Discover London’s best Sunday roasts with this tantalizing guide.
The humble Sunday roast… oh how we love you.
Wondering where to get a proper Sunday roast in London? Whether you love a yorkshire pudding and all the trimmings or prefer to go for a vegan nut roast (this is a judgement-free zone), the capital is bursting with brilliant spots where you can fill up on the comforting British classic.
From Soho to Shoreditch, wherever you are in the capital, you’re closer to a cracking roast than you might think.
Not sure where to start? Here’s our round-up of the best roast dinners in London.
The Best Sunday Roasts in London
The Jugged Hare
Barbican
This unapologetically British pub pulls out all the tricks – from the stag head hanging on the wall to the interior design reminiscent of a Victorian-style pub. It makes sense then that The Jugged Hare sits at the top of our guide to Sunday roasts in London.
Serving up some of the best meat in the capital, the roast dinner options here include free-range chicken, roasted pork belly, or a 45-day aged Longhorn beef rump.
Your choice of meat is served with a Yorkshire pudding done proper, roasties (cooked in duck fat, of course), seasonal veggies, and rotisserie gravy to drizzle – or drown – your meal in.
An impressive wine list accompanies the Almighty Roast – the in-house sommelier has carefully created a menu of wines that work perfectly with the ingredients used, as well as for lazing around with on a Sunday afternoon.
If you’re in the mood for something sweet, a range of indulgent desserts – including a sticky toffee pudding – round the meal off perfectly.
Or you can finish with a cheese board – though, we think that is blasphemy.
Blacklock
Multiple Locations
We rave about Blacklock time and time again, but we promise it’s worthy of all our praise. Known for their steak, the Sunday menu is something of a blessing. They brand their roasts as almost better than Mum’s… and we are inclined to agree.
Choose between beef, lamb, and pork, each cooked over hot coals in a nod to tradition. Or opt for the all-in: a combo of all three to share between groups of two or more.
The only thing better than a perfectly cooked steak is a steak that’s enveloped in a Yorkshire pudding and accompanied by buttery vegetables. Facts.
Wash down with an Autumn Negroni and spend the rest of Sunday in your loosest joggers, lounging on the sofa, completely content.
12:51
Islington
A modern brasserie with traditional touches, James Cochran’s 12:51 is a real winner if you’re looking for a London Sunday roast that’s a little bit special.
We’re talking pink sofas, deep wood, and industrial-style lighting. It’s an elevated take on a traditional British restaurant.
For a reasonable £25 per person (reasonable by bougie London restaurant standards, that is), scoff 42 day-aged sirloin beef smothered in horseradish cream, served alongside cauliflower cheese, carrot puree, chargrilled hispi cabbage, beef dripping potatoes, and Yorskire’s. Covered in deliciously thick bone marrow gravy.
Say no more, we’re sold.
Roast
Borough Market
Roast by name, roast by nature. Perched above Borough Market, this is a wonderful spot for a tasty Sunday lunch in central London.
You might not get all the trimmings here (hear us out) but that doesn’t matter. What you do get is a curated selection of quintessential British dishes: the beef wellington with rosemary potatoes and red wine sauce, and the old spot pork belly with crushed root vegetable mash and a cider gravy are two standouts.
Whatever you opt for, dabble in a side of creamy mashed potato for an unforgettable roast dinner.
Hawksmoor
Multiple Locations
Another spot we could discuss endlessly. Lots of people love Hawksmoor for their meaty offerings, but would never think to venture there for Sunday roast. Oh, how wrong they are.
Beef is King here: started off on hot charcoal and finished in the oven, the meat is deliciously tender and flavourful.
Keeping the delicious hunk of beef company on the plate are beef dripping roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, veggies, roasted shallots and a healthy drizzle of marrow and onion gravy.
Get there early on Sunday – London’s best roast dinner isn’t guaranteed after 5pm.
The Horseshoe
Hampstead
On Sundays between 12pm-8pm The Horseshoe in Hampstead serves up one of the best roast dinners London has to offer.
Melt-in-the-mouth beef and all the trimmings are on offer here, alongside a healthy craft beer and wine menu. Opt for a glass of fizz for a little weekend luxury.
The Horseshoe is also the perfect location for a post-Sunday lunch stroll on Hampstead Heath.
Lady Mildmay
Islington
It’s almost a written rule that you can walk into any Victorian London pub and they’ll offer a cracking roast – though Lady Mildmay’s Sunday lunch tops the lot.
Arrive early – around 12pm – on Sunday to avoid a scrap with hungry locals and prepare to be wowed. Succulent meats are served alongside all the trimmings in a no-expense-spared spread.
The menu changes every three weeks to ensure local ingredients are used, but whatever menu you rock up to, you’re guaranteed a delicious Sunday roast worth raving about.
The wine list is worth a ponder too – the Rola de Branco pairs perfectly with a comforting lunch.
Smokehouse
Islington
The Sunday menu at Smokehouse is something of a dream.
You’ll struggle to choose between a whopping seven mains, including a smoked lamb shoulder, lentil and buckwheat slice, and a Somerset Saxon whole chicken.
All are fantastic but the lamb shoulder has a special place in our hearts.
Each roast is served with roast potatoes, greens, maple carrots, cauliflower purée, and a Yorkshire pudding. And, if you’ve still got room after (unlikely), you’ll want to order the dark chocolate cremeux and mango sorbet for pud. Delish.
Temper
Soho
For a Sunday roast in London with a unique Mexican twist, Temper is the spot.
Start with a plate of goat’s-cheese tacos – it would be rude not to. And it would also be rude to not order one of their many gin and tonics. We love the Bathtub Old Tom, FYI.
Meat is dry aged and cooked on an open fire for an intense smoky flavour, and no trimmings are spared: roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, honey-glazed carrots, parsnips, crispy cabbage, and bottomless gravy will be piled high on your plate. Come hungry.
As tempting as it is to go to town on that plate, Temper’s infamous Cookie dessert is well worth saving a smidgen of room for.
The Thomas Cubitt
Belgravia
It’s no surprise that charming Belgravia is home to one of London’s best Sunday roasts – The Thomas Cubitt claims to have the best roast dinner in the capital… and we’re inclined to agree.
Locally sourced meat and seasonal veggies are what make this Sunday lunch so special; the sharing joints for two are absolutely sublime.
All are served with beef-dripping roasties, tenderstem broccoli, glazed carrots, Yorkshire puddings, and gravy.
The apple crumble skillet is worth shouting about alone, topped with pecans, salted caramel, and vanilla ice cream. You certainly won’t want to share this.
The Princess of Shoreditch
Shoreditch
With two courses for £33 or three for £39, The Princess of Shoreditch might not be the place for a cheap Sunday roast in London, though it’s worth the splurge.
Starters include flaky ham hock terrine and an Autumnal squash, carrot, and pine nut concoction.
The main event is no less spectacular. With 5 choices of meat, fish, and a veggie Wellington, you’ll struggle to decide what to pick – we love the salt-aged pork belly with a tangy apple sauce. Add cauliflower cheese and black truffle to your plate if you’re feeling extra indulgent.
Rounding off with the chocolate fondant and caramelised banana ice cream is a no-brainer, we think.
The Pig and Butcher
Islington
With Sunday roast options including a celeriac nut roast with caramelised shallot and mushroom gravy, a hearty roasted Elwy Valley lamb leg, and a pork loin and Bramley apple sauce option, The Pig and Butcher does not mess about.
If you fancy sharing with a pal, order the Welsh lamb shoulder covered with balsamic glaze and puffed spelt. No regrets.
Save some room for the ginger Jamaica cake that rounds off the meal perfectly.
Quality Chop House
The Quality Chop House is a London institution whether you’re talking about roast dinners or not. It opened in 1869 and has been serving up some of the best meat in the city ever since, though in slightly different circumstances.
When the place opened it would have been a more working-class establishment. Today it’s not particularly fancy but the clientele has gotten a bit more wealthy, and the price tag probably a bit steeper.
They do, though, still do one of the best roasts in London. Believe us when we say people wait weeks for a Sunday lunch booking at this place. They offer meat in many varieties, including partridge and plaice, but it’s the lamb shoulder for two that you should be angling for.
Tidy up your meal and save space for a bowl of their Capezzana olive oil ice cream – sounds weird, we know, but trust us. It’s delicious.
The Camberwell Arms
Ask about roasts in London and you’ll almost certainly be directed to The Camberwell Arms. The place has a hype around it that seems inordinate for a Sunday roast, but then you taste it and you see why.
They offer up generous portions of lamb in both leg and shoulder, half roast chickens (cooked slow on a spit), pork belly and a dry-aged sirloin that’s, well, mouth-watering. You’ll need a dining partner though, all the Sunday roast mains come in portions of two.
The only option for something as a trio is the lamb shoulder. That can complicate things if you’re a group of three (or the type of person who cruises London pubs solo trying the best roasts – props to you if that’s the case).
Get over that minor hump though and you’ll be in the hands of greatness, dining on delicious roast meats and accompanying veg in a pub with a charming rustic vibe to it, usually abuzz with the sound of enlivened conversation. It’s a winner.
The Best Sunday Roasts in London: Practical Tips
- Make sure you’re booking these spots in advance. Sunday roasts are unbelievably popular in London. You’ll have to elbow your way through a horde of hungry diners to get into the more popular spots.
- Not all these places will have vegetarian options. If you’re not into eating meat you’d better check the menu before you book.
- Sometimes pubs will give you an extra serving of some of the trimmings. It never hurts to ask – especially if there’s an extra Yorkshire pudding in the runnings.
