The best Sunday roast in London

The Sunday roast or Sunday lunch: an all-encompassing meal that covers all the important food groups – juicy meat (or veg, depending on preferences), golden crispy roast potatoes, gigantic Yorkshire puddings and lashings of gravy. The Sunday roast is one of Britain’s most loved food traditions and it’s no wonder it commands fervent loyalty from Londoners, sparking serious debates on where to find the best ones and what should or shouldn’t be included. From pub classics to local neighbourhood gems and chophouses, there’s a Sunday lunch for every taste. Nothing screams British tradition like the Sunday roast and here’s where to find some of the best Sunday roast in London.

MAY WE SUGGEST: The 50 best restaurants in London right now

The best Sunday roast in London

The Camberwell Arms

This effortlessly chic south London gem takes the classic Sunday roast to the next level with starters like scotch bonnet on toast, pickled mackerel with horseradish cream, and mussels in spicy pork fat. Opt for one of the five shareable roasts, featuring spit-roasted chicken, roast pork belly, braised lamb shoulder, roast lamb rack, or dry-aged Hereford beef. Not a roast fan? Indulge in bubbling sharing pies, seafood, or pasta. The casual dining room has a 1940s brasserie aesthetic, complete with scrubbed wooden floors and reclaimed tables and chairs that complement its dark interior. Wash down your meal with no-nonsense service, daily ales, and a well-priced, diverse wine list.

What to order: The half spit-roast chicken for two served with creamed cavolo nero and roast potatoes is a thing of beauty.

65 Camberwell Church St, London SE5 8TR

The Canton Arms

The Canton Arms on Lambeth Road is the sister to The Camberwell Arms and combines the high level of gastropub cooking with the nostalgic ambiance of an old-school boozer, featuring a warm brown and wooden interior. You’ll find superb rustic English cooking that comes in more than generous portions, like the rare roast Dexter beef or the must-try seven-hour-cooked salt marsh lamb shoulder that falls off the bone. If you’re feeling more adventurous than a roast, explore the specials on the blackboard, and don’t miss the renowned sharing pie with a flaky crust that’s worth the journey alone. Wrap up your meal with old-school desserts like custard crumble tart and sticky toffee pudding. This is one of those meals that will definitely require a nap afterwards.

What to order: Choose between the Dexter short rib or the Salt Marsh lamb shoulder, and you’re guaranteed a good time.

177 S Lambeth Rd, London SW8 1XP

Coal Rooms

If you’re looking to be brought back to life by a mountain of food then Coal Rooms is the place to be. Nestled in a former station ticket office in Peckham Rye station right behind the main drag, this gem offers a cosy, minimalist, and serene setting—the perfect antidote to those Sunday scaries. When it comes to their renowned Sunday roasts, Coal Rooms doesn’t hold back. Choose from the slow-roasted Dexter short rib, wood-roasted Suffolk chicken, tropea onion tart, or the roast Tamworth pork belly. Each dish comes with fluffy, crispy potatoes, green beans, cabbage, carrots and a glorious Yorkshire pudding that’s bigger than your head. If you prefer your roasts swimming, brace yourself for a generous glug of hearty, thick gravy. And don’t forget to wash it all down with a £5 Bloody Mary