One of the best British traditions, a Sunday roast is basically a necessity during the drab months that comprise much of the year. Served alongside seasonal veg and various sauces – plus a cheeky cauliflower cheese, if it's on offer – the meal is satisfying and rich, ideal to enjoy with several glasses of wine or a Bloody Mary.
The ideal roast is subjective, and the atmosphere plays a huge role in the meal's enjoyment. With those qualifiers in mind, read on for our pick of six of the best Sunday roasts throughout the capital.
No. Fifty Cheyne
The Sunday roast at No. Fifty Cheyne is so popular that it's now offered on Saturdays as well and available to go and enjoy at home. Featuring a picturesque dining room and a smaller drawing room that offers views across the Thames, this is a great place to visit for a special occasion or with a group. It's also accessible enough, however, to just pop over on a whim – the warm service has the best feel of a neighbourhood restaurant.
The roast itself is offered in four iterations, including a cauliflower steak for vegetarians. All the accompaniments are served as well – we really love the glazed carrots – and there is a side of leek & cauliflower cheese that should most definitely be ordered, too. Save some room for dessert; the sticky toffee pudding is a decadent finish with clotted cream ice cream.
50 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, SW3 5LR
Claridge's
One of London's most fabulous hotels serves one of the city's greatest roasts. A new addition to the repertoire of the recently revamped Claridge's Restaurant, we'd argue there's no better place to spend a Sunday. Relax in a spacious booth in the Art Deco interiors, choose a bottle from Claridge's wine cellar, and sit back to enjoy incredibly attentive service.
As far as the food goes, the Parker house loaf is baked fresh to order and served warm, the seabass & crab fishcake tastes like fancy fish fingers, and the Herefordshire beef is cooked perfectly. The pièce de résistance, though, is the dessert – whilst the menu may insinuate a choice between the four options listed, that is not the case. Save room because each of them is served for the table to share and enjoy, an indulgent finish to an excellent meal.
Brook Street, Mayfair, W1K 4HR
The Jugged Hare
If you're planning to attend some of the excellent cultural happenings at the Barbican, factor in lunch, too. The Jugged Hare is a pub with an old-school sensibility: dark wood walls, leather booths, iron accents. True to its name, there are several hares onsite – those of the taxidermy type. There are actually many, many animals suspended from hooks and adorning the walls; this is not a destination for vegetarians.
So instead, visit with fellow meat-lovers, who will surely be happy. Always busy, the dining room has a bustling atmosphere. The roasts are classic with a focus on meat over veg and giant Yorkshire puddings – request an extra side of the moreish gravy, and they'll happily oblige. This is an ideal place to eat with a group.
49 Chiswell Street, Barbican, EC1Y 4SA
The Pelican
Another neighbourhood destination, this former Victorian pub was resurrected into a prime dining venue in 2022 and has since earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Book well in advance, and come hungry – the food is seriously delicious and the cosy environs will make you want to sit and stay, especially if you score a table near the fireplace.
The Pelican is considered in every sense; attention to detail is supreme, from dinnerware to cutlery to washed stone walls. Expect that of the food as well – from suppliers to reductions to garnishes, this is a special Sunday meal. Stepping beyond the confines of a classic roast, order à la carte cuts of perfectly cooked beef, cabbage with roasted garlic butter, and crispy chips. The wine list is also particularly good, so ask what the specials are and choose a bottle to savour.
45 All Saints Road, Notting Hill, W11 1HE
The Audley Public House
Featuring the beloved lived-in feel of an old-school pub, this airy destination features wraparound windows and a prime corner on Mount Street. The sister to one of our favourite restaurants – located just above the pub – Mount St. Restaurant, the food here is cosy and classic.
Featuring local suppliers and UK-grown produce, the Sunday menu's roast features the prerequisite beef but also Durslade lamb shoulder, served for two with heaps of seasonal roast veg and giant Yorkshire puddings. If you want something a bit different, the chicken & marmite pie is accompanied by rich butter-laden mash and broccoli; it feels like a worthy alternative to a roast whilst being just as satisfying.
41-43 Mount Street, Mayfair, W1K 2RX
The Marksman
If The Marksman is your local, consider yourself lucky – aside from being a reliable boozer with good food, they serve a prime Sunday roast. One of our favourite activities on a grey Sunday is visiting the Columbia Road flower market, then popping over to The Marksman for lunch.
The menu is seasonal but typically includes a whole roast chicken and a Hereford rump. Start with whichever soup is featured; recently, we tried a celeriac soup, which was surprisingly flavorful and rich. The side of greens is delicious and should be added whenever it's on the menu, as should the brown butter & honey tart – their iteration of the classic treacle tart is softer with deeper toasty notes, thanks to the browned butter base.
254 Hackney Road, Shoreditch, E2 7SJ
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