Whether you’re after a traditional pub roast or a restaurant serving Sunday lunch in style, you’ve come to the right place.
Sunday lunch. There’s nothing quite like it. An elemental meal, one that Londoners take incredibly seriously. Debates about what constitutes the ‘perfect’ Sunday roast have been known to last for hours.
There is no shortage of top roasts in London. We’ve rounded up the city’s best Sunday meals from a host of pubs, restaurants and breweries all around town. What makes a good roast? For us, it’s simple; a welcoming room is a good start, maybe in a pub with an open fire. Then it comes to the plate – we need perfect roast potatoes, well-cooked lamb, beef or pork and a decent plant-based option too.
A Sunday roast is more than just lunch – it’s self-care. From snug neighbourhood staples to more bijou gastropubs, we’ve got something for every taste (if that taste is for comforting mounds of roast meat/plant based goodness, lashings of gravy and carbs for days).
A lot of these places get quite busy, so you’re always advised to book ahead to avoid disappointment.
1. The Duke of Cambridge
What is it? A revolutionary roast by London’s OG organic pub.
Why we love it: Don’t get all the fuss about organic grub? Islington’s The Duke of Cambridge will win you over in a single mouthful. Back in 1998 this backstreet boozer in Angel was certified Britain’s first organic pub by the Soil Association – and
all these decades later it’s thriving on the same ethically-sourced ingredients.
That foundation is just unbeatable: flavour gushes out of each dice of carrot, beet and swede; the red cabbage exquisitely
balances sweet and sour; gently crunching roasties tickle with light saltiness, rosemary and garlic; the towering Yorkshire pud is deftly neither too thick nor thin, crispy or soggy.
Making the most of the extreme quality of ingredients, the centrepiece – chicken or lamb from north Wales’ Rhug Estate, roast squash or Cornish day boat fish – swaggers in its simplicity, and it’s all so meticulously complimentary. On top of all that, the
Duke is an extraordinarily lovely place to see out a Sunday; all gorgeous green tiles, rustic wooden décor and, with its huge street windows and skylights, basked in natural light.
Time Out tip: Don’t just settle for just the roasts – the starters and sweet treats are just as flavourful. My pick are two olive oil-tastic dishes: the freshly baked sourdough with olive jam to start and the gloriously gloopy, olive oil drenched Montezuma Cremieux to finish.
Address: 30 St Peter’s Street, Islington, N1 8JT.
Roasts available: Sundays 12-5pm.
Expect to pay: Roasts £24-30.
2. Old Nun’s Head
What is it? Fit Roasts by name, fit roasts by nature, with impressive veggie and vegan options in one of our favourite London pubs.
Why we love it: Taking residence at surely the only 1930s boozer to also feature a Britney Spears shrine behind the bar, Nunhead’s Old Nun’s Head is a treat for both drinkers and diners. Sup on an excellent selection of craft ales and, on Sundays, indulge in their impressively varied roast selection, brought to you by the saucily-titled Fit Roasts.
For the meaties, there’s a quartet of options including rolled lamb shoulder, rolled pork belly, quarter chicken and topside of beef, while their plant-based options feature veggie and vegan haggis. All come with a full cast of roast potatoes, maple carrots, parsnip puree, cauliflower cheese, greens, yorkshires (including vegan versions) and gravy. Feed us baby, one more time.
Time Out tip: If you can’t make it on a Sunday, The Old Nun’s Head is also home to one of the best pizzas in London; Dough Hands are in residence from Tuesday to Saturday.
Address: 15 Nunhead Green, Nunhead, SE15 3QQ.
Roasts available: Sunday 12-6pm or until they sell out.
Expect to pay: From £16 per person.
3. The Angel
What is it? A sturdy Sunday offering in a revamped pub with big bistro energy.
Why we love it: This charming Highgate Village gastropub is now run by the same team as the nearby Red Lion & Sun. Roasts are hefty; our slow roasted belly of pork was a whopper, with a vast crust of golden crackling, a hilariously large yorkshire pudding, spuds, carrots and a deeply meaty gravy.
Vegetarians are well catered for – the beetroot and mushroom wellington was a beast of dish, complete with all the trimmings and a veggie gravy to boot. Airy and bright, the space feels more like a Parisian brasserie than a north London boozer.
Time Out tip: Not many gastropubs have a frozen margarita machine. Make use of the one at The Angel and order a fro-marg
as the perfect pudding replacement.
Address: 37 Highgate High Street, Highgate, N6 5JT.
Opening hours: Sundays 12-5pm.
Expect to pay: Roasts £24-25.
4. The Macbeth
What is it? A rowdy Portuguese luncheon in a revamped Hoxton boozer.
Why we love it: This former indie sleaze hangout now serves excellent Portuguese cuisine and as of February 2026 has added a Sunday menu to its repertoire. Trad diners can go for roast beef with all the trimmings, but the roast chicken with a heap of flavourful rice and house-made piri-piri sauce is the must-order, coming on like the most elite Nando’s you’ve ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Perfectly smooshy spuds are slotted onto the plate, for extra carb-on-carb realness, and it comes with a heroically dressed and super-fresh feeling salad as well.
Alas, when we went they had just run out of a sensational looking side of cheesy leeks, but order their seasonal vegetable gratin if you can. There are also sharing fish pies and starters of salami, as well as majestic little bifanas.
Time Out tip: Our rhubarb and banana pudding was a creamy and layered tiramisu-adjacent revelation. If it’s on the menu, order it.
Address: 70 Hoxton Street, N1 6LP.
Opening times: Sunday lunch served 1-5pm.
Expect to pay: Half roast chicken £27, roast beef £28.
5. The Mall Tavern
What is it? An unfussy gem of a roast, in a buzzy boozer that makes Sunday afternoon feel like Friday night.
Why we love it: What makes a roast go from meh to marvellous? If you’re anything like us the list is simple: excellent core cookery (of course), plenty of veg, generous gravy pouring, and the sort of general ambience that makes you want to order one more bottle of wine. Rejoice then, because Notting Hill’s The Mall Tavern has all this in buckets. Its Sunday menu is fairly traditional, with chicken, beef (with the option to add bone marrow), pork belly and nut wellington all accompanied by yorkies, roasties, carrots and greens. But then we arrive at the English language’s greatest two-word combination: ‘endless gravy’.
Finish it all off with desserts including a vegan brownie or ‘tiramisu from the tray’. Their summer roast menu includes the
slightly lighter option of a whole lobster, and seafood platters as well as Aperol slushies.
Time Out tip: The Mall Tavern’s roast menu comes with suggested beer pairings to make your decision-making easier – a pale ale for beef or a Belgian ale for the wellington.
Address: 71 Palace Gardens Terrace, Notting Hill, W8 4DY.
Roasts available: Sundays 12-10.30pm.
Expect to pay: Roasts are £22-26.50 per person.
6. The Rake at Compton Arms
What is it? A lovingly curated, herocially sized historical meatfeast.
Why we love it: Currently in residence at Highbury gastropub The Compton Arms, Rake like to serve up a touch of British culinary history with their meals. You’ll not find hot honey-battered carrots here, but rather sides of old school clapshot (the trad Scottish dish of mashed swede, turnips and spuds), hefty bowls of medieval-looking spring greens and brimming bowls of cauliflower cheese. Roast pork belly, roast chicken, marinated beef rump, lamb leg or mushroom and veg turnover are your options for mains, and all are cooked impeccably.
Time Out tip: Order the house bread with whipped rosemary butter and braised cuttlefish with smoked sausage (a kind of cockney gumbo) if you want to go full King Henry VIII.
Time Out tip: Order the house bread with whipped rosemary butter and braised cuttlefish with smoked sausage (a kind of
cockney gumbo) if you want to go full King Henry VIII.
Address: The Compton Arms, 4 Compton Avenue, Islington, N1 2XD
Roast times: Every Sunday, 12.30-4.30pm.
Expect to pay: All roasts £25.
7. The Prince Arthur
What is it? Voguish kitchen talent dealing in upmarket roasts with a difference.
Why we love it: This classy London Fields boozer offers a sublime Sunday lunch, that isn’t like other roasts. Not only are the vibes immaculate (candlelit tables, friendly dogs roaming about, and a some harmless, tipsy hipsters), but where else can you score a couple of confit duck legs, Toulouse sausage, or a fallow venison and bone marrow pie alongside your standard spuds, carrots and greens?
Everything comes with lemon butter cabbage, glazed parsnip, heritage carrot, crispy potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and gravy, with head chef Will Samuel making meaty magic in the kitchen. (And do order the creamy bavette tarate on chicken butter toast as a starter if you have a competitive appetite).
Time Out tip: Can’t make it on a Sunday? The Prince Arthur has consistently ranked on the podium of Time Out’s best London gastropubs so any visit here is a winner.
Address: 95 Forest Road, London Fields, E8 3BH.
Roasts available: Sundays from 12.30pm; last booking at 6.30pm
Expect to pay: Roasts are £22-39 per person.
8. Quality Chop House
What is it? A three-course feast in an iconic Victorian dining room.
Why we love it: This one means business. The cherry on top of the Quality Chop House’s magnificent meaty menu, their Sunday roast is one to truly dedicate a whole afternoon to. In the starter corner, you’ve got an elevated selection that immediately sets them apart from your average pub fare, from a red mullet soup to Norfolk asparagus, hollandaise and potato.
Mains include Aberdeen Angus rump and brisket, but also a turbot option; served with roasties, leafy escarole, mustardy
turnips and more. You’d be remiss not to pop on a side of their legendary confit potatoes for good measure. Finish up with a Kentish strawberry trifle or a decadent 72% chocolate mousse and revel in a Sunday well done.
Time Out tip: One of London’s most atmospheric dining rooms, you’ll want to stay for as long as possible. Pre-roast snacks such as smoked cod’s roe and sweetbreads will help.
Address: 92-94 Farringdon Rd, Clerkenwell, EC1R 3EA.
Roasts available: Sundays 12-3.30pm.
Expect to pay: £59 for three courses. Snacks start from £6.
9. Camberwell Arms
What is it? Sharing roasts in a south London gastropub from the gods.
Why we love it: A supercharged roast that knows how to kick off a party (i.e. with scotch bonnet pork fat on toast), the Camberwell Arms’ entire Sunday lunch menu is designed with similarly outrageous feasting in mind. Most of their mains are sharers for two, with slow cooked lamb, roast chicken, and sandy and black pork served alongside variations of roast potatoes and cabbage (hispi, cavolo nero and savoy), while their current veggie option is a courgette, moghrabieh and lemon aioli affair. The south London institution’s menu changes often, but there are always eclectic starters, with ice creams, sorbets and cheeses on hand to finish.
Time Out tip: Take a snap on rooftop bar Frank’s Cafe’s iconic pink staircase during the summer season. You’ll find it a short hop away in Peckham.
Address: 65 Camberwell Church Street, Camberwell, SE5 8TR.
Roasts available: Sundays 1-5pm.
Expect to pay: Sharing roasts start at £50 for two.
10. Buster Mantis
What is it? A ravishing Jamaican-inspired roast in Deptford.
Why we love it: According to Buster Mantis – a sleek eatery in a railway arch – they serve ‘neither a traditional Jamaican Sunday lunch, nor a British one, but borrow some bits that [they] like from both’. It works. Starters include oxtail croquettes, saltfish fritters and pepper shrimp, while the fusion extends to their main event. Pork, chicken and lamb options come with roast potatoes, rice and peas, veg and a yorkshire pud, while their veggie option is a pumpkin-stuffed cho cho with callaloo. A trio of punches – Guinness, rum and tropical – ensure the drinks also follow the Caribbean flavour trail, while sides of mac and cheese and plantain are a must.
Time Out tip: Back in 2022, Deptford High Street was crowned Time Out’s coolest London street. A few years later and there’s still oodles there to help you fill a whole day of pleasant mooching.
Address: 3-4 Resolution Way, Deptford, SE8 4NT.
Roasts available: Sundays 1.30-6pm.
Expect to pay: Roasts start at £20.50 per person, with sides up to £6.
(Article source: Time Out)
