The Team’s Favourite Spots In London For A Sunday Roast
Heather Steele
Managing Lifestyle Director
“The Twenty Two has one of the prettiest dining rooms in London. Powder blue from floor to ceiling, its fireplaces come into their own in the autumnal months, as the team serves everything from stylishly plated breakfasts to Sunday roasts. The cured salmon, egg, crème fraiche and caviar is a great way to kick things off (especially if you also order a bloody mary), while its choice of roast Cornish Red chicken, Mount Grace farm lamb or sirloin of Aberdeen Angus beef are paired with the obligatory cauliflower cheese and Yorkshire puddings. If you’re not in the mood for a roast, on Sundays, guests can still order the kitchen’s signature pasta al limone. Whatever you do, make sure to leave room for the chocolate and salted caramel mousse.
“If you want a lighter take on a Sunday roast, book a table at St John. I recently had a memorable late Sunday lunch at its Marylebone location, perched up at one of the window seats. Classic starters of deep-fried rarebit (served with your own bottle of Worcestershire sauce) and pea and ham soup were chalked up on the blackboards, setting the scene before we ate cold cuts of roast beef with radishes and horseradish, and shared a plate of roast Middle White pork with chard and anchovies. You’ll find all the traditional puds here too – we had to choose between bread-and-butter pudding, apple crumble or a Bakewell tart.
“You’ll find the Audley Public House beneath Mount St Restaurant in Mayfair. Wood panelled, with low-slung bar stools and a great selection of London ales on draught, this carefully restored space has all the things I love in a pub – with the added bonus of modern art and elevated bar snacks. On Sundays, said snacks – a half pint of prawns, chips with beef dripping bearnaise – are enhanced by heartier dishes. The chicken and Marmite pie with seasonal greens and Butler’s bangers with onion gravy are perfect winter comfort food.”
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Georgina Blaskey
Senior Homes & Interiors Editor
“Brinkley’s is a local favourite any night of the week, but if I had to choose one day to come, it would be Sunday. Why? Because they have the best gravy I have ever tasted. Choose from classics such as corn-fed chicken with bacon, chipolata and bread sauce, or black angus beef and yorkshire puddings, all of which come with roasties, vegetables and cauliflower cheese. We like to finish with the hot toffee cake, which comes with a generous serving of toffee sauce.
“The star dish on The Lass O'Richmond Hill’s menu is the King Charles Feast, which if you are a group or family of four, is pretty good value. I have a teenage son and this is his absolute favourite Sunday roast – all the food groups ticked, with large helpings. For £100 you get Dingley Dell porchetta, half a Sutton Hubbard chicken, 35-day aged West Country beef, pigs in duvets, cauliflower cheese and all the trimmings including yorkshires.
“All of the meat at Origin City comes from the family’s 600-acre farm in Argyll, Scotland, including traditional heritage breed meats such as Black Angus beef and Tamworth pork. They do an epic Sunday Feast served family style, accompanied by beef dripping potatoes, yorkshires, cauliflower cheese, fine beans and almonds, and glazed heritage carrots (£32pp). Finish with something sweet and indulge in one of their delicious desserts: vanilla crème brûlée, sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream, or a selection of British cheeses – perfection!”
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Sapna Rao
Fashion & Beauty Editor & Broadcaster
“I discovered The Birdcage one Sunday on Columbia Road, having always assumed it was a bit of a tourist trap. After being turned away from everywhere we tried, this was the spot we managed to squeeze into – and I've become a repeat customer since. It does an incredible sharing roast platter including half a chicken, beef and pork – plus all the potatoes you could ever need and some of the best gravy I've had in my life.
“While a good old-fashioned pub roast has a certain charm about it, I know I'll always get a reliable, high-quality roast at Blacklock in Soho. Here, the cauliflower cheese is the star for me – served in an oozing hot pot. The giant yorkshires are a close second though.
“Admittedly, a home-made roast tops them all for me – but I'll happily settle for the next best thing at The Beckford Arms in Salisbury. I need to give this country, roadside pub a shout out. Simple but elevated, the food is all about the farm fresh produce, which I think makes all the difference.”
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Sarah Templeman
Head of Broadcasting
“The Builders Arms in Chelsea has such a warm and welcoming vibe, which makes it perfect for cosying up by the fire and enjoying a glass of red and a delicious scotch egg before you settle in for a roast. The last time we went, I had the pork and it was great. The pudding menu is delightfully old school, and the sticky toffee pudding is worth undoing your top button for. I also love the location as you can have a stroll down the King’s Road before you indulge.
“The most local pub to me, and on one of the nicest roads in Clapham, The Abbeville has real village feel to it. If you can get a seat near the open fire, your Sunday is off to a good start. It does great snacks for the table such as honey and mustard sausages and a mean scotch egg, but there’s also an extensive starter and pudding menu. The star of the show is the pork belly, which comes with serious crackling. They are also generous with the gravy – our waiter was happy to bring an extra jug to the table.”
Nana Acheampong
Fashion Editor & Broadcaster
"My friends and I spent a year touring east London, trying a new roast every Sunday. So trust me when I say, they don’t get any better than Jones & Sons. Everything is perfect – from the crispy roast potatoes to the abundance of seasonal veg and a Yorkshire pudding the size of your head. Extra points for serving lamb (not many places do) and a delicious side of cauliflower cheese. In my opinion, no roast dinner is complete without sticky toffee pudding for dessert, either. Aside from the food, the warm and friendly atmosphere is great – and the staff are lovely."
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Sherri Andrew
Travel & Lifestyle Editor
“One of my favourite spots for a roast in the capital is The Culpeper on Commercial Street near Spitalfields. The team are super friendly, and the food is consistently delicious. If it’s on offer, I’ll order the roast lamb shoulder with homemade mint jelly, though the vegan option is also good. Every roast comes with yorkshire puddings, honey-glazed carrots, buttered seasonal veg and a huge jug of gravy – as well as a buttery and salty potato pave slab (lots of layers of potato stacked together and roasted or fried). If I have space, I’ll also order a chocolate fondant with cream.
“I also rate The Laundry in Brixton, which used to be one of my locals when I lived in south London. If I’m feeling particularly hungry, I start with a selection of sharing plates (like winter salad and pumpkin and oregano bruschetta), before moving onto crispy spatchcock chicken with roast potatoes, squash, and unlimited veg and gravy. The portions are generous, although I always find room for its decadent cauliflower cheese and any other seasonal sides. Everything is served on beautiful tableware and there’s always a buzzy atmosphere on Sundays – though booking is essential.
“Near me now, The Forest Tavern in Forest Gate is the pub I go to most often. It has all the markers of a great boozer – a lovely landlord, friendly staff, a cosy atmosphere, great bar snacks and food you’ll want to leave the house for. Its Sunday roast is as classic as it gets, and done very well. When it’s available (the menu changes regularly), the roast beef is particularly good, served with all the trimmings and best enjoyed with a glass of red.”
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