Best Sunday Roast in London

London’s Most Argued-Over Tradition

Few British traditions are argued over as fiercely as the Sunday roast, and London takes the argument more seriously than most cities take their national dish. From centuries-old gastropubs to the carveries of five-star hotels, the city’s roast scene spans a genuinely wide range of price and formality — which is exactly why “best” depends on what the afternoon actually calls for.

What Counts as a Proper London Roast

A traditional Sunday roast means a joint of meat — beef, lamb, pork or chicken — served with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, seasonal vegetables and gravy, almost always with a jug left on the table for topping up. London’s version splits broadly into two camps: the gastropub roast, built around a single well-sourced joint carved to order in the kitchen, and the hotel carvery, which trades that intimacy for scale and near-limitless seconds. Both are legitimate choices; they simply suit different occasions. A pub roast in Fitzrovia or Clapham works for a lazy afternoon with friends; a carvery at a five-star hotel in Mayfair or Knightsbridge works better when a family gathering or a client lunch needs to feel like an occasion rather than a pub outing.

Where to Start

The shortlist looks different depending on which of the two camps the afternoon calls for.

The pub and chophouse end

• The Harwood Arms, Fulham — London’s only Michelin-starred pub, built around British game and wild food. Sunday brings 45-day Shorthorn beef and braised shoulder of roe deer, and tables go weeks ahead
• Blacklock — beef, lamb or pork, or the “All In” with everything on it for the table. The meat comes from Cornwall’s longest-running family of farmers and butchers
• The Camberwell Arms — a neighbourhood restaurant inside a nineteenth-century pub, run by the team behind Frank’s Café and known for portions nobody leaves hungry from
• Hawksmoor Air Street — the central option, a minute from Piccadilly Circus, whose Sunday lunch has twice been voted the best in the UK

The hotel end

• Claridge’s, Mayfair — roasted rib of beef, Norfolk black leg chicken or grilled halibut, with crisp roast potatoes, glazed carrots and cauliflower gratin brought to the table. The version of the afternoon that feels like an occasion

Which camp suits depends less on budget than on the company. A pub roast absorbs a long, loud afternoon; a hotel dining room is the safer bet when the lunch has to go smoothly.

When to Book

London’s roast culture peaks exactly when demand does — the run-up to Christmas, Mother’s Day, and any Sunday with good weather forecast. The best-regarded pubs and hotel carveries are frequently booked out a week or more ahead for the prime 1–2:30pm slot, and a last-minute walk-in is increasingly a lottery rather than a reliable backup plan. If a specific date matters — a birthday, a visiting relative, a lunch that needs to go smoothly without a fuss — booking ahead at the venues actually worth going to isn’t optional.

How We Help

• Securing tables at fully booked gastropubs and hotel carveries on short notice
• Arranging private dining rooms for larger family or client groups
• Booking ahead of peak dates — Christmas, Mother’s Day, bank holiday weekends
• Recommending the right style of roast for the occasion, from gastropub to five-star carvery
• Coordinating transport so the afternoon doesn’t end with a scramble for a cab

More Dining Guides in London

Looking for something else this weekend? See our guides to private dining rooms, afternoon tea for two, and London’s best steakhouses.