There are a few things all foodies must do while visiting London, and one is going out for a traditional Sunday roast. Much like afternoon tea, the Sunday roast is a British institution dating back to Tudor times and is made up of a well-portioned serving of roasted meat and all the traditional trimmings (including fabulously fluffy Yorkshire puddings). These are some of the best restaurants for Sunday roasts in London.
The Harwood Arms
Of course London’s only Michelin-starred pub is going to have a knock-out Sunday Roast, and The Harwood Arms in Fulham does not disappoint and might just be the best Sunday roast in London. A favorite with locals and Londoners across the capital, British ingredients and seasonal game are the stars of the show here (see: the famous venison scotch egg); and the Sunday roast follows suit with sirloin of grass-fed Belted Galloway cattle; Cumbrian pork; slow-cooked Sika deer shoulder wrapped in honeyed bacon; or mustard-glaze Cornish monkfish. All of the Sunday roasts are designed for two and served on a chopping board, overflowing with fluffy roasted potatoes, carrots drizzled in honey mustard, and Yorkshire puddings filled with a scoopful of umami-rich stew. Top marks for creativity and deliciousness and the charming, casual setting.
The Game Bird
While The Harwood Arms has a laid-back, neighborhood vibe, The Game Bird at St James’s esteemed Stafford Hotel shines as the top spot for a sophisticated, high-end Sunday roast designed to impress—and it certainly does. The art-filled, velvet-trimmed setting is luxury personified and the Sunday roast presents a very elegant, utterly immaculate twist on the traditional lunch, served tableside via a silver carving trolley. While the aged, roasted meat is nothing short of spectacular, the side dishes do some heavy lifting too (a must: the cabbage with black garlic). Service is nothing short of five star, and there’s a fantastic team of sommeliers with creative suggestions. After a long, lavish Sunday lunch, head to the courtyard for a tipple at the hotel’s historical American Bar.
Sam’s Riverside
With a prime location right in front of the Thames in Hammersmith, Sam’s Riverside is a lovely, informal spot for a modern British Sunday roast, which also delivers good value. There’s a bright, lively vibe at this always-busy light and airy hotspot, and the food never disappoints. The roast (with meat supplied by famed butchers HG Walters) is traditional, hearty and hits all the right notes—thanks in part to a rich, silky gravy and buttery vegetables, while the sustainable seafood, oysters and shellfish starters (supplied by Wright Brothers) adds freshness, as do playful nibbles like the parmesan churros. A wine of the month gives you a reason to keep returning to see what’s new.
CUT at 45 Park Lane
Often classed as one of London’s best steakhouses, the American-styled, high-end CUT has a spectacular Sunday roast of USDA prime beef sirloin, truffle potatoes and Wagyu-dripping Yorkshire puddings. The trimmings include roasted carrots glazed with honey from sister property Coworth Park (also part of the Dorchester Collection); roasted shallots; cauliflower cheese made with Somerset cheddar; and red wine beef gravy. Guests also get treated to a welcome glass of English sparkling wine from Rathfinny estate in Sussex.
The Lanesborough Grill
Located in the heart of Knightsbridge right at the foot of the leafy Hyde Park, The Lanesborough is an old-world London hotel with plenty of Regency style, and nowhere is this better showcased than in the new flagship restaurant The Lanesborough Grill. The powder-blue room is the perfect spot for a very refined meal where British provenance reigns supreme. On Sundays, there are plenty of classic British dishes available including a smashing beef wellington, Dover sole and Sutton Hoo chicken, but traditionalist will delight in the roast sirloin of Hereford beef served with horseradish and apple cream.
The Twenty Two
The Twenty Two—a chic new Mayfair hotel, restaurant and private members’ club housed in a restyled Edwardian mansion—has quickly garnered a reputation for it’s solid culinary offering. For Sunday roasts, guests have a pick of Cornish Red Chicken; Mount Grace farm lamb; or sirloin of Aberdeen Angus beef—all served with the standard sides. Don’t shy away from the signature house Bloody Marys.
Wiltons
A 280-year-old institution in St James’s, Wiltons has earned an honorable mention, even though it’s closed on Sundays. However, Wiltons does have a famous carving trolley, which serves different roasts every day at lunchtime. With roast leg of Dorset lamb with potatoes and mint sauce on Monday; rack of Blythburgh pork on Tuesday; and (a very traditional) sirloin with roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding on Wednesday, Wiltons is a time-honored culinary classic.