The Sunday roast is Britain’s most beloved meal, and London’s pubs and restaurants take it seriously. Drawing on diner reviews and critic picks, here are seven roasts worth planning your weekend around.
1. The Spaniards Inn, Hampstead
Best for: the classic historic pub roast
One of London’s oldest pubs, dating to 1585, serving generous traditional roasts in a gorgeous setting on the edge of Hampstead Heath. The kind of place Sunday afternoons were invented for.
2. Blacklock
Best for: value without compromise
Blacklock’s roast platters, the famous All In with beef, lamb and pork, have won a devoted following. Great meat, crisp roasties and bottomless gravy at prices that embarrass the competition.
3. Hawksmoor
Best for: a steakhouse-grade roast
Hawksmoor brings its steakhouse rigour to Sunday lunch: superb beef, bone-marrow gravy and all the trimmings, in grand dining rooms across the city.
4. The Harwood Arms, Fulham
Best for: the foodie pick
London’s only Michelin-starred pub takes the roast seriously, with top-quality meat and seasonal sides. A pilgrimage for roast devotees.
5. Simpson’s in the Strand
Best for: old-school ceremony
Roasts carved at the table from silver-domed trolleys in a grand 19th-century dining room. As traditional as it gets, and a memorable occasion.
6. The Guinea Grill, Mayfair
Best for: a Mayfair institution
A proper old-school grill room serving excellent roasts in the heart of Mayfair. Unpretentious, generous and consistently well reviewed.
7. The Marksman, Hackney
Best for: the modern East End roast
A Michelin-starred pub in Hackney doing a refined but hearty Sunday roast, proof that the tradition thrives beyond the West End.
Sunday roast booking tips
The best roasts sell out, so book days ahead, especially for larger tables. Most pubs serve roasts from noon to around 4pm or until they run out. Ask about vegetarian and vegan options when booking, as the best kitchens now cater brilliantly for both.
