It’s hard to beat a roast on a winter’s day. Few things chase away the winter chill quite like crispy roast potatoes, fluffy Yorkshire puddings, tender beef or pork drenched in rich gravy and a generous serving of indulgent cauliflower cheese.
Sydney may be best known for its sunshine, beaches and surf, but the city also serves up some exceptional Sunday roasts. Pair one with a glass of red or a crisp lager, settle in beside a crackling fire and finish with a sticky toffee pudding for the ultimate winter afternoon.
Not sure where to book? Here’s our selection of the best Sunday roast in Sydney. Be quick, though; they’re often served until sold out.
1. The Three Blue Ducks, Rosebery
Starting strong with what I deem the best roast in Sydney, Rosebery’s Three Blue Ducks scores extremely high thanks to the size of its Yorkshire pudding, the golden colour of its potatoes and the generous lashings of gravy. The three-cheese cauliflower cheese is as creamy and indulgent as you could imagine, the crackling on the pork is deliciously crunchy, and the veggies are perfectly roasted.
If you’re feeling extra indulgent, order their maple-glazed pigs in blankets, the grass-fed beef tartare on hash browns and the fluffy, fresh sourdough with roast chicken-skin butter. Finish off with a soft-baked chocolate chip cookie or a sticky toffee pudding with rum butterscotch sauce, and make sure you take advantage of their Young Henry’s deal, where you can secure pints for schooner prices all Sunday long.
Where: 1/85 Dunning Ave, Rosebery NSW 2018.
When: Sundays from 11:30am.
Price: Roasts start at $36.
2. Lord Dudley, Woollahra
The Lord Dudley scores high on ambience and price. Grab a seat by the crackling fireplace, sip on a perfectly poured Guinness and settle in for a roast that feels like it has been served in a traditional British pub. Order the roast chook or the roast pork (both $28) and enjoy golden potatoes, pumpkin and steamed veggies, a Yorkshire pudding and generous pourings of gravy. They’re not stingy on portion sizes, so for $28, you’re getting great bang for your buck.
This roast is available all day on Sundays until sold out, so don’t leave it too late.
Where: 236 Jersey Rd, Woollahra NSW 2025.
When: All day Sundays until sold out.
Price: Roasts from $28.
3. Duke of Clarence, CBD
Step into The Duke of Clarence and you’ll be transported to a traditional British pub setting. Hidden in the heart of the CBD, tucked behind Clarence St and York St, this is an 18th-century-inspired tavern that oozes with history.
Choose from beef sirloin ($34), lamb ($34), turkey ($35) or spiced eggplant steak with black rice and quinoa ($30), all served with house-made gravy, roast potatoes, vegetables and Yorkshire pudding. Add-ons include pigs in blankets, garlic-crumbed cauliflower cheese, Brussel sprouts with bacon and extra Yorkshire pudding.
Sink into red velvet armchairs, take a seat by the fire and enjoy some proper British comfort food.
Where: Laneway, 152–156 Clarence Street, Sydney, NSW 2000.
When: From 11:30am until sold out.
Price: From $30 per person.
4. Forrester’s, Surry Hills
Yorkshire pudding fans, make a beeline for Surry Hills institution Forrester’s. Their giant “Winter Yorkie” is back, available daily from 12pm until sold out this July. The “Winter Yorkie” is a take on their signature “Big Yorkie”, featuring free-range roast turkey, gravy, mashed potato, peas, honey-glazed carrots and cranberry sauce stuffed into the popular savoury pud.
Priced at $38, the Winter Yorkie is best enjoyed with a crisp, cold schooner and a table full of mates.
Where: 336 Riley St, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
When: Available daily from 12pm.
Price: From $38.
5. The Lord Nelson, The Rocks
Promising to bring back “the classic British Sunday roast”, the Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel in The Rocks invites you to get cosy in front of their fireplace with a freshly poured, English-style ale.
Tuck into the Solo Roast ($35), featuring a weekly rotating roast meat, crispy potatoes, seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and indulgent gravy, or opt for the table for the Shared Roast between two ($70), showcasing three rotating meats and all the best trimmings.
Where: 19 Kent St, The Rocks NSW 2000.
When: Available all Sunday.
Price: Roasts from $35.
6. The Glebe Hotel, Glebe
The Glebe Hotel keeps things fresh with a rotating Sunday roast that changes each week. One week you might find a turkey ballotine with pork sausage, pine nut and sage stuffing, orange-glazed ham and all the proper trimmings; the next, it’s pressed lamb shoulder served with a minted pea croquette, rich lamb jus and the traditional accompaniments.
If this isn’t for you, they also offer a regular roast beef or nut roast option, which is best washed down with a glass of mulled wine.
Where: 63 Bay St, Glebe NSW 2037.
When: From 12pm until sold out.
Price: Roasts start at $35.
7. The Old Fitz, Woolloomooloo
Sunday roasts at the Old Fitz coincide with their live jazz evenings, making it the perfect wintery reset before you start a new week. Another pub that scores high on ambience, The Old Fitz offers roasted pork shoulder, roast chicken or a veggie-friendly roast pumpkin, served with potatoes, Yorkshire pud, glazed carrots, cavolo nero and gravy. If you’re feeling extra, start with fresh oysters or their smoked trout rillettes.
Where: 129 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011.
When: Sundays at 12pm until sold out.
Price: Roasts from $28.
8. Rocker, Bondi
Perched above the iconic Bondi Beach, Rocker offers a Sunday roast experience that’s both traditional and uniquely coastal. Their menu features options like wagyu beef rump, free-range pork belly and marinated roasted pumpkin, all accompanied by Yorkshire puddings, honey-roasted carrots, their “famous roast potatoes” and other seasonal veggies.
If that all doesn’t sound like enough, the ‘BIG Roast’ comes with both beef and pork, served with pigs in blankets, apple sauce, horseradish and a generous jug of gravy, all for $74. Or you can opt for the Sunday Sharer for Two, which consists of the BIG Roast, a side of cauliflower cheese and two drinks (house wine or beer) for $99.
Where: 5/39-53 Campbell Parade,
North Bondi NSW 2026.
When: Roasts available every Saturday and Sunday.
Price: Roasts start at $35.
Cover Image: Three Blue Ducks roast. (Image: Ethan Smart).
