EAST
Hole in the Wall, Little Wilbraham
It’s the little touches, like glazed carrots and charred shallots, which make the roasts at MasterChef finalist Alex Rushmer’s country pub restaurant great.
Primrose Farm Rd, Little Wilbraham, Cambridge, CB21 5JY; 01223 812282; holeinthewallcambridge.com
The Crown and Castle, Orford
The 28-day dry-aged roast sirloin with all the trimmings is the thing to get here, and seconds are available on request – if they’ve got enough, so arrive early to avoid disappointment.
Woodbridge, IP12 2LJ; 01394 450205; crownandcastle.co.uk
Ingham Swan, Ingham
Modern interpretations on the Great British roast and much more.
Sea Palling Rd, Ingham, NR12 9AB; 01692 581099; theinghamswan.co.uk
The Duck Inn, Stanhoe
An enticing menu with choices including aged Norfolk beef and roast Fruit Pig Company pork, both with all-important duck-fat potatoes.
Burnham Rd, King’s Lynn PE31 8QD; 01485 518330; duckinn.co.uk
Pint Shop, Cambridge
Who needs meat and two veg when you can have beef and pickled walnut pie or truffle cauliflower cheese with an Ogleshield crumb?
10 Peas Hill, CB2 3PN; 01223 352293; pintshop.co.uk
LONDON
Hawksmoor, Spitalfields and branches across town
Masters of the high-end roast, Hawksmoor start cooking their beef on charcoal before finishing it off in the oven. The finishing touch? Lashings of bone-marrow gravy, of course.
157A Commercial St, E1 6BJ; 020 7426 4850; thehawksmoor.com
The Ship, Wandsworth
Riverside pub with a hearty British menu.
41 Jews Row, SW18 1TB; 020 8870 9667; theship.co.uk
Foxlow, Stoke Newington
They’re part of the Hawksmoor group, so it’s no surprise that the kitchen here know their boeuf. This new and already hugely popular N16 outpost is a cheerful spot where you can gorge on roast Longhorn rump with all the trimmings for £18.
71-73 Stoke Newington Church St, N16 0AS; 020 7481 6377; foxlow.co.uk
Cornish Tiger, Clapham
British food with a fusion-y twist: meat and fish are mostly sourced from Cornwall, ciders from Devon and Somerset.
1 Battersea Rise, SW11 1HG; 020 7223 7719; cornishtiger.com
The Truscott Arms, Maida Vale
Five-storey Victorian gastropub that prizes sustainability. Coeliacs will rejoice at the gluten-free yorkshire pudding option.
55 Shirland Rd, W9 2JD; 020 7266 9198; thetruscottarms.com
MIDLANDS
The Lord Clifden, Birmingham
Sunday menu served until 9pm at this spacious pub. If you don’t fancy a roast, don’t worry – there are a variety of burgers and other mains on offer, too.
34 Great Hampton St, Hockley, B18 6AA; 0121 523 7515; thelordclifden.com
Larwood and Voce, Nottingham
Pub with a relaxed, homely vibe – but if only your actual home will do, then you can order a roast to take away. With 48 hours’ notice you can also order a boned and rolled suckling pig for 8-10 people.
Fox Rd, West Bridgford, NG2 6AJ; 0115 981 9960; moleface pubcompany.co.uk/the-larwood-and-voce.html
Red Lion Urban Art Bar, Birmingham
Sibling to the Lord Clifden, classic roasts and local and draft ales are on the menu here. Check out work from street artists like Banksy and D*Face on the walls.
95 Warstone Ln, Hockley, B18 6NG; 0121 233 9144; theredlionbirmingham.com
Hollybush Inn, Southam
This 16th-century pub in a pretty Warwickshire village serves generous roasts, with seasonal veg, cauliflower or leek cheese and crispy crackling.
Hollybush Ln, Priors Marston, CV47 7RW; 0132 726 0934; the-hollybush.com
Moat House, Acton Trussell
Lunch is served in the light-filled Orangery Restaurant at this manor house with its very own moat.
Lower Penkridge Rd, Acton Trussell, Stafford, ST17 0RJ; 01785 712217; moathouse.co.uk
NORTH
The Staith House, Newcastle
A changing menu – you might even find something out of the ordinary such as roast loin of fallow deer.
57 Low Lights, North Shields Fish Quay, NE30 1JA; 0191 270 8441; thestaithhouse.co.uk
Rare, Leeds
High-welfare meat is the speciality at this steak restaurant, but vegetarians are catered for – even on the kids’ menu.
163 Lower Briggate, LS1 6LY; 0113 246 7013; eatdrinkrare.com
The Parlour, Chorlton
Former winner of this category. Enjoy the vibe and giant Yorkshire puddings.
60 Beech Rd, Chorlton, M21 9EG; 0161 881 4871; theparlour.info
The Queen o’t’owd Thatch, South Milford
With three courses at £20, you’ll want to leave room for one of their puddings, like chocolate pots or fruit crumble.
101 High St, South Milford, LS25 5AQ; 01977 685096; theqott.com
The Cross Keys, Leeds
Originally a drinking spot for the city’s foundry workers, this cosy pub serves traditional British roasts. The Sunday feasting menu includes options like a whole leg of lamb that you can carve at the table, family-style.
107 Water Ln, LS11 5WD; 0113 243 3711; the-crosskeys.com
NORTHERN IRELAND
The Bay Tree, Holywood
A local favourite, which offers fresh alternatives to a heavy gravy-drenched lunch.
118 High St, BT18 9HW; 028 9042 1419; baytreeholywood.co.uk
Bushmills Inn, Bushmills
Four-star hotel on the Causeway Coast. The restaurant’s Sunday carvery menu is excellent value at £13.85 for “a veritable feast of succulent roasts”.
9 Dunluce Rd, BT57 8QG; 028 2073 3000; bushmillsinn.com
The Dirty Duck Alehouse, Holywood
Classic pub with a beer garden and upstairs restaurant with panaromic views.
3 Kinnegar Rd, BT18 9JN; 028 9059 6666; thedirtyduckalehouse.co.uk
House of Zen, Belfast
For a Chinese-inspired Sunday lunch, opt for a dim sum platter, steamed to order.
3 St Anne’s Square, BT1 2LR; 028 9027 8688; houseofzen.co.uk
Harry’s Shack, Portstewart
Lunch on the sand of Portstewart Strand beach. In the words of Jay Rayner, “coming to Northern Ireland ... and not going to Harry’s Shack would be a stupid thing to do”.
118 Strand Rd, Portstewart, BT55 7PG; 028 7083 1783; @Harrys_Shack
SCOTLAND
1912, Bathgate
If you’re lucky, Sunday afternoon entertainment may be on the menu.
2 S Bridge St, Bathgate, EH48 1TW; 01506 633133; @cafebar1912
Roseleaf Bar Cafe, Edinburgh
Friendly joint serving comforting food (cullen skink, macaroni in a truffled smoked Applewood cheddar sauce), with bread baked in-house.
23-24 Sandport Pl, EH6 6EW; 0131 476 5268; roseleaf.co.uk
Ubiquitous Chip, Glasgow
The Sunday menu at this famed restaurant, now 40 years old, is great value at £20.95 for 3 courses.
12 Ashton Ln, G12 8SJ; 0141 334 5007; ubiquitouschip.co.uk
Lioness of Leith, Edinburgh
Local bar/bistro serving elegant roast platters with inventive options like a vegetarian haggis scotch egg.
21-25 Duke St, Leith, EH6 8HH; 0131 629 0580; @lionessofleith
Scran & Scallie, Edinburgh
Tom Kitchin and Dominic Jack’s kitschly rustic restaurant offers a refined take on gastropub food.
1 Comely Bank Rd, Stockbridge, EH4 1DT; 0131 332 6281; scranandscallie.com
SOUTH
Magdalen Arms, Oxford
Gastropub with a different and appealing selection of sharing plates – slow cooked lamb shoulder, new potatoes, greens and pickled red cabbage (for 4-5) or harissa chicken, chips and salad (for 2-3), say – ideal for sociable group lunching.
243 Iffley Rd, OX4 1SJ; 01865 243159; magdalenarms.co.uk
The Three Oaks, Gerrards Cross
Elegant, seasonally inspired modern European food in an upmarket pub.
Austenwood Ln, SL9 8NL; 01753 899016; thethreeoaksgx.co.uk
The Ilchester Arms Hotel, Abbotsbury
Cosy, eight-bedroom country hotel and restaurant. Local produce, like River Exe mussels, is celebrated, and the cracking roasts come with heritage vegetables and ‘real gravy’.
9 Market St, Abbotsbury, Weymouth, DT3 4JR; 01305 873841; theilchester.co.uk
Lion and Lobster, Brighton
Anywhere that serves a pint of Bloody Mary knows how to do Sundays: the Lion and Lobster doesn’t disappoint and the roasts are under a tenner.
24 Sillwood St, BN1 2PS; 01273 327299; thelionandlobster.co.uk
Plowden Arms, Henley on Thames
The cooking of centuries past is embraced at this country pub that takes delight in the old-fashioned – alongside the usual Sunday lunch suspects you might find a spinach pudding based on a recipe from the 1738 London Art of Cookery.
Reading Rd, Shiplake Cross, Henley on Thames, RG9 4BX; 0118 940 2794; plowdenarmsshiplake.co.uk
WALES
Milgi, Cardiff
Imaginative vegetarian cooking – try the Indian street food platter or Peruvian superfood plate – plate – with gluten-free and vegan-friendly dishes.
213 City Rd, CF24 3JD; 029 2047 3150; milgicardiff.com
Kings Arms, Pentyrch
At this pretty as a picture country pub the customer is king. The excellent value Sunday lunch menu offers three courses for just £16.
Church Rd, Cardiff CF15 9QF; 029 2089 0202; kingsarmspentyrch.co.uk
Bully’s, Cardiff
There are always five starters and five mains (two of which are a traditional roast) on the Sunday menu that changes according to what’s in season and good.
5 Romilly Cres, CF11 9NP; 029 2022 1905; bullysrestaurant.co.uk
Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
Diverse and vibrant restaurant in the middle of this large arts centre with a range of lunch options varying according to season.
Market Rd, CF5 1QE; 029 2030 4400; chapter.org/eat-drink
The Lansdowne, Cardiff
A Camra pub of the year two years on the trot, this local is the place to come for ale, cider and good pub grub (also, pickled eggs).
Cnr Lansdowne Rd/Beda Rd, Canton, CF5 1PU; 029 2022 1312; thelansdownecardiff.co.uk
WEST
The Grace, Bristol
Top-notch roasts (roast Hereford rump, braised Jacob’s ladder and goose-fat roast potatoes is the winner) and a hidden garden out back to eat them in.
197 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8BG; 0117 924 4334; thegracebristol.uk
Riverford Field Kitchen, Totnes
There are two sittings (12pm and 3.30pm) for the communally seated and served Sunday lunch at Riverford.
Wash Farm, Buckfastleigh, TQ11 0JU; 01803 762074; riverford.co.uk/restaurant
White Post, Rimpton
Have lunch in both Dorset and Somerset in the only pub in the UK that spans two county borders. No more agonising over what to order with the meat feast Sunday board which includes a bit of everything (beef, lamb, pork and chicken).
Rimpton Hill, Yeovil BA22 8AR; 01935 851525; thewhitepost.com
The Fox, Broughton Gifford
Local food is prized at this pub, so much so that they rear their own pigs and free-range chickens.
Broughton Gifford, Melksam, SN12 8PN; 01225 782949; thefox-broughtongifford.co.uk
The Rummer Hotel, Bristol
The kitchen’s attention to detail shines through intriguing sides like truffled cauliflower cheese, charred onions, toffee carrots and pickled white cabbage. Those inclined can indulge in a digestif at the award-winning bar.
All Saints Ln, BS1 1JH; 0117 929 4243; therummer.net
