely fun.

There are also clear rules around the AYCE setup, which honestly makes sense considering food waste can get out of control in places like this. Some key things to know before visiting:

• 75 minute dining limit for two people / Last orders at 45 minutes for two people
• 90 minute dining limit for groups of three or more / Last orders at 60 minutes for larger groups
• £10 charge per 100g of wasted food
• No takeaways allowed
• BBQ and durian dishes can only be ordered once

At first glance, you might think the limits sound strict, but after experiencing the portion sizes firsthand, it actually feels pretty reasonable. The dishes add up quickly and trust me, you’ll probably be struggling by the end of your first round anyway.

What is the Experience Like at Thaicup?

Dining at Thaicup feels energetic and relaxed at the same time. There’s constant movement from tables ordering rounds of food, drinks being brought out and desserts arriving left and right. It feels social and lively without becoming overwhelming.

What I appreciated most was how easy the whole process felt. Staff were quick at collecting sheets and the food out was brought out pretty quick given that we were on a time limit for AYCE.

The atmosphere also feels quite different from a traditional buffet. Since dishes are cooked to order, you avoid that heavy “buffet food” feeling where everything tastes like it’s been sitting around for hours. Instead, each dish arrives properly plated and hot.

That said, the portions are definitely not tiny. I think some people hear “all you can eat” and expect miniature serving sizes, but Thaicup isn’t playing around. We genuinely thought we’d order multiple rounds and try loads more dishes, but after the first round we were completely stuffed.

Even the drinks and desserts felt surprisingly generous. Usually unlimited deals cut corners somewhere, but the drinks actually tasted refreshing and balanced rather than overly sugary.

The only advice I’d give is to pace yourself and order carefully. Because of the food waste policy, you don’t want to get overexcited immediately and over-order. Start smaller than you think you need because the dishes become filling very quickly.

What is the Food Like at Thaicup?

The food at Thaicup honestly surprised me in a good way. Sometimes AYCE restaurants focus more on quantity than flavour, but there were several dishes here I’d happily order again outside of the “unlimited” concept.

We ordered:

• Spicy curry prawn (on shell)
• Clams with sambal sauce
• Crispy fried spring rolls
• Thai prawn crackers
• Green papaya and mango salad
• Malay nasi lemak with curry chicken
• Malay seafood laksa with egg noodle
• Thai milk green tea
• Thai hand beaten lemon tea
• Mango sticky rice
• Jackfruit sticky rice
• Musang King durian roti

Out of everything, the clams with sambal sauce stood out. The sambal had a rich savoury spice without becoming too heavy, and the clams stayed juicy and fresh. It was one of those dishes where you keep reaching back in for “just one more.”

The crispy fried spring rolls were exactly the kind of comforting snack you want alongside richer dishes. Crunchy outside, hot inside and even better dipped into the sweet and sour sauce.

Thai prawn crackers also deserve a mention because they somehow disappeared almost instantly. They’re simple but addictive and perfect to snack on while waiting for the rest of the food.

For something refreshing, the green papaya and mango salad balanced the heavier curry dishes really well. It had that fresh sharpness that cuts through richness without overpowering everything else.

One of my favourite dishes of the night was definitely the nasi lemak with curry chicken. The chicken was soft, packed with flavour and comforting in the way a good curry should be. It felt hearty without becoming overwhelming.

The seafood laksa also had a rich coconut broth with enough spice to keep things interesting. Combined with the egg noodles, it became one of the heavier dishes on the table though, so I’d recommend sharing portions carefully if you still want room for dessert. I much preferred the nasi lemak over the seafood laksa.

Speaking of dessert, the moment I saw mango sticky rice on the menu I already knew I had to order it. We also tried the jackfruit sticky rice and Musang King durian roti, which made the dessert menu feel much more exciting than the standard ice cream you usually see at AYCE spots.

The mango sticky rice ended up being my favourite overall dessert. The mango was soft and sweet while the coconut cream over the sticky rice tied everything together perfectly. It was honestly the best way to finish the meal.

The drinks also surprised me. The Thai milk green tea and Thai hand beaten lemon tea were refreshing without tasting overloaded with sugar, which I appreciated considering how rich the food already was.

What is the Price Like at Thaicup?

At £26.90 per person, Thaicup honestly feels like a really solid deal for London, especially considering drinks and desserts are included.

In Central London, it’s pretty normal to spend £20 to £30 on a single main dish, drink and dessert at many restaurants, so getting unlimited access to a wide range of dishes for roughly the same price feels pretty reasonable.

What makes it feel even more worthwhile is the variety. You’re not locked into one cuisine style or one type of dish. You can go from seafood to curry to noodles to desserts all within one meal.

Of course, whether it feels worth it depends on how much you eat, but even with us only surviving one round, it still felt like good value because of the quality and amount of food we ordered.

If you’re someone who enjoys trying different dishes or dining with friends where everyone shares everything, this setup works really well.

Final Thoughts about Thaicup

Thaicup is a fun and affordable spot in Central London if you’re craving Thai and Malaysian comfort food without spending a fortune. The AYCE menu gives you access to a surprisingly wide range of dishes, drinks and desserts for £26.90, and the made to order system makes it feel much more enjoyable than a standard buffet setup.

I also appreciated that despite being all-you-can-eat, the food still felt freshly made and properly prepared rather than rushed out carelessly. Some dishes definitely stood out more than others, but overall the experience felt satisfying and fun.

Would I go back? Honestly yes, but next time I’d probably pace myself better because we massively underestimated how filling everything would be.

If you’re looking for Asian food in London that feels affordable without sacrificing variety, Thaicup is definitely worth checking out. Just don’t make the same mistake we did and overestimate your stomach capacity.

Highlights about Thaicup

• £26.90 all-you-can-eat Thai and Malaysian menu (drinks and desserts included in the price)
• Great variety of curries, noodles, salads and desserts
• Busy even on a weekday evening
• Good value for Central London
• Walk-ins only
• Halal Friendly
• Favourite dishes: nasi lamak, clams, thai prawn crackers, green papaya and mango salad, mango sticky rice

Details about Thaicup

• Address: 214 Shaftesbury Ave, London WC2H 8EB
• Opening Hours: Daily from 12pm – 9pm
• Price: Around £20–£30 per person
• Cuisine: Thai & Malaysian
• Closest Stations: Tottenham Court Road Station, Covent Garden Station
• Best For: Casual dinners, group dining, affordable Central London eats
• Booking: Walk-ins only
• Dining Limits: 75 mins for 2 people / 90 mins for groups of 3+
• Last Orders: 45 mins for 2 people / 60 mins for groups of 3+
• Food Waste Charge: £10 per 100g
• No takeaway allowed
• BBQ and durian dishes limited to one order per table

---

MORE ON MY BLOG

Explore more of my food blog

Explore more of my travel blog

---

CONNECT WITH ME ♡

♡ Instagram: @juliaxeats

♡ Tik Tok: @juliaxeats

♡ YouTube: @juliaxeats

♡ Blog: www.juliaxeats.com

Business inquiries: juliaxeats@gmail.com

---

Explore London, UK

---

More London, UK Posts

---

Tags: Thaicup London, Thaicup review, Thai food London, Malaysian food London, all you can eat London, AYCE London, affordable London restaurants, London food blog, Covent Garden food, Tottenham Court Road restaurants, Thai desserts London, mango sticky rice London, nasi lemak London, laksa London, Thai buffet London, Malaysian buffet London, London eats, cheap eats London, London restaurant review, Thai milk tea London, durian dessert London, Asian food London, best Thai food London, best Malaysian food London, London foodie, London food recommendations, London dinner spots, where to eat in Covent Garden, Thai restaurant London, London buffet review