Is it even Sunday if you haven’t had a roast? While the weather is still on the cooler side, there’s no better excuse to book into one of the best Sunday roasts in London.
From sharing menus perfect for special occasions to posh pubs where the food outdoes the drinks and restaurants that source the finest British produce you’ll find in London, here are our top picks to end the weekend on a high with no washing up in sight.
Temper
A barbecue restaurant at heart, Temper sure knows how to add some fire to a classic Sunday roast. Book into their Soho branch and look forward to a family-style sharing banquet fit for a king. The ‘three beast feast’ is designed for two people and features aged beef roast, roasted pork and smoked lamb shoulder, all served with their signature roast garnish.
If you’re after something individual, look at their singular roasts, from smoked baby chicken with chimichurri to smoked pork belly with smokey applesauce.
VARIOUS LOCATIONS
WWW.TEMPERRESTAURANT.COM
Lady Abercorn’s Pub & Kitchen
Hidden inside the Andaz London Liverpool Street you’ll find Lady Abercorn’s serving up delicious Sunday roasts week in and week out. Book in for roasts like the roast rump of lamb cooked with Mexican spices or go vegan with the cauliflower steak served with rich veggie gravy.
A destination for the curious, the restaurant takes its name from an iconic sassy and caring landlady from the neighbourhood and is influenced from her travels around the globe.
ANDAZ LONDON LIVERPOOL STREET, LADY ABERCORN’S, 40 LIVERPOOL STREET, EC2M 7QN
WWW.HYATTRESTAURANTS.COM
Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill
The perfect marriage of the land and sea, beef and oysters has been enjoyed together since Victorian times. Make your Sunday one to remember with this food pairing at Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill.
Taking place on the first Sunday of every month, their Beef & Oyster Club see executive chef Nicholas Simmons’ curated menu bring together the very finest of Irish Hereford beef and the plumpest oysters from across the Isles in a gastronomic fusion of flavour.
11-15 SWALLOW STREET, W1B 4DG
WWW.BENTLEYS.ORG
Blacklock
Entertain your inner Henry VIII as this place doesn’t do meat-filled plates by half. Their Sunday sessions are known to bring on the meat sweats, so book in, bring out your comfiest pants and tuck into a mix of 28 day aged lamb leg, 55-day-aged beef rump, and 21 day aged pork loin, all roasted over open coals and English oak and served with the usual suspects; Yorkshires, duck fat-roasted tatties, veg, and Blacklock’s signature gravy.
SHOREDITCH, THE CITY AND SOHO
WWW.THEBLACKLOCK.COM
The Pig & Butcher
From Smokehouse to their sister restaurant, The Pig and Butcher, which serves up an equally epic Sunday offering.
Start off with a spiced Bloody Mary to clear any lingering Saturday night cobwebs, before tucking into Tamworth pork loin & Bramley apple sauce; Cumbrian Herwick hogget leg or celeriac nut roast, truffle, caramelised shallot & mushroom gravy.
A shoutout must go to their sharing dishes – that’s what roasts are really all about – like the Norfolk chicken crown, truffled brioche stuffing. Yorkshire puddings, beef dripping roast potatoes, greens, carrots, and cauliflower cheese, which will also be brought to the table for a well-earned end-of-week feast.
THE PIG AND BUTCHER, 80 LIVERPOOL ROAD, ISLINGTON, LONDON N1 0QD
WWW.THEPIGANDBUTCHER.CO.UK
Smokehouse
In all honesty, it’s actually hard to find a roast in a restaurant or pub that’s better than your own but Smokehouse is definitely an exception to the rule. Their smokey take on the British classics, such as smoked and pulled Yorkshire lamb shoulder; smoked whole chicken; or their legendary smoked rare breed beef sirloin, are seriously good and use the best produce Britain has to offer.
Book a table inside for a buzzy feel or outside on the leafy terrace while the sun’s still shining.
SMOKEHOUSE, 63–69 CANONBURY ROAD, ISLINGTON, LONDON, N1 2DG
WWW.SMOKEHOUSEISLINGTON.CO.UK
Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar
These guys take their roasts pretty seriously. The team sources their produce from within 150 miles of the restaurant, using Kent and Essex-based farms so you can expect top-notch quality and they use goose fat to ensure their roasties are as crispy on the outside as they are fluffy on the inside.
Plus, if you’re partial to a gin, you’re in luck as they’ve got over 100 different gins for you to take a look at.
Views of the iconic London skyline make it the perfect place to wrap up the week.
GILLRAY’S STEAKHOUSE & BAR, WESTMINSTER BRIDGE ROAD, LONDON SE1 7PB
WWW.GILLRAYS.COM
The Marksman
Posh public house on Hackney Road, The Marksman, is well known for its excellent food served up by owners and chefs Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram, and interiors that sit somewhere between old East End boozer and Farrow & Ball showroom.
The pub is the place to be on a Sunday if you’re part of the East London set (if you can get a table – you’ll need to book weeks in advance) to tuck into Cured chalk stream trout, cucumber and creme fraiche to start; followed by a choice of roasts, from roast Hereford rump, Yorkshire pudding & horseradish cream to braised mallard, bread sauce and liver toast; as well as delicious fish and veggie options.
Desserts are a delight too, from brown butter & honey tart to the plum Bakewell tart with creme fraiche.
It’s without a doubt the best Sunday lunch you’ll find on the east side of the capital.
THE MARKSMAN, 254 HACKNEY ROAD, LONDON E2 7SJ
WWW.MARKSMANPUBLICHOUSE.COM
By The Handbook