There’s nothing quite like a good Sunday roast. After a summer of light salads and even lighter rosé, there’s just something so hugely comforting about hunkering down in a cosy pub with a huge roast and great glass of red when autumn returns. And, while there are certainly virtues to preceding your Sunday lunch with a lengthy walk in the countryside, indulging in the great British pastime of meat and two veg needn’t require digging out your Hunters – as these urban restaurants are keen to demonstrate. Allow us to present the best restaurants in London for a classic Sunday roast.

Story Cellar, Covent Garden

Story Cellar, the oenophile sibling to Tom Sellers’ much-lauded Restaurant Story, opened just off Covent Garden’s quaint Neal’s Yard in spring 2023 can immediately began garnering rave reviews with its signature Parisian-style rotisserie chicken and extensive wine cellar. And, with a roast chicken as its most famous dish, it was only a matter of time before a full-service Sunday lunch offering was added to the menu.

Launched at the end of 2023, alongside the famed chicken, the Sunday menu includes roast beef rump, pork belly and crackling and beetroot Wellington, with all the trimmings served family style. Expect enormous homemade Yorkshires, crispy roasties, buttered greens, honey roast carrots, crushed pumpkins and delectable gravy – and staff well-versed enough in the vast wine list to suggest a perfect bottle to suit everyone’s dinner.

And, while that is more than enough to satiate, we highly recommend ordering a few bowls of the French onion soup for the table to start – we’re reliably informed that it takes 70 onions to make a single litre (and, trust us, it shows). For dessert, meanwhile, upscale classics of apple crumble and vanilla ice cream or bread and butter pudding are a hearty note on which to finish a cosy winter meal.

17 Neal’s Yard, Seven Dials, WC2H 9DP, visit storycellar.co.uk

Dovetale, Mayfair

Located within the recently-opened 1 Hotel Mayfair, Dovetale is another culinary hotspot masterminded by Tom Sellers – and it promises a Sunday roast offering that more than meets his Michelin-starred expectations. Priced at £45 for two courses or £55 for three (with a la carte options also on offer), starters include smoked pork and duck rilettes, Flourish Farm kale with pear, barley and black apple, and pate de champagne with grain mustard before the main event of Black Angus beef, Somerset chicken, or stuffed marrow with all the trimmings.

Not a roast fan? The menu also includes lighter mains of Loch Duart salmon, autumn chopped salad, and roasted Jerusalem artichoke and spelt ragu – all the better to leave room for indulgent desserts including jam roly-poly, sticky toffee pudding and a magnificent Knickerbocker trolley.

1 Dover Yard, W1J 8NE, visit dovetalelondon.com

Cut at 45 Park Lane, Mayfair

For a truly decadent Sunday roast, look no further than Cut at 45 Park Lane. Served in opulent surroundings, with draped metal chandeliers and leafy views towards Hyde Park, the hotel’s famous steak restaurant has recently launched its roast dinner menu, offering an elegant take on the traditional dish we all know and love. Helmed by Wolfgang Puck protégé, Elliott Grover, the menu boasts the best Yorkshire puddings in town thanks to one special ingredient: Wagyu dripping. However, start proceedings with a selection of starters including personal favourites of Dorset crab and lobster cocktail and USDA prime beef steak tartare, wagyu beef dripping with sourdough toast. 

Carnivores will delight in the grass-fed English beef sirloin, truffle roast potatoes (yes, flakes do actually sit atop your bowl of crispy roasties), aforementioned Wagyu dripping Yorkshire puddings, and all the trimmings. Think heritage baby carrots drizzled with Coworth Park honey, charred hispi cabbage, caramelised thyme-roasted shallots, Keen’s cheddar Cauliflower cheese, red wine beef gravy and horseradish sauce. We recommend you ask for the sommelier’s wine flight for the ultimate Sunday lunch experience. You won’t regret it. 

45 Park Lane, W1K 1PN, visit dorchestercollection.com

Bóha, Chelsea

Images: Lateef Photography

A fresh new offering in the heart of Chelsea, Bóha opened its doors on King's Road in early September. This cosy restaurant serves a selection of seasonal produce translated into a brilliant concoction of Irish and British-influenced recipes. The fusion menu is playful and hearty, starting with sharing plates of cherry-caramel burnt Cambridge cream served with foie gras and charcoaled milk bread before the main Bóha Feast. Expect a selection of cuts including herb-fed chicken, roast leg of lamb and roast beef, or push the boat out with the delectable Irish chocolate-fed Wagyu Tomahawk. End on a sweet note with an Irish take on affogato made with Five Farms Irish cream or gorge on some exquisite British and Irish cheeses. Trust us, you’ll definitely need a siesta after a Sunday lunch at Bóha. 

562 King's Road, SW6 2DZ, visit bohalondon.com

Straits Kitchen at Pan Pacific London, Liverpool Street

For a Sunday lunch with a twist, look no further than Singaporean restaurant Straits Kitchen. Located inside the five-star Pan Pacific London hotel, directly opposite Liverpool Street station, the kitchen is helmed by head chef Jun Yung Ng who will be serving a selection of Asian-inspired meats every Sunday. Pick from traditional favourites as well as crispy pork belly, roasted duck, Char Siu pork and Hainanese chicken. Trimmings come in the form of adventurous plates of barbecue sweetcorn with miso koji butter, south east Asian pickles, lotus root salad and oyster sauce choy sum. For those looking for something different that doesn't skimp on flavour, this is certainly the place to be.

80 Houndsditch, EC3A 7AB, visit panpacific.com

The Mitre, Holland Park

Situated on leafy Holland Park Avenue, The Mitre reopened earlier this month following a £750k refurbishment which has seen the gastropub transformed with chic timber furnishings, new artwork adorning the walls and a cosy fireplace making this the perfect place to while away a Sunday afternoon. Renowned for its speciality cuts, signature dishes, and fresh seafood, the kitchen remains helmed by head chef Pat Lynch who has also reinvented the restaurant's Sunday lunch offering.

Expect delectable starter portions of curried smoked haddock and coconut soup, citrus-cured salmon tartare, and grilled king scallops with Stornoway black pudding. The main, meatier event includes the staple roast chicken, Gilmour's roast beef, pork belly porchetta and the trio of meats for those ravenous carnivores, all served with seasonal vegetables, maple glazed carrots, roast potatoes and classic Yorkshire puddings. The vegetarian offering – roast pumpkin, mushroom and spinach roulade with shiitake soy gravy – is an innovative, welcome alternative to the usual suspects of nut roasts and Wellingtons too.

40 Holland Park Avenue, W11 3QY, visit themitrew11.co.uk

The Laundry, Brixton

Housed in a former Edwardian laundry on Coldharbour Lane, this all-day dining destination (with an Antipodean twist thanks to Kiwi owners Melanie Brown and Sami Harvey) serves some of the best roasts in the capital. The famed offering returns for 2024 with two new additions on the menu, including a free-range, slow-reared spatchcock chicken for two to share, served with honey-mustard bread sauce and Yorkshire puddings, and a new vegan leek and mushroom wellington with vegan gravy. All dishes will be served with a refreshed selection of trimmings: roast potatoes, seasonal squash, roast kumara (New Zealand sweet potato), with minted peas and gravy. 

The Laundry’s Sunday menu mainstays – rolled roast pork belly with apple sauce and 28-day aged Roast Hereford Sirloin with creamed horseradish and Yorkshire pudding – will also be available, alongside an array of add-ons, including honey-glazed carrots, charred broccoli with garlic and pickled chilli and cauliflower cheese with sage and truffle gratin. Delicious. 

374 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PL, visit thelaundrybrixton.com

Acme Fire Cult, Dalston

From chefs Andrew Clarke and Daniel Watkins, live fire restaurant Acme Fire Cult offers a roast cooked on the restaurant’s unique outdoor charcoal grill, designed to be shared feasting-style. Available from 12-3.30pm every Sunday, the menu offers vegetable-led small plates to start, including char siu beetroots with fennel pollen and mojo verde, coal roast leeks with pistachio romesco and cauliflower 'Aslam's Butter' style with guindilla and pink onions. To follow, enjoy a grilled and smoked meats platter inspired by Dalston’s Turkish ocakbasi restaurants. To share between two, a hearty selection features Vadouvan chicken thigh, Tamworth pork belly, Highland beef rump and smoked Cotechino sausage – all served alongside Acme’s ‘meat bread’ and pickles. 

For vegetarian guests, the menu offers a seasonal centrepiece dish, such as trombetta courgette, chickpea, vadouvan butter and curry leaf or smoked delica pumpkin with fig, chilli and hazelnut. Guests can either enjoy the roast inside the restaurant, or outdoors on its covered, heated terrace, alongside fresh beers from neighbouring 40FT Brewery.

Abbot Street, E8 3DP, visit acmefirecult.com

Tattu, Fitzrovia

Last month saw Chinese fine-dining restaurant Tattu launch its alternative Imperial Sunday Roast, inspired by the traditional Chinese Courtyard Houses to put a unique spin on the traditional dish. For mains, diners can choose from succulent aromatic roast duck, miso-glazed chicken, char siu Iberico pork or Tattu’s signature caramel soy beef fillet – all served with fluffy steamed buns, fresh and vibrant pak choi, crispy shallots and ginger, and salt and pepper roast potatoes prepared with garlic, chilli and five-spice. Finish with an Asian pear sticky toffee pudding infused with cinnamon and vanilla, or the cherry blossom dessert. Or if you’d prefer to make the most of Tattu’s extensive terrace, situated on Tottenham Court Road’s Outernet Building, former Lyaness bar manager, Will Meredith, is on hand to create the ultimate sundowner: the Oolong Old Fashioned. 

The Now Building Rooftop, Outernet, Denmark Street, WC2H 0LA, visit tattu.co.uk

The Audley Public House, Mayfair

Artfarm – the hospitality arm of gallerists Hauser and Wirth – carefully oversaw the restoration of this Mayfair landmark, which opened its doors last autumn. The two-century-old boozer is overseen by Chef Jamie Shears – and the Sunday roast does not disappoint. Expect a traditional roast beef or braised shoulder of Durslade farm lamb complete with Yorkshire pudding, seasonal vegetables and gravy, with all ingredients sourced from carefully selected farmers, growers and makers who provide the freshest, seasonal produce from around the UK.

Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find pub classics including fish finger sandwich, Durslade Farm shepherd’s pie and mushroom and beetroot sausages with mash and onion gravy. Wash it down with a glass of red or a local beer from Smallbrook’s Brewery – the oldest brewery in London – and soak up the convivial atmosphere, whilst admiring the kaleidoscopic mosaic ceiling by artist Phyllida Barlow.

41-43 Mount Street, W1K 2RX, visit theaudleypublichouse.com

The Parakeet, Kentish Town

The Parakeet, the critically acclaimed new pub in Kentish Town, has revealed its debut seasonal Sunday roast menu in time for autumn. The space, formerly occupied by The Oxford Tavern, adorns art by Ghanaian artist Theophilus Tetteh and is overseen by head chef Ben Allen and sous chef Ed Jennings (both ex-Brat), who are making full use of the kitchen’s custom flame grill and locally sourced ingredients. Start with a selection of signature small plates: house pickles, potato bread and smoked butter, and poached oyster with pickled alexander and apple. 

Roast dishes include a flame-grilled leg of lamb for four and roast chicken – which is pre-brined and roasted in hay to give it a rich smoky flavour – alongside salt-aged roast topside beef and lamb rump, both cooked over charcoal and wood, as well as a vegetarian option of celeriac Wellington. All are served with a generous portion of spring greens, roast potatoes with herbs and garlic, seasonal root veg, Yorkshire pudding, and carrot and swede puree. You can trust your Sunday lunch here is eco-conscious too, given The Parakeet works with regenerative, Cambridge-based fam Flourish, The Cornwell Project which raises female sheep in woodland to improve soil health and carbon emissions, and Farm Wilder, a social enterprise farm which uses cattle to improve biodiversity.

256 Kentish Town Road, NW5 2AA, visit theparakeetpub.com

The Lanesborough Grill, Belgravia

One of the newest additions to London's Sunday lunch scene, roasts at Shay Cooper's The Lanesborough Grill only launched last September – but if last year was anything to go by, prepare yourself for a true meat feast. Offered as a three-course set menu, start proceedings with a choice of Coronation crab salad with curry leaf sabayon or buttermilk fried quail before moving on to upscale options including beef Wellington, Rhug Estate lamb and Scottish halibut. And for dessert? The yoghurt and raspberry ice cream sandwich is a real stand out.

Hyde Park Corner, London SW1X 7TA, visit oetkercollection.com

The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea

King’s Road gastro-pub the Cadogan Arms has been catering to Chelsea’s discerning locals for over two centuries, and with executive chef Alex Harper (formerly of The Ledbury) at the helm, this beloved bolthole is only going from strength to strength – especially when it comes to its Sunday roast offering. Starters comprise contemporary pub food done well, from crispy Cornish lamb ribs and Jersey Rock oysters to buttermilk fried chicken and an Atlantic prawn cocktail. Roasts come served with butter-glazed vegetables, obligatory Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes, and include a Cumbrian native rump of beef, a shoulder of lamb for two to share and a Gardener’s pie with Montgomery cheddar and grain mustard mash, grilled Hispi cabbage and hazelnuts. Alternatively, to get the full Cadogan Arms experience, plump for the three-person sharing board of beef, lamb and chicken with all the trimmings.

298 King's Rd, London SW3 5UG, visit thecadoganarms.london

Roast, London Bridge

We would be remiss to exclude Thomas Cooney’s Roast from this list – not least because of its name. Set above Borough Market in the famous Floral Hall, this London Bridge institution is said to serve up the best roasts south of the river. Start off right with a plate of shallot-marinated Pacific Rock oysters, twice-baked cheese soufflé or the restaurant’s signature pork and black pudding Scotch egg. For the main event, choose from a selection of succulent roasts, including saddleback pork belly, Herdwick leg of lamb or the 100-day aged belted Galloway beef roast, while a vegan nut roast of cashew cream, beetroot and carrot salad, cranberry sauce and mushroom vegan gravy is available for our plant-based friends. And for dessert, save space for the sticky toffee pudding with golden mousse, caramel ice cream and Maldon salt.

The Floral Hall, Stoney Street, SE1 1TL, visit roast-restaurant.com

Townsend, Aldgate

Tucked away within the historic environs of Aldgate's Whitechapel gallery, Nick Gilkinson's modern British eatery has long been a favourite for creative but reliable fare that never fails to please. Come Sunday, it's the perfect option if you're dining with friends for whom the classic roast holds no appeal (yes, they do exist). Traditionalists can get their fix with the lamb rump with buttered carrots, roast potatoes and mint sauce or the half roast chicken for two – served with creamed spinach, roast potatoes, mustard mayonnaise and bitter leaves – while the menu also offers small plates of Chalk Stream trout with mussels, Red Leicester croquettes and Portland crab salad. You'll thank yourself for saving space for its caramelised custard with marsala prunes and thyme shortbread too.

77-82 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX, visit townsendrestaurant.co.uk

The Game Bird, St James's

For old-school opulence that is archetypally British, The Game Bird at The Stafford gets top marks. Under the leadership of Michelin-starred chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen, alongside executive chef Jozef Rogulski, the set Sunday lunch menu delivers on all fronts. Kick off with a light option of Coronation chicken or a seasonal cobb salad before tucking into a traditional roast beef with Yorkshires. If you aren’t in the mood for a classic roast, the crispy plaice makes a wonderful alternative, while a vegetarian option of a crispy egg cake with leeks, pickled violet artichokes and tarragon mayonnaise won’t leave anyone feeling like they’re missing out. To finish, what could be better than chocolate and caramel cheesecake, or the three-cheese board?

16-18 St James's Place, SW1A 1NJ, visit thestaffordlondon.com

Blacklock, across London

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better menu of affordable and delicious chops than at Blacklock – and its Sunday roast is comparable in value and equal in deliciousness. We recommend going all in with a mix of beef, lamb and pork roasted over oak and served alongside duck fat potatoes, bone-marrow gravy, a selection of seasonal vegetables, the compulsory pudding from Yorkshire and lashings of gravy. You’d be a fool to miss a side of cauliflower cheese. And to drink? Blacklock's Beefy Mary is your traditional tomato-based libation with a surprisingly delicious addition of beef jus and smoke.

Visit theblacklock.com

Hawksmoor, across London

Meat specialist Hawksmoor reinvented the steak game when it opened in Spitalfields in 2006 and, over the years, has done something similar for roasts. Aiming to replicate the authentic flavour of a spit-roasted joint of beef, the chefs start the rump on charcoal and finish it in the oven. The final product is slathered in bone marrow and onion gravy and served alongside some of London’s best trimmings. Beef dripping roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, carrots, greens, roasted shallots and garlic are all exceptional. Sorry chicken fans, this one's all about the beef.

Visit thehawksmoor.com

Cora Pearl, Covent Garden

This Covent Garden restaurant, a younger sibling to Kitty Fisher’s, has long been whispered about by those in the know for having London’s best chips. It is this way with potatoes that has also helped it earn pole position when it comes to the capital’s top roasts. Before you get to those crunchy, fluffy delights, however, there is a series of sublime starters to choose from – including devilled whitebait with dill mayonnaise and cod roe crumpets that are comfort on a plate. There are four roast options too, including stone bass in chorizo crumb, sirloin and horseradish, celeriac with romesco and chicken, each of which comes with carrots, Hispi cabbage, cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire puddings and, of course, those aforementioned potatoes.

30 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8N, visit corapearl.co.uk

The Marksman, Hackney

The accolades have been rolling in since St John alumni Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram opened The Marksman in 2015. Michelin named it British Pub of the Year in 2017 and its Sunday roast, in particular, is praised. Designed as a three-course set menu, ease yourself in with starters of guinea fowl terrine, smoked mackerel and wild garlic soup before going big on braised lamb shoulder and Norfolk chicken with bread sauce created for two to share. Tuck into smoked haddock and pollock fishcake and pressed celeriac pie and king oyster mushrooms with all the trimmings before finishing up with a hot chocolate pudding with toffee sauce. Challenge accepted.

254 Hackney Rd, London E2 7SB, visit marksmanpublichouse.com

The Bull and Last, Highgate

Back before London’s food scene kicked into overdrive, The Bull and Last in Highgate paved the way for gastropubs across the land with a generously portioned, painstakingly provenanced roast. Booked up months in advance, the restaurant had punters lining up for classically executed roast shorthorn sirloin with potatoes, greens and Yorkshire puddings. Having emerged after refurbishment last year, the menu is now even more extensive, with Sunday lunch options including roast corn-fed chicken, North Essex shorthorn prime rib, beer-battered haddock and aubergine parmigiana Wellington. Afterward, stagger upstairs to one of its elegantly decked-out rooms. Trust us, you’ll need a lie down after that lot.

168 Highgate Rd, NW5 1QS, visit thebullandlast.co.uk

The Princess of Shoreditch, Shoreditch

This award-winning pub on the border between Shoreditch and the City of London is a traditional boozer of the highest calibre. And no self-respecting pub is without a great Sunday roast. Happily, The Princess of Shoreditch got the memo and offers up what is possibly the largest choice of Sunday lunches on this list. Starters are of the traditional British variety (think cured sea bream and pressed beef with courgette salad) while everything from free-range chicken with sourdough sauce and Yorkshire Dales beef sirloin to walnut and apricot nut roast and plantation pork loin are on the menu for mains. Be sure to save room for dessert – the cherry and dark chocolate cremeux with cherry sorbet is the perfect finishing touch.

Visit theprincessofshoreditch.com

Boxcar Bar & Grill, Marylebone

A modern take on a rustic bistro, Boxcar Bar & Grill is an inviting escape in Marylebone. Neutral earthy tones infused with natural textures complement the menu brimming with local meats and fresh produce. To start, sample the pig’s head croquettes and the Orkney scallops served with black pudding before diving directly into the farm-to-table roast with grass fed beef served alongside a cheesy baby leek gratin, roasted carrots, charred hispi, golden roast potatoes, and a decadent red wine jus. The chicken option, with a sage and apricot stuffing, is slightly more festive. End with an indulgent vanilla panna cotta complete with fresh berries and an oat crumble. Don’t miss the expertly mixed cocktails – the Elderfire made with vanilla vodka, elderflower and chilli infused honey is a definite stand out. Chin chin!

23 New Quebec St, London W1H 7SD, visit boxcar.co.uk

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