Is the Med Grill at Custom House London any good?No, it is not. In fact, it is everything that is wrong with London, and I am writing this to explain exactly why.
This was discovered after I had ended up here for want of a better idea after going to get a one-day passport. A long, tedious, bureaucratic ordeal that leaves you with nothing but time to kill. And, if you are unfortunate enough, you might just find yourself in a place like the Med Grill.
What the Custom House?
Custom House, for those who don’t know, is a rapidly developing part of East London. It sits near the ExCeL Centre, home to conventions, business expos, and the occasional outlandish arms fair. Once a fairly nondescript part of town, it has been given the gentrification treatment in recent years, complete with shiny new high-rises, overpriced chain cafes, and an influx of people with lanyards permanently around their necks.
Getting here is relatively straightforward, thanks to the Elizabeth Line and the DLR, which connect Custom House to the rest of London. This ease of access means that any business here doesn’t have to be good; it just has to exist. Between the conference-goers, passport seekers, and hotel guests with nowhere better to go, foot traffic is guaranteed.
And the Med Grill knows this very well.
What the Med Grill?
The Med Grill is one of those places that exists solely to catch out the unsuspecting. Sitting in the middle of an area where people are forced to wait for hours—whether for a passport or a convention event—it offers the illusion of convenience. But rather than embracing the opportunity to create something worthwhile, it leans into the worst aspects of modern dining: overpriced, generic, and utterly devoid of soul.
It’s a large, corporate-feeling establishment with a sterile interior and a faux-upmarket aesthetic designed to lure in tired business travelers who don’t know any better. The menu reads like an uninspired, overpriced take on ‘Mediterranean grill’ staples, which essentially means you’re paying double for what you could get at a half-decent kebab shop, which is how I later ate…
What the Med Grill like?
I ended up inside after squatting outside for a while, killing time. Eventually, an owner or manager—not exactly a welcoming sort—came over and informed me that I had to buy a drink if I wanted to sit. Fair enough. I asked about food, but that was still thirty minutes away.
So, I ordered a pint of Coors Light, setting me back £6.50 ($8.00). Now, I’ll be fair—by London standards, that’s not the worst price. But paying that much for a pint of Coors Light, which is essentially piss water does irk you a bit. That it was served in a plastic glass was just insult to injury.
Eventually, I was given a menu, and the sticker shock continued. Steaks started at around £25 (roughly $34), which, again, is not outrageous for London, but given the setting, the vibe, and the general lack of character, it felt extortionate. I could have been in any number of faceless, overpriced ‘modern grill’ restaurants dotted around Canary Wharf or worse, Heathrow Airport.
And that’s the problem—there was no character, no charm, just a soulless void designed to extract as much money as possible from unsuspecting punters. It is the very definition of a corporate shithole, catering to the overpaid London elite and unsuspecting tourists who don’t know better. Harsh? Maybe. But fair? Absolutely.
Where the Med Grill?
If for some inexplicable reason you still want to visit, the Med Grill is located at Custom House, not far from the ExCeL Centre. The exact address? It hardly matters. If you find yourself in the area, just look for the overpriced restaurant with an inflated sense of importance.
Click to read about street food in England.
Getting Away…
The good news is that leaving Custom House is easy, and after visiting the Med Grill, you’ll likely want to get away as quickly as possible. The Elizabeth Line will have you back in central London in no time, while the DLR connects you to Canary Wharf and the rest of East London. If you’re feeling particularly bitter about your experience, you could even hop on a Thames Clipper and let the river wash away your disappointment.
Alternatively, just go literally anywhere else. London is filled with great places to eat—just not here.