Sunday roasts – they’re an iconic part of British culture. Popularised by King Henry VII in the 15th century, they’re now found across London’s incredible gastropubs and restaurants, featuring everything from chicken, lamb, pork and beef to scrumptious vegetarian and vegan alternatives. If you can’t figure out where to grab your Sunday lunch, don’t fret – as it turns out, we’re experts on the matter. To get your fill of gloriously crispy roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables and rich gravy, here's our tried and tested guide to the top roasts in London, taking you to Richmond, Clapham and beyond.

Top Pubs For A Sunday Roast

The Jugged Hare

Finsbury Park: 49 Chiswell St, London EC1Y 4SB

From the award-winning menus to the taxidermy-filled interiors, The Jugged Hare is a trendy Barbican-based gastropub that's just a little obsessed with game. The chefs celebrate seasonal British produce, pairing their fine cuts of meat with foraged ingredients. And if you manage to bag a table on a Sunday (lucky you), you'll get to choose between beef, pork belly, leg of lamb or rotisserie chicken (£32 each for their London Sunday roasts), all served with duck fat roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and vegetables.

Get ready for Yorkshire puddings as big as your head.

The Camberwell Arms

Camberwell: 65 Camberwell Church St, London SE5 8TR

If you're from south of the river, you'll of course heard of The Camberwell Arms. The independent, award-winning pub, run by the same team behind Peckham's beloved Frank's Cafe, whips up a thoughtful, seasonally focused Sunday menu. As it features six different roasts, hungry lunchers will be spoilt for choice, but most are made for sharing, so you'll hopefully avoid that dreaded food FOMO. Our standout dish? The slow-roasted lamb shoulder, elevated with creamed cavalo nero, mint and pine nut sauce, plus a hefty serving of roast potatoes.

This one's for all of you South Londoners out there.

The Spaniards Inn

Hampstead: Spaniards Rd, London NW3 7JJ

Housed within a Grade II-listed building dating all the way back to 1585 (with ties to Keats and Dickens, we'll have you know), The Spaniards Inn is an iconic boozer if we ever saw one. As you'd expect from such a historic space, it showcases period interiors with a contemporary touch, from the wood-panelled walls and low beams to the tall windows that overlook the foliage-filled beer garden. So, after a ramble across Hampstead Heath (just a five-minute walk away), grab a table by the open fire to dive head first into slow-cooked pork belly with red wine jus or a root vegetable nut roast, paired with thyme-roasted potatoes, buttered savoy cabbage and so much more.

Feast on gorgeous roasts while in gorgeous surrounds at this Hampstead favourite.

The Cleveland Arms

Paddington: 28 Chilworth St, London W2 6DT

You'll be hard-pressed to find a more charming pub than The Cleveland Arms, located just off the beaten track in Paddington. Kick-start with a tipple in the bar, a sultry, dark blue nook made up of traditional furnishings and luxurious draped curtains, before heading to the dining room. Here, you'll find burnt-orange textured walls and atmospheric antique light fixtures, not to mention choices like Suffolk chicken, beef topside, cauliflower and pork belly. And if the sides of potatoes, cabbage and Yorkshire puddings don't fill you up, the coconut panna cotta with caramelised pineapple certainly will.

Head to Paddington for charming interiors and superior Sunday lunches.

Holly Bush

Hampstead: 22 Holly Mount, London NW3 6SG

A quaint, neighbourhood drinking den nestled in leafy Hampstead, Holly Bush is the dictionary definition of a traditional pub. Leather booths line the retro artwork-covered walls, while a roaring fireplace and flickering candles create a warm, intimate atmosphere. Adding to the quintessentially British experience is what many locals deem the best Sunday roast London has to offer; South Coast loin of pork, sirloin of beef and a veg-packed Wellington all reign supreme on the menu, made all the merrier by beef dripping roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, vegetables and glorious, glorious gravy.

You can't go wrong with a trip to this trad pub.

The Drapers Arms

Islington: 44 Barnsbury St, London N1 1ER

Bringing a mix of long-standing locals and foodie fiends together with one thing in mind (a hearty roast, of course), The Drapers Arms in Islington provides the ultimate Sunday sanctuary. The friendly, neighbourhood pub and restaurant features black and white chequered floors, dainty wooden tables and golden accents in the way of chandeliers and ornate mirrors. Plus, there's plenty to please all palates from the ever-changing menu, including one of the best roast dinners London has to its name: forerib of beef accompanied by Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy for £80 – perfect shared between two or three hungry friends.

It's sure to be all gravy, baby at The Drapers Arms.

Marksman

Hackney: 254 Hackney Rd, London E2 7SB

As the first-ever London boozer to win the Michelin Pub of the Year award, it's no surprise that Marksman is one of the best places for a Sunday roast London has to offer. Famished foodies flock here to mark the end of the week with beautifully executed British bites, including Hereford rump, whole chicken to share and wing rib accompanied by all the trimmings your heart desires. So, head down after a ramble around the neighbouring Haggerston Park and get cosy among the wood-panelled walls and teal leather booths, or for something a little more intimate? Grab a spot in the elegant first-floor dining room.

Make sure to book ahead for this Michelin-starred spot.

Canton Arms

Stockwell: 177 S Lambeth Rd, London SW8 1XP

Canton Arms is a popular gastropub that can be found nestled between Stockwell and Vauxhall. Sporting rich, ox-blood walls and rustic furnishings such as a wood-panelled bar and walls lined with jars of chutney, it provides the perfect, cosy and quintessentially British backdrop to a Sunday lunch. The menu packs seasonal flavours and high-quality ingredients, with the likes of rare roast Dexter beef served alongside roast potatoes and green beans, or slow-cooked rabbit leg up for devouring. And if you're thirsty? Look forward to bloody marys, Canton Damson gin negronis or blood orange rosé.

Submerge in the cosy atmosphere of cool gastropub Canton Arms.

The Cow

Notting Hill: 89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 5QH

Located in Notting Hill, The Cow is a pub that's popular with celebrities and locals alike, thanks to its famous Guinness offering and fabulous roasts. Make your way through the downstairs Irish tavern and head up to the saloon bar by Tom Conran, where you'll be able to enjoy some hearty fare. The dining room is equipped with crisp white tablecloths and cream walls, making it a sophisticated spot to inhale the iconic London pub roast. Though there's only one option, forerib of beef, it's cooked to utter perfection, elevated with roast potatoes, carrots, horseradish cream and a hefty Yorkshire pudding.

We highly recommend grabbing a pint of Guinness while you're here.

Smokehouse

Islington: 63-69 Canonbury Rd, London N1 2DG

A gorgeous gastropub slinging out sensational Sunday meals, Smokehouse in Islington is the Sunday lunch venue after your afternoon stroll. It sports pretty, minimal interiors with rustic wooden tables and low-hanging lampshades. The team works with nearby boozer The Pig and Butcher for its incredible meat supply, whipping up some of the best smoked and grilled food in the city, which makes its way onto the roast menu. Look forward to smoked Tamworth porchetta, braised Hereford lamb shoulder and more.

If juicy, high-quality meats are your thing, don't sleep on Smokehouse.

Luxury Sunday Roast Experiences

The Audley Public House

Mayfair: 41-43 Mount St, London W1K 2RX

The Audley is as traditional as they come (bar the vibrant ceiling created by Phyllida Barlow), but just upstairs, you'll find something very slick indeed – the pub's stylish Mount St. Restaurant, designed by Studio Laplace. Here, an extraordinary collection of artworks, from the mosaic floor to the food-focussed sketches, mingle with tasteful red and maroon seating, creating a seriously sought-after spot for a Sunday meal. Rev up the stomach engines with caviar and blinis (when in Mayfair, eh?) before digging into the beef roast; beautifully pink slices come on a bed of seasonal vegetables, made all the better by fluffy Yorkshire puddings, a lovingly made gravy and those all-important roasted potatoes.

Add a little luxury to your Sunday at Mayfair's famed The Audley.

Blacklock

Soho, Shoreditch, the City and Covent Garden.

There's just something special about Blacklock. Not only do they use the whole animal, sourcing their meat from Cornwall's longest-running family of butchers and farmers (and boasting B Corp status), but the chefs? They really know what they're doing, especially on Sundays, when they roast these beaut cuts over open coals. Choose between 55 dry-aged beef rump, pork loin, lamb leg or a celeriac roast, plated up with all the trimmings, and let the flavours do the talking.

Blacklock's Sunday meals promise to be spud-taculour.

Cora Pearl

Covent Garden: 30 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8NA

From the same team that brought us Kitty Fisher's, Michelin-recommended Cora Pearl (named after another infamous courtesan from the 19th century) champions British comfort food and is one of the best pubs in London for Sunday roasts. Sultry and sophisticated, nestled within a Covent Garden townhouse, it boasts rich, forest-green banquettes and low lighting; a slick boudoir-style space we're sure Cora Pearl herself would have been proud of. The Sunday menu? Similarly elevated, with options such as roasted stone bass, sirloin, chicken and celeriac. There's also a bountiful selection of sides on the cards, from crispy potatoes and spring greens to some of the biggest Yorkshire puddings you ever did see.

The perfect Sunday roast? Cora Pearl is a hot contender.

The Harwood Arms

Fulham: Walham Grove, London SW6 1QJ

Upscale, contemporary British fare is the name of the game over at The Harwood Arms, which has earned them the status of the only Michelin-starred pub in the city. Head chef Josh Cutress and director Brett Graham (also the chef-owner of The Ledbury) have created a menu that celebrates the very best of local produce, placing a focus on wild ingredients and game. Perhaps London's best Sunday roast, the three-course set menu comes in at £70 – but let us tell you, it's entirely worth it. Think slow-cooked deer shoulder wrapped in bacon, plus loin and jowl of Cumbrian pork, to enjoy in the Scandi-chic dining room illuminated by atmospheric candlelight.

The Harwood Arms' Sunday lunch game is on point.

Jones & Sons

Dalston: Stamford Works, 3 Gillett St, London N16 8JH

Let's be honest – any restaurant in this neighbourhood is a trendy one, but Dalston's Jones & Sons is a cut above the rest (and was even featured in the film Boiling Point for all you movie buffs). Finding its home in a converted Victorian textile factory, the venue is as chic as can be, with exposed industrial pipe ceilings, simple white-painted brick walls and mid-century seating. From 12pm 'til 7.15pm on Sundays, the centrepiece open-plan kitchen slings out superior roasts, such as a whole chicken to share, Welsh lamb rump, plus a beetroot, smoked tofu and mushroom Wellington. For dessert? It has to be the date pudding with butterscotch and clotted ice cream for us.

Trendy and cosy, what more could you want?

Rotunda

Kings Cross: 90 York Way, London N1 9AG

Rotunda is making sure you end the week with an oh-so-delicious bang. The swish Kings Cross hotspot proudly totes a sun-soaked waterside terrace, featuring verdant astroturf and views of the boats tootling down the canal. Or if you fancy keeping cosy indoors? You'll be met with velvet and leather seating, as well as a lively open kitchen and a dry-ageing fridge where you can see the day's meaty delights on display. Speaking of, did you know that all Rotunda's lamb and beef roasts are sourced from their own Corneyside Farm, before being hung and butchered in-house? Pair that with crispy potatoes, cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire puddings, vegetables and gravy, and you're in store for one helluva Sunday.

Enjoy a roast dinner with views of the canal.

Aviary

Finsbury Park: Royal London House, 22-25 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1DX

Found on the 10th floor of The Montcalm Hotel, Aviary is (quite literally) elevating your Sundays. Make your way to the rooftop restaurant to enjoy unparalleled views of the City of London, either from the slick dining room, which features textured seating and golden accents, or the terrace, where Instagrammable private pods await. As you soak up the sophisticated ambience, fill your boots with bites like Somerset free-range chicken, native pork belly, Dorset rare breed ribeye or a wild mushroom and chestnut Wellington. While you're at it? Take advantage of the bottomless wine, cocktails or beer for just £35 more.

Aviary is perfect for those who fancy rooftop views with their meal.

Hawksmoor

Wood Wharf, Covent Garden, Borough, Air Street, Spitalfields, Guildhall and Knightsbridge.

Hawksmoor's Sunday roasts are practically the stuff of legend, and it's not hard to see why. One of the most famous steak restaurants across the nation, with a number of accolades under its belt, it knows what it's doing when it comes to prime cuts of meat, working with small British farms that use traditional methods to rear their cattle. Available from 12pm to 4pm on Sundays, the native beef rump (£27) is a tour de force, slowly spit-roasted over coals before being finished in the oven. On the side? Beef dripping roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, vegetables and a surplus of bone marrow gravy.

Sunday roasts at Hawksmoor are certainly one for the bucket list. 

65a

Spitalfields: 65a Brushfield St, London E1 6AA

A pretty French-inspired brasserie, 65a can be found near Liverpool Street welcoming hungry diners to treat their tastebuds to tempting bistro fare. Offering both a sun-soaked terrace and a dainty dining room complete with large windows and navy blue leather booths, it promises elegant surrounds where you can relax with friends or family. Executive chef Maura Baxter runs the kitchen and is behind its perfect Sunday roast: think rib beef, chicken or a chateaubriand for two. 

This Sunday lunch venue is ideal for slow weekends.

temper

Soho, City, Shoreditch, Paddington and Covent Garden.

temper is a whole animal smokehouse where English, in-house-butchered meats cooked over live fire are the star of the show. When it comes to their Sunday offering, they rustle up options like smoked pork belly and baby chicken, but if you want to really go in? We recommend the family-style roast – the Three Beast Feast for £35pp – a droolworthy trio of aged roast beef, roasted pork and smoked lamb shoulder. There are plenty of sides to choose from too, including four cheese cauliflower, beef-fat roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and vegetables.

Believe us when we say the beef-fat roast potatoes are heavenly.

Roast

Borough: The Floral Hall, Stoney St, London SE1 1TL

Perched on top of the iconic Borough Market, Roast is an elegant dining destination that's proving British fare is more than just baked beans on toast. They work only with local suppliers, including some of those from the market below, to create stunning plates of food. On Sundays, this comes in the form of 100-day-aged beef, Herdwick lamb, Saddleback pork belly, Cumbrian chicken and an indulgent nut roast. Plus, sides include the likes of braised beef croquettes and pigs in blankets, not to mention gorgeous roasted potatoes, humungous Yorkshire puddings and a colourful array of greens.

Hit up this Borough hotspot for a fabulous feast.

The Twenty Two

Mayfair: 22 Grosvenor Sq, London W1K 6LF

Affordable Options

The Cat And Mutton

Broadway Market: 76 Broadway Market, London E8 4RA

The best roast in East London? The Cat and Mutton is undoubtedly a front runner. Just a short walk from London Fields, this legendary pub (which has been going since 1729, if you can believe it) is nursing those hangovers with its Sunday Recovery Sessions. While surrounded by traditional leather seating, vintage artwork, mismatched light fixtures and taxidermy mounts making eye contact with you across the bar, delve into pork, chicken, sirloin of beef or a mushroom and cashew Wellington. But it doesn't stop there, oh no; while you chow down, you can enjoy the smooth sounds of funk, disco and soul spun by a live DJ, as well as a potent bloody mary or two.

Nurse that Sunday hangover with a trip to The Cat and Mutton.

The Heathcote And Star

Leyton: 344 Grove Green Rd, London E11 4EA

A far cry from your traditional pub, The Heathcote and Star is a Leyton favourite fronting bright teal walls, velvet banquettes, vibrant artwork and neon signs. And though kitchen residents Krapow! are renowned for their tantalising Thai food, the Sunday roasts, available from 12pm to 8pm, are equally as fantastic. Whether you fancy Scotch ribeye (served medium rare), Orchard Farm pork belly, butter-basted, corn-fed chicken or a crispy herb nut roast – just make sure to save room for the sticky toffee pudding.

Vegetarians will be happy to hear that this joint's nut roast is top-notch.

Drayton Arms

South Kensington: 153 Old Brompton Rd, Greater, London SW5 0LJ

If you're all about food, glorious food – then one place springs to mind: South Kensington's Drayton Arms. Perch yourself on one of the retro Chesterfield sofas, surrounded by nostalgic posters and photographs, and treat yourself to what might be the best roast dinner in London. Whatever option you go for (beef sirloin, chicken, nut roast or pork belly), you'll be pleased to hear you'll also be served thyme-sprinkled potatoes, leeks, peas and roasted root vegetables, with more than enough red wine jus or vegetarian gravy to go around.

Pro tip: ask for extra gravy. You won't regret it.

Family Friendly Spots

Barge East

Hackney Wick: River Lee, Sweetwater Mooring, White Post Ln, London E9 5EN

Hop aboard Barge East, a historic Dutch boat-turned-restaurant that boasts two AA Rosettes for 'Culinary Excellence' under its belt, for one of the top Sunday lunches in London. Helmed by head chef Stefano Camplone, who is devoted to sustainable cooking, the Hackney Wick hangout uses only seasonal produce in their roasts, sourced from either their own garden or local suppliers. While you float idyllically on the River Lee, get your chompers around lamb leg with salsa verde, porchetta and apple sauce, beef topside complimented by horseradish or a flavour-packed shallot tart. As for the trimmings? Think roasted miso carrots, seasonal greens and potatoes so crispy we can almost hear them now.

Head to this award-winning restaurant for beautifully prepared, sustainable plates.

The Great Exhibition

East Dulwich: 193 Crystal Palace Rd, London SE22 9EP

The Great Exhibition is a laid-back Victorian pub where vintage rugs, detailed ceilings and quirky knick-knacks make up its bones, while beautifully prepared Sunday roasts run through its veins – making it a staple among hungry (and often hungover) locals. Though the 21-day-aged beef rump and slow-braised lamb sound mighty fine, it's the pork belly that's got us in a tizzy, showcasing beautifully soft meat and the hearty crunch of superbly roasted crackling. Plus, with sides like cauliflower cheese and creamed leeks, it's sure to be away with those impending Sunday scaries.

Make your way to South London for this acclaimed, cosy hangout.

The Three Crowns

Stoke Newington: 175 Stoke Newington High St, London N16 0PE

The Three Crowns is a Stoke Newington gem that's split into three different areas: a main dining room, a bar and a lounge filled with plush sofas. It's a Victorian boozer at its core, sporting large windows, bare brick walls and vintage rugs. Swing by on a Sunday after a long stroll through Clissold Park to tuck into its scrumptious roast menu: from slow roast pork belly stuffed with sage and garlic to a butternut squash Wellington, there's something for everyone, including helpings of cauliflower cheese and Yorkshire puddings. 

And if you're thirsty? There are plenty of beers, wines and ales to wash everything down.

The Wilmington

Clerkenwell: 69 Rosebery Ave, London EC1R 4RL

The Wilmington in Clerkenwell is a listed 19th-century public house on the cusp of Exmouth Market, offering a bright and airy dining room laced with elegant chandeliers and vintage pictures fixed to the walls. The skylight lets in floods of natural light that casts down on diners enjoying food by head chef Jamie Cousins. The menu features an array of globally influenced dishes and, on Sundays, you'll get to indulge in what might be the best roast in London, featuring chicken with pigs in blankets, a beef roast, porchetta and apple sauce, or a beetroot and squash Wellington. 

When you're next in Central London, make sure to give this one a whirl.

Looking for more things to do on a Sunday? Check out our guide here and sign up to our newsletter for all the latest.