As one of Shoreditch’s premier gastropubs that was once voted Michelin’s Pub of the Year, Marksman lives up to its reputation with Sunday lunch. Choose from the polished oak ambience of the downstairs bar with green leather banquettes, or head to the first floor for a minimally chic dining room. It’s a smart and well thought out menu with a solid three courses for £40. Diners can mix and match from a selection of starters such as crab soup with aioli, whipped goats curd on toast and pigeon and Tamworth terrine. For mains, roast Hereford rump and chicken and girolle pie are strong centrepieces, but for a more tenor you can upgrade to a decadent sharing roast with a choice of roast mallard or whole roast chicken. Add extra roast and buttered greens and top it off with brown butter and a honey tart or cheese pie for dessert. After all that feasting, head to the terrace for some fresh air and a couple of pints.
What to order: Bring a large group to divide and conquer the menu. Order the beef and barley bun breakfast to line the belly and the whole roast chicken with roasted potatoes and greens.
254 Hackney Rd, London E2 7SB
Located inside the old town hall off the E10, this recently revamped pub retains its historic bones while getting a modern, craft-beer cool facelift. It’s a big, beautiful space that draws you through a tall atrium, past a nostalgia-inducing jukebox and into a lush, plant-filled palm room. Its Sunday roasts have consistently garnered a loyal following, and rightly so. Each plate is fully loaded with seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes, vegan-friendly stuffing, plenty of gravy and a giant Yorkshire pudding. Gluten-free roasts are also available. The standout is the pork with incredibly crispy crackling, although the cauliflower cheese roast gives it serious competition. If you can’t decide, opt for the mixed meat roast, which brings sirloin beef, chicken supreme and pork with crackling to one plate. Baby roast is also an option if you want something smaller. What binds everything together is the gravy which is rich, dark and delicious; It would be a crime if you didn’t take every last knee. – Angela Hui
What to order: A mixed meat roast to coordinate all the roasts, but be sure to save room for the sticky toffee pudding.
265 High Rd. Leyton, London E10 5QN
If you look up ‘perfection’ in the dictionary, guess what you’ll find? Quality chop house’s Sunday roasts. Immerse yourself in the stunning 150-year-old Victorian dining room with a meaty set roast menu. That’s three courses for £55 plus some bonus snacks. Choose from starters such as Tamworth shoulder croquettes and smoked cod roe with cured egg yolk before diving into the main event. Expect centerpieces such as Lincoln red rump and brisket, herb and butter-roasted celeriac, or apple sauce Suffolk lamb shoulder, with roast potatoes (or add Quality Chop House’s legendary potatoes for an extra £8), Yorkshire, hosted, hostel, car, spot, potatoes. and cauliflower cheese. And don’t skip the banoffee pie for dessert. Quality Chop House proudly claims its place as the maker of one of the best roasts in town.
