I recently read a fantastic post by Spruce Eats about the history of the British Sunday roast. According to the article “The Sunday Roast came to prominence during the reign of King Henry VII in 1485, and the Yeoman of the Guard–the royal bodyguard–have affectionately been known as ‘beefeaters’ since the 15th century because of their love of eating roast beef.” It goes on to say that “in 1871, William Kitchener, author of Apicius Redivivus or The Cook’s Oracle, recommended eating 3 kg (6lb) of meat each week as part of a healthy diet (he also recommended 2 kilos of bread and a pint of beer every day).”
These days we eat far less meat, and many of us have given it up for good. If like me, you love nothing more on a Sunday than to enjoy a delicious, hearty Sunday roast, then take a look at my round up listing 20 of the best Sunday lunch roasts to try in Worcestershire…
Bolero Bar & Kitchen, Worcester
All roasts are served with duck fat & dripping Maris Piper roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, seasonal vegetables, honey glazed carrots & parsnips.
Time: Available from 12 noon-5 pm
Cost: Main courses; £12.50-£18.25
Menu: www.bolerovenues.com
Book: 01905 22220
Buckland Manor
Make sure you arrive hungry for Buckland’s three course Sunday lunch. An optional fourth course is listed on the menu to tempt you if you’re feeling particularly fancy. Buckland Manor transforms you back in time to the days of formal dining (gents, you’ll need a a jacket to be worn in the dining room), and ladies don’t forget your pearls. The roasts are plentiful and the starter / dessert courses are refined. After you’ve added an aperitif or two and bottle of plonk to the equation, lunch will set you back a pretty penny, but you’ll soon appreciate why when you set your eyes on the beautiful manor house and grounds.
Time: 12:30 pm – 2 pm
Cost: Three courses £50
Menu: www.bucklandmanor.co.uk
Book: Call 01386 852 626
Eckington Manor, Pershore
The roasted Eckington Manor beef and loin of pork are a must! The award winning pedigree herds of Aberdeen Angus and Highland cattle; Lleyn sheep; and Gloucester Old Spot Pigs are reared on Eckington Manor’s own farm.
Time: Available 12:30 pm-2:30 pm
Cost: Two courses £25 / three courses £32
Menu: www.eckingtonmanor.co.uk
Book: Call 01386 751600
Feli’s Bar & Restaurant, Pershore
Feli’s Bar & Restaurant put on a Sunday lunch platter which includes: Pollo ripieno; chicken filled with a forcemeat stuffing, agnello & maiale arrosto; roasted lamb chump and pork loin of pork infused with herbs, wine jus, seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding (subject to availability; please mention when booking to avoid disappointment).
Time: Available 12 noon-2 pm
Cost: £13.50 per person
Menu: www.felisrestaurant.com
Book: Call 01905 840647
Globe Modern Bistro, Worcester
The full lunch menu is available on Sundays at one of Worcester’s newest independent restaurants – Globe Modern Bistro. A roast option of sirloin beef is also available and comes plated with roasties, Yorkshire pudding & gravy, and is served with purple sprouting broccoli , roast carrots, cauliflower cheese and roast parsnips.
Time: Available 12 noon-4 pm
Cost: £18
Menu: www.globebistro.net
Book: Call 01905 20950
Ostlers at Number 1, Worcester
Sunday roasts at Ostlers are served with roasted potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, cauliflower cheese, honey roasted parsnips, chantenay carrots, braised red cabbage, green beans, broccoli, sugar snaps, sage and onion stuffing and red wine jus.
Time: Available 12 noon-4 pm
Cost: One course £16, two courses £21, three courses £25
Menu: www.ostlersatnumber1.uk
Book: Call 01905 21302
Ounce Bar & Kitchen, Worcester
The Butcher’s Sunday roast is served with seasonal vegetables, homemade Yorkshire pudding & enjoyable trimmings.
Time: Available 12 noon-7 pm
Cost: £12.95
Menu: www.ouncebar.co.uk
Book: Call 01905 330460
Russells of Broadway
All roasts in this award-winning restaurant come served with roast potatoes, Cotswold seasonal vegetables and roast jus.
Time: Available 12 noon-2:30 pm
Cost: Two courses £30, three courses £35
Menu: www.russellsofbroadway.co.uk
Book: Call 01386 853555
The Anchor Pub & Kitchen Worcester
Choose from roast striploin of beef, roast shoulder of outdoor reared pork or roast skin-on Cotswold chicken. All served with lashings of gravy, cauliflower cheese, red cabbage, roast parsnips, creamed mash potato, duck fat roast potatoes, sauteed carrots, leeks, peas and cabbage. The vegetarian option is an aubergine, tomato & spinach wellington. Vegetarian and gluten free gravy is also available.
Time: Available 12 noon-5 pm (booking essential)
Cost: Main courses £13-14
Menu: www.theanchorworcester.co.uk
Book: Call 01905 351094
The Baiting House, Upper Sapey
“We’re passionate about beautifully-prepared food, sourced from local ingredients and freshly made to order. That passion has earned us a place in the Good Food Guide as well as an AA 2 Rosette award for culinary excellence”. All roasts are served with roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables and gravy.
Time: Available 12 noon-4:30 pm (booking essential)
Cost: Two courses £20, three courses £25
Menu: www.thebaitinghouse.co.uk
Book: Call 01886 853201
The Dewdrop, Lower Broadheath
Make a night of it and enjoy 25% off total room and restaurant dinner bill on a Sunday evening, including drinks. (Room must be booked for discount to apply).
Time: Available 12 noon-8 pm
Cost: One course £14.95, two courses, £19.95, 3 courses £24.95
Menu: www.thedewdrop.co.uk
Book: Call 01905 640012
The Flyford Arms, Flyford Flavell
The Flyford are proud to to have secured the title of ‘pub of the year winners for the county’ in 2021 as well as West Midlands regional winners in 2021. You’d be right in thinking they are doing something very right! Although The Flyford may be better know for their super seafood dishes, they also serve up a cracking Sunday roast. Fish is still on the menu on a Sunday, alongside classic roasts, a few pub classics and a couple of veggie options.
Time: Available 12 noon-6 pm
Cost: One course £14-£20
Menu: www.theflyford.co.uk/our-food
Book: Call 01905 381900
The Fox & Hounds at Lulsley, Worcester
Choose from roast Knightwick beef or pork served with roast potatoes, parsnips, seasonal veg and cauliflower cheese (menu changes weekly). Alternatively The Fox & Hounds always has 2 vegetarian options, a ‘catch of the day’, and / or a pub classic to tempt you.
Time: Available 12 noon-4 pm
Cost: Main courses from £11.95-£14.95
Menu: www.foxandhoundslulsley.com
Book: Call 01886 821 228
The Inn & Brasserie, Childswickham
The Inn & Brasserie Childswickham is a rural pub and restaurant located in the North Cotswolds, situated in the small idyllic village of Childswickham, which is just two miles outside of Broadway. A full al a carte menu is available on Sundays, including a choice of roast sirloin of beef served with Yorkshire pudding & roast potatoes or roast loin of pork with crackling, apple sauce & roast potatoes (roasts are subject to change).
Time: Available from 12 noon-6 pm
Cost: Two courses £20.50, three courses £26.50
Menu: www.childswickhaminn.co.uk
Book: Call 01386 852461
The Inn at Welland, Nr. Malvern
Nestled on the outskirts of Malvern and just outside tourist hot spot Upton-Upon-Severn, this family run country inn is a South Worcestershire culinary gem. The menu changes regularly, although you can expect to see the 28day aged Herefordshire Sirloin beef as a staple. As well as a vegetarian roast, there is also a vegetarian main dish and a seafood choice available, making The Inn at Welland the perfect place to enjoy a Sunday lunch on a special occasion.
Time: Available from 12 noon-3 pm (last orders)
Cost: Two courses £26, three courses £32 (£3 supplement for the beef)
Menu: www.theinnatwelland.co.uk/menus
Book: Call 01684 592317
The Jockey Inn, Baughton (Earls Croome)
Although the menu changes regularly at The Jockey, their salt aged beef sirloin beef (pictured) is a fairly permanent fixture to the Sunday lunch menu. All roasts are served with roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese and seasonal vegetables, and although the Yorkshire pudding only comes with the beef, just ask if you would like on with your chicken, pork or lamb!
Time: Available 12 noon-4 pm
Cost: Two courses £22.95, three courses £27.95, (children under 10 half price)
Menu: www.thejockeyinn.co.uk
Book: Call 01684 592153
The Lygon Arms, Broadway
The Lygon Arms has got you fully covered on a Sunday, with a choice of fish, roast loin (served with beef dripping roast potatoes,
Market vegetables, Yorkshire pudding), a plant based bubble and squeak (I’ve tried it, and it’s delicious), or their famous Waghornes aged Beef Wellington (Market Vegetable Wellington option is also available).
Time: Available from 12 noon-9:30 pm
Cost: £17-£27
Menu: www.lygonarmshotel.co.uk
Book: Call 01386 852255
The Yorkshire Grey, Earl’s Croome
Anyone who follows me on Instagram will know that The Yorkshire Grey is one of my favourite local Sunday lunch spots. Slow roasted Topside of beef is a regular staple on the menu, with other rotating options such as, slow roasted leg of lamb, roasted rolled belly of por, a vegetarian roast. For those who can’t decide which meat to go for, there is an option to go with two roasts (£22) or three roasts (£25). A children’s roast is also available for £10. All meat roasts are served with hearty portions of roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, roasted carrots & parsnips, pigs in blankets, cauliflower cheese, fresh seasonal greens, gravy and served for the whole table to enjoy.
Time: Available 12 noon -3 pm
Cost: £14-£25
Menu: www.yorkshiregrey.co.uk/menu
Book: 01684 594852
The Paul Pry, Worcester
Alongside The Paul Pry’s traditional roasts, they also offer a main dish option for the whole table to share! Expect whole roast birds, tasty stews, ‘mahoosive’ pies and slow braised joints that everyone can tuck into!
Time: Available from 1 pm-5 pm (booking strongly recommended)
Cost: Two courses£15
Menu: www.paulprywr1.com
Book: Call 01905 28992
The Swan Inn, Hanley Swan
All roasts are served with a Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, honey roasted parsnips, spring greens, green beans, cauliflower cheese, thyme and red wine gravy. An example of the vegetarian roast from The Swan’s sample menu is their delicious Mediterranean vegetable and goats cheese wellington.
Time: Available 12 noon-4 pm (all tables are limited to 2 hours on a Sunday)
Cost: One course £14.50 (£9 child), two courses £19.50 (£12.50 child), 3 courses £24.50 (child £16)
Menu: www.thehanleyswaninn.com
Book: Call 01684 311870