Nothing can beat a pub lunch on a Sunday, especially if it is from one of London’s top gastro pubs., The Sunday lunch is a quintessential British institution and as winter approaches, a nice pub with a fire place and a hot roast dinner is just the ticket. With some of the best restaurants in the world, London has a massive number of pubs to choose from. With so many aspiring chefs flocking to the capital, there are plenty of jobs for chefs who are looking to make their mark on the culinary world in the city. Some of these budding chefs have been making their mark on London’s pub food scene.
Gone are the days of the soggy sandwiches with plastic cheese and a bad ploughman’s with defrosted bread. So many London pubs now serve superb food and here are 5 favourites in London.
First up is the perennial favourite, The Ship in Wandsworth (South West London), located on the south side of Fulham. They have a massive dining room with a roaring wood fire in the winter and an outside kitchen serving barbecue favourites in the warmer months. To maximise their river location, they have a large sunny terrace overlooking the Thames. Food here is usually really good, except for a blip one time. Sunday lunches here are really popular, the servings are massive and they state quite clearly where the meat is sourced from which is a nice details for a pub. On a recent visit, we had the Roast Beef, nicely pink in the middle with a massive Yorkshire pudding and crispy roast potatoes. The service is friendly and on Sundays, the place turns into party central and seems to draw in a massive crowd. @shipwandsworth
Secondly, a new find in Richmond, The Shaftesbury Arms in Richmond (South West London). From the outside, it looks like a slightly faded pub of yesteryear but don’t overlook it. It is a Young’s establishment but has not had the beautification unlike of some other Young’s places in the area. The new restaurant kitchen is run by Lee Richardson who is a phenomenal cook and has a massive repertoire. On our recent visit on Sunday, she served up a brilliant clams and samphire dish followed by a massive roast beef with all the trimmings. Lee very kindly offered us an extra plate of roast pork to try and the meat was succulent and crackling was super crispy. All her meat is sourced from Macken Brothers in Turnham Green. Superb goose fat roast potatoes. For £15, you get a superb Sunday Roast with the pudding included. Great value. @ ShaftesburyKitc
Next, The Garrison, in the increasingly “too cool for school” Bermondsey near Tower Bridge (East London). This place is more restaurant than pub with prices a bit above average. This unusual building is crammed with knickknacks and the hodgepodge of furniture. They serve a mean Roast beef and the service is super friendly. A real local favourite and the atmosphere is always buzzing. www.thegarrison.co.uk
The fourth delicious offering is brought to you by Adam & Eve , just off Oxford Street (Central London) , an area that doesn’t have very many non chain eateries. The Sunday menu offers a couple of roasts and the Roast Rib of Beef was delivered in a good man sized serving. Service can be patchy when they are busy.
Last, but by no means least, the newly revamped Alexandra in Wimbledon (South West London). It is yet another Youngs’ pub that now offer great pub grub. This pub takes its food very seriously. Dave Ahern (@corkgourmetguy) is the new head chef and he has recently launched their new menu where the ham hock is outstanding. Sunday lunch here comes with home made Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Servings are hearty and the careful and cooking is creative. You can opt for one of their burgers instead of a roast which are equally good. @TheAlexSW19
There are so many more pubs to check out in London, but for now, these are the top picks. Please feel free to share your favourite pubs for Sunday lunch in the comments.
Robert Baldock says
October 3, 2014 at 6:44 pmI would also recommend the Princess Victoria in Shepherds Bush and the Brown Dog in Barnes. Both are dog friendly