Who doesn’t love a Sunday Roast? From the warmth and comfort of sitting down to that home-cooked, wholesome meal with all the trimmings, to memories of cosy weekends spent with family and friends, it is a British institution that has never gone out of fashion. A tough challenge for any restaurant then, is being able to live up to the associations we all have with this favourite of meals and compete with those idealised memories of the 'Great British Roast'.
The Venue
For me, a cosy country pub is the perfect setting in which to spend any lazy Sunday afternoon, and in particular, the ideal place to go for your Sunday roast fix. The Queen’s Head stands in the centre of Kingston, just a few minutes walk from the rail-station and with London’s beautiful Richmond Park just down the road. The great, dark wood bar is the central focus as you enter the pub, and the venue actually extends a long way with plenty of room for larger groups. The whole place has a very light, open feel, with the large windows surrounding the main restaurant area flooding plenty of light in across the wooden floorboards. The red brick exterior has a charming effect and creates a traditional, attractive country pub vibe. In addition, there are some great covered seating areas outside which look perfect for the summer months.
The stunning red brick building that is the Queen's Head stands proudly in the centre of Kingston.
The Food and Drink
We began with the Chorizo Hash (£7), served with a wonderfully runny poached egg and red pepper mayonnaise giving it just a little more of a kick, and the moreish Smoked Salmon Croquettes (£6.50). A little heavy on the potato as opposed to the chorizo and salmon; if we're honest, these were possibly a slightly too filling option pre-Sunday Roast.
Then for the main event - Roast Ross Chicken Two Ways (£15.50) and Roast Beef Sirloin (£17.50). The Queen's Head really do know how to do an excellent roast and did not disappoint our high expectations. Gigantic Yorkshire puddings sitting atop a mountain of sweet red cabbage, roasted carrots, parsnips and roast potatoes, all covered in a good splashing of gravy. The beef was served thinly sliced and gorgeously rare, whilst the chicken also gets top marks for the flavoursome confit leg, crispy skin and plump breast. Somehow we still manage to find room to sample the desserts, and opted for the Apple Tart Tatin (£7), served with cinnamon ice cream, and a scrumptiously sweet Treacle Tart (£6).
The Sunday Roasts are pretty spectacular - each served with a huge, fluffy Yorkshire pudding and plenty of trimmings.
The Atmosphere
The Queen's Head is a charming, family-friendly pub with a great bar team and welcoming atmosphere. It seems well-known by locals (always a good sign) and on Sunday was full of families and friends alike. It served as a very pleasant, relaxing setting to spend the afternoon and both the bar and restaurant areas had a chilled out, happy vibe - perfect for low-key drinks or as a spot to grab some great pub grub.
Summary
The Queen’s Head is a lovely place to spend a Sunday afternoon and I would highly recommend it if you are on the lookout for your next excellent Sunday roast served with all the trimmings. This is a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a comfortable spot in which to wile away the weekend.
