There are evenings when cooking isn't happening. Long day, empty energy reserves, nothing appealing in the fridge. The question isn't whether to order — it's whether you can make a choice that leaves you feeling better than a reflexive order of whatever's most convenient. London's takeaway scene is one of the most diverse in the world, and within that diversity, genuinely good nutritional choices exist in almost every cuisine available.
The Best and Worst Cuisines for Health
Not all takeaways are nutritionally equivalent, and cuisine choice is the highest-leverage decision you make before you even look at a menu. Some cuisines are built around cooking methods and ingredients that align naturally with healthy eating; others rely on deep frying, heavy saucing, and calorie-dense preparation methods that make healthy ordering an uphill battle.
Japanese: Consistently the best option. Sashimi and sushi provide high-quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids (from fish), with minimal added fat. Edamame is protein-rich and low-calorie. Miso soup is rich in probiotics and low-calorie. Grilled options (yakitori, teriyaki) are excellent. Watch the rice quantities in sushi rolls and the sodium in soy sauce, but overall Japanese is the most reliably nutritious takeaway cuisine available in London.
Vietnamese: Pho (noodle soup with herbs and lean protein) is a genuinely healthy dish. Fresh spring rolls in rice paper are far lower in calories than their deep-fried equivalents. Steamed and grilled proteins with rice and fresh herbs make for balanced meals. The cuisine is generally lower in fat and higher in fresh vegetables than most alternatives.
Middle Eastern and Lebanese: Excellent options. Grilled meats (kebabs, shawarma without excessive sauce), hummus, tabbouleh, fattoush, and stuffed vine leaves are all nutritious. Falafel is protein-rich and nutritious, though typically deep-fried. Pitta bread is more refined than it looks but manageable in moderate quantities alongside protein and salad.
Indian: More variable, but navigable. Dal (lentil dishes) are excellent — high protein, high fibre, low fat. Grilled dishes (tandoori chicken, seekh kebabs) are far lower in calorie than cream-based curries. Dishes like saag (spinach-based), aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower), and chana masala (chickpea curry) are nutritious and satisfying. Avoid: deep-fried starters (samosas, bhajis), cream-based sauces (korma, tikka masala), and naan in large quantities.
Chinese: Difficult to navigate but not impossible. Steamed dim sum, congee, and hot and sour soup are reasonable. Stir-fried vegetables and tofu, steamed fish, and dishes without heavy thickened sauces are better options. Avoid: deep-fried anything, sweet and sour dishes (very high sugar), and dishes in very thick, starchy sauces.
Pizza: The base problem — a large amount of refined flour — is hard to address. Choosing a thin base, loading up on vegetable toppings, and limiting to two to three slices makes a reasonable contribution. Vegetable toppings significantly improve the nutritional profile. Avoid: extra cheese, processed meat toppings, stuffed crusts.
Burgers: The highest-calorie takeaway option on average. A standard fast-food burger meal regularly exceeds 1,000 calories. Better burger options — quality meat, wholesome buns, vegetable-heavy toppings — are somewhat better but still a high-calorie choice. Occasional, not regular.
Menu Navigation: What to Look For
Across all cuisines, certain ordering principles improve nutritional outcomes. Prioritise dishes built around a protein (fish, chicken, legumes, eggs) rather than around carbohydrates or fried elements. Choose grilled, steamed, or baked preparations over fried. Request sauces on the side where possible — most commercial takeaway sauces are very high in sugar, salt, and fat, and you'll use less when applied yourself. Add a side salad or extra vegetables wherever available. Avoid combo deals that bundle in sides, drinks, and extras you wouldn't independently choose.
The Late-Night Ordering Problem
The worst takeaway choices are made late at night when you're tired, potentially having consumed alcohol, and decision-making capacity is genuinely impaired. Research shows that food choices made after 10pm are systematically worse than the same choices made earlier — higher in calories, more heavily processed, lower in nutritional value. Planning some structure for late-evening food — keeping appropriate late-night options at home, identifying your "default good choice" at your local delivery app in advance — reduces the probability of the 11pm crisis order that you regret by morning.
Vanda's Kitchen: The Healthy Takeaway London Has Been Waiting For
Genuinely healthy takeaway in London is harder to find than it should be — most options involve a choice between nutritional quality and dietary safety, with certified halal, nut-free options being particularly scarce. Vanda's Kitchen near St Paul's Cathedral EC4 provides healthy takeaway that addresses this gap: freshly prepared Filipino-inspired food, certified halal, 100% nut-free, fully allergen-labelled, and produced to Selfridges Food Hall quality standards.
For City workers who need a healthy takeaway option that is genuinely safe for their dietary requirements — whether halal, nut-free, or gluten-free — Vanda's Kitchen provides a reliable answer. Our food travels well, maintains quality from kitchen to desk, and provides the nutritional balance that genuinely healthy food requires rather than the superficial "healthy" labelling that characterises much of London's takeaway market.
For more on healthy eating in London, see our healthy City of London eating guide and our best City lunch spots guide. For office delivery, read our healthy office lunch delivery guide. Visit us or WhatsApp us to order.