London is famed for its pub culture of pints and conversation, and many of these taverns also serve good food. Sunday afternoons is when the kitchen creates a tasty feast that brings out locals of all ages. Best of all, you can get a filling plate at Cheapo-approved prices. Most pubs charge around £10 to £15 for a roast with all the fixings.

Here’s a rundown of the history, what to expect, and where to enjoy a delicious Sunday roast in London.

History of this culinary tradition

There are many different beliefs as to when this tradition started. The original idea of feasting on a joint of beef on a Sunday is said to date back to Medieval times, when village serfs were rewarded with a hearty meal by their masters each week. The tradition continued into King Henry VII’s reign, when his royal guardsmen used to feast on roast beef every Sunday after church (which apparently earnt them the name they still carry today—Beefeaters!).

But the version of the Sunday Roast most similar to what we find on our plates today has its roots in the 18th century, during the industrial revolution, when families in Yorkshire would leave a joint of meat in the oven before going to church every Sunday. On returning home, families would sit together and tuck into the best meal of the week.

What’s on the plate?

So what to expect of a modern day Sunday roast? While a tender joint of roast beef teamed with spicy horseradish sauce and sweet redcurrant jelly continues to be popular, equally common today is a juicy roast chicken, roast lamb with mint sauce, or roast pork with apple sauce (and plenty of crackling!).

A good roast should always be accompanied by crispy roast potatoes and parsnips and steamed vegetables such as carrots and broccoli. If you want to try a Yorkshire pudding (beautiful and highly calorific side dish made from batter), you’ll normally find this served with beef, although it is becoming increasingly normal to find them served with other meats as well. To complete the dish, drizzle over some delicious gravy—a flavorsome sauce made from the juices of your roast meat.

The Crown Pub in Islington serves Sunday roasts every weekend. Photo: Ewan Munro

Where to enjoy a Sunday roast

Today most British pubs and restaurants serve Sunday Roasts, eager to fulfill demand from friends and families who want to keep the tradition alive but can’t spare the time to cook one up themselves. So if you don’t have a local family home to gatecrash on a Sunday, you’ll have no problem finding a restaurant to sample one in. Do be warned though that they vary in quality, so take our advice and veer away from the cheap as chips offerings in a Wetherspoons pub and spend a few more pounds on a better quality plate of food.

Our list of top pubs for a Sunday Roast in London is a good place to start. Oh and don’t forget to save room for a traditional British dessert… Bon appétit!

The post A London Pub Tradition: The Sunday roast appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Do be warned that those big chain pubs promising to serve a Sunday Roast for under £10 are not the real deal. A sloppy roast with chewy meat is not how this important meal should arrive on your plate. Take my advice and head to one of these trusty locales for a guaranteed tasty feast:

The cozy and historic Highbury Barn pub. Photo: Ewan-M

The Highbury Barn
26 Highbury Park
London, N5 2AB
Tube: Highbury & Islington
Website

Located on this little stretch of foodie heaven just at the end of Highbury Fields, this historic, cozy pub draws on its gourmet surroundings, with all meat sourced from the award-winning Godfrey & Son’s butchers across the road and an impressive list of wine and ale. Choose from lemon and thyme roast chicken, pork with cider gravy, sirloin of beef with Yorkshire pudding or roast leg of lamb, all served with seasonal veg, roast potatoes and gravy.

Prices aren’t too bad either, ranging from £14 to £18.50 each. While you enjoy your lunch you can also be sure you’re tapping into a little piece of London history – the Highbury Barn started serving cakes and ale right back in 1740 and first became a tavern in 1770!

The Three Crowns
175 Stoke Newington Church Street
London, N16 0LH
Buses: 73 (from Victoria), 476 (from Euston)
Website

“Stokey” Church Street is the ideal place to spend a Sunday afternoon. The village-like feel of this pretty street takes you miles away from the madness of London’s city center, and there are endless pubs, cafes, restaurants and tea shops to explore. The Three Crowns is located at the end of the street and is a comfy gastropub with a lively atmosphere at any time of day.

Roasts start at £14.95 and the choices vary from a vegetarian nut roast and chicken breast with rosemary and apricot stuffing to a roast loin of pork with crackling and roast sirloin of beef. All these delicious options are served with Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, greens and gravy. Delicious!

Inside the Charles Lamb, a quirky old-fashioned pub near the Regent’s Canal. Photo: Ewan-M

The Charles Lamb
16 Elia Street
London, N1 8DE
Tube: Angel
Website

There’s something about this quirky little pub that makes me feel like I’ve stepped back in time to an old fashioned London. Perched on a corner amidst quiet residential streets, just a few yards from the Regent’s Canal and a couple of blocks away from the bustle of Upper Street, it feels like the Charles Lamb has acted as a well respected local watering hole for a very long time. And rightly so – this pub was originally opened in 1839.

They don’t take bookings and there are only a few tables, so get here early on a Sunday for a fantastic lunch. The offering is smaller than in some pubs – they tend to stick to just pork and beef – but they do them to perfection. Prices are competitive, costing £16 or £16.50 each. Once they’ve cleared away your plates, you can even enjoy a game of Scrabble at your table.

Floripa
91-93 Great Eastern Street
London, EC2A 3HZ
Tube: Old Street / Shoreditch High Street (overground)
Website

If you’ve already tried and tested a traditional Sunday lunch, then why not sample something new and give Floripa’s Brazilian take on a British favorite a go? This trendy hotspot in East London serves up a seriously scrumptious roast every Sunday from just £14. Choose from char-grilled slow-roasted Picanha (beef), roast chicken with coriander, chipotle, coconut and garlic butter, or vegetable and Brazil nut roast.

All these delectable dishes are served with Brazilian-style Yorkshire puddings (you need to try it to believe it), roast potatoes, seasonal veg, corn on the cob and sweet potato mash. What’s more, you can enjoy free live jazz from the house band from 5 p.m. every Sunday. It’s an excellent way to end the week if you ask me!

The post London: 4 delicious Sunday roasts for under £20 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.