Book by Wednesday: seven Sunday roasts worth the effort
Book Sunday lunch by Wednesday. The better rooms in central London fill their 1pm tables first, and autumn Sundays are often wet, which is no weather for wandering round Mayfair looking for a table. These are the ones we'd book from a central apartment, and all were serving when we checked this September.
The hotel dining rooms
The Dining Room at The Goring in Belgravia has a Michelin star and does the fullest version of the classic: dry-aged Scottish beef carved at the table, big Yorkshire puddings, seasonal vegetables and a lot of gravy. The room is pale and formal, and families dress up for it. It's a few minutes' walk from Victoria station, and a pleasant one from Buckingham Palace if you've spent the morning in St James's Park.
The restaurant that used to be The Game Bird is now Michael Caines at The Stafford, and it picked up a Michelin star in February 2026. Sunday lunch runs from 12.30pm to 2.30pm, with a classic roast beef and trimmings plus vegetarian dishes. The hotel is tucked away at the end of St James's Place, so walk across Green Park first, but service stops at 2.30pm sharp, which rules it out for late risers.
Gordon Ramsay's Savoy Grill on the Strand does roast sirloin from its own Sunday menu, in the grill room that has fed the Strand since the hotel opened in the 1880s, with beef Wellington for anyone who doesn't want a roast. It suits a Sunday matinee, being a short walk from most Covent Garden theatres.
Pubs, steak houses and the river
Fifty Cheyne is on Cheyne Walk in Chelsea, facing the river. Its Sunday service runs from midday with last bookings at 8pm, which makes it the most forgiving option here for a late start, and it does a Saturday roast too, handy if Sunday is your travel day. From Sloane Square it's about 20 minutes on foot via the King's Road, and the Chelsea Embankment is right outside for a walk afterwards.
Hawksmoor serves Sunday roasts at its Knightsbridge, Seven Dials and Air Street branches: dry-aged rump or sirloin with beef-dripping potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and bone marrow and onion gravy, at around £30 to £35 for the beef when we checked. Roasts are guaranteed until 5pm, and groups can order larger cuts to share from the blackboard. Blacklock is louder and cheaper, and its roast menu is Sundays only, at the Soho branch on Great Windmill Street and the Covent Garden one on Bedford Street. On a wet November afternoon go for Soho, a low-lit basement that suits the weather.
The Harwood Arms in Fulham is worth the trip west. It's a Michelin-starred pub known for game and wild food, serving roasts all day on Sunday from noon, and when we checked, two courses were in the mid-sixties and three a little under eighty pounds. Tables are released 90 days ahead, parties are capped at eight, and the kitchen can't cater for vegans. From Chelsea it's a short cab ride, or about ten minutes' walk from Fulham Broadway on the District line.
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Before you book
Sunday lunch is a lot easier when you're not crossing town for it, so if you're choosing between Chelsea and Mayfair for an autumn stay, pick whichever is closer to the lunch you care most about. A few other things make the day go better:
- Book by midweek for 1pm. Later tables are easier at the places that serve all afternoon.
- Check the last seating: The Stafford stops at 2.30pm, Fifty Cheyne takes bookings until 8pm.
- Mention children, high chairs and dietary needs when you book, not when you arrive.
- The Goring and The Stafford are smart. Hawksmoor and Blacklock are not.
Food hygiene ratings for the places in this guide
Official fact Food Standards Agency Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, checked 23 September 2026. 5 is the top rating.
| Name | Registered address | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Goring | 15 Beeston Place, SW1W 0JW | 5 | Mar 2025 |
| Michael Caines at The Stafford | The Stafford, 16-17 St James's Place, SW1A 1NJ | 5 | Nov 2025 |
| Savoy Grill | The Savoy, 1 Savoy Hill, WC2R 0BP | 5 | Jun 2025 |
| Fifty Cheyne | 50 Cheyne Walk, SW3 5LR | 5 | Aug 2026 |
| Hawksmoor Knightsbridge | 3 Yeoman's Row, SW3 2AL | 5 | Jan 2026 |
| Hawksmoor Air Street | 5A Air Street, W1J 0AD | 5 | May 2026 |
| Blacklock Soho | 24 Great Windmill Street, W1D 7LG | 5 | Apr 2026 |
| Blacklock Covent Garden | 16A Bedford Street, WC2E 9HE | 5 | Jul 2026 |
| The Harwood Arms | Walham Grove, SW6 1QP | 5 | Feb 2025 |