Where to find the best Sunday roasts in London

This legendary spot in Highgate is a well-known favourite among some of the area’s star-studded residents, so it must be doing something right! It’s also regularly included in lists of the country’s top gastropubs, and rightly so — its food really is worth making a special trip. Even the decor here feels elevated yet homely: you’ll find a central bar, two leafy beer gardens, and even a van that serves frozen margaritas and soft-serve ice cream in the summer! We recommend ordering a Bloody Mary and a few oysters as a warm-up before the main event, which consists of top quality meat (including Aberdeen Angus beef, slow-roasted pork belly and côte de boeuf) served with beef dripping roast potatoes, green beans, root vegetable mash, a melt-in-the-mouth Yorkshire pudding and a rich red wine jus…

This Insta-worthy corner pub in Hackney is so renowned for its Sunday offering, especially its meat-free versions, that it was included in Waitrose’s 2023 list of top 10 pubs in the UK for a Sunday roast! Here, you can sip on a Bloody Meryl, made with spiced vodka, fresh tomato and guindilla pepper, while you ponder your options. Starters include a tempting hand-picked Cornish crab chip butty and sides feature a decadent truffle cauliflower cheese. Main-wise, you can choose between a slow-roasted topside of Highland beef, Yorkshire chicken, a rolled saddle of Swaledale lamb, and brown butter roasted cauliflower with a hazelnut crumb. If you’re feeling extra peckish or just can’t decide, you could even go for ‘all the roasts’, which includes all three meats with your choice of gravy.

Only a few minutes’ walk from Oval station, this market-style rustic eatery is a prime spot for meat-lovers and veggies alike. 24 The Oval’s venue is perfect for smaller groups and has a lovely terrace with outdoor seating for sunny Sundays. Grab one of the spicy Bloody Marys or a bottle of wine to enjoy with some bread and butter. And prepare yourself for the cauliflower cheese – no really, it’s absolutely dreamy. And if you really fancy it, grab a few kitchen bits and bobs from the counter on your way out.

Anyone with allergies or intolerances knows it may be difficult to find a place where nearly everything is safe. Niche is one of those places. 100% gluten-free with a menu that uses no nuts or sesame, this place is perfect for diners with strict diets. It even offers dishes that are vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free. This simple, modern industrial eatery in Angel is a great London spot for roasts, offering dairy-free chicken and beef for meat-lovers and tasty chickpea and potato-based dishes suitable for vegans. Niche keeps it simple and offers something for everyone.

The Pig’s Head is just the place to balance out any overindulgence you might be planning to partake in on the holiest day of the week. Not only does it look great inside and out — think red-and-white striped awning and quirky vintage and antique wares — but it’s virtuous too. It’s Clapham’s first carbon neutral pub and its ingredients are all sustainably sourced from regenerative farms including its own organic kitchen garden in Kent. The Sunday roast menu is generous, featuring a number of options for all manner of tastes, from a roasted aubergine or a fermented mushroom wellington to a decadent roast chicken or slow-roasted beef brisket to share between two…

This chic northwest London pub features squidgy leather banquettes that are ideal for sinking into for a few hours on a Sunday and admiring the artwork that lines the walls. You could even incorporate a walk around the nearby Queen’s Park to work up an appetite! You might need to in order to justify trying all of the enticing delights on the menu… Starters include European-inspired bites like beef meatballs in sugo and vegan ‘nduja croquettes, while the mains consist of four classic roasts served with all the trimmings. You’ll probably want to leave room for one of the desserts too, which include a creamy Tiramisu and a white chocolate cheesecake with caramelised orange..

Sunday roast in London can often feel like you’re just faced with the choice of many pubs to go to. But with Rock and Rose, you get Sunday lunch in a really unique environment. This glamorous spot in Richmond serves up delicious roasts in pretty damn quirky surroundings. Choose from lamb, chicken, beef or nut roast options, and wash it all down with one of the impressive cocktails featuring unusual flavour combos.

The Cricketers boasts all the elements needed to make a Sunday really great. It overlooks the picturesque Kew Green in the charming area of Richmond near the Thames Path, and features an open fire as well as a beer garden, so you’ll be catered for whatever the weather! Last but certainly not least, the Sunday menu is full of naughtiness like sausage rolls, a whole baked camembert and chicken liver profiteroles with morello cherry compote and chicken crackling — and they’re all just a prelude to the pub’s legendary roasts that come served with roast potatoes, mixed kale, maple-roasted carrots, mulled red cabbage, Yorkshire puddings and gravy!

The Winchmore serves delicious food that’s made from scratch in a kitchen led by an experienced team of chefs. The Sunday roast at this place is NOT to be missed! Choose from pasture raised roast chicken, Shropshire grass-fed sirloin of beef, Dorset Down leg of lamb, free range belly of pork or the vegan roast. Can’t decide which roast to have? Then we recommend you go for the ultimate roast: Roast Lamb, Beef and Chicken served with all the trimmings!

This striking hotel is set among rolling green meadows and boasts dreamy river views from its elegant restaurant. The elegance continues throughout its Sunday lunch menu too, where you’ll find starters such as ‘soup of the moment’ and smoked salmon carved from the trolley as well as main dishes like roast Surrey farmed sirloin of beef, chicken supreme and roast pork loin. The decadence continues with a British cheeseboard and show-stopping desserts including a knickerbocker glory. Why not really make a day of it by incorporating a visit to some of the hotel’s nearby attractions, including the stunning Kew Gardens?

This venue is part of the same family as the marvellous Rotherhithe pub The Mayflower, so you can imagine how splendid its interior is. It also boasts an impeccable location between Waterloo, Kennington and Elephant & Castle, so you have a lively pocket of the capital to play in before or after your meal! Starters include crowd pleasers like burrata, scallops and a Scotch egg, while the main menu features 32-day dry aged Argentine Picanha roast beef and salt marsh braised lamb shank. We really recommend trying to leave room for one of the desserts too, which include a cinnamon brioche and butter pudding with cream anglaise and a frangipane pear tart with clotted cream.