Eater posted an article about finding a Sunday Roast in New York City and I felt aggrieved! One of my favorite things about living in London, and the UK in general, is the cult of the Sunday Roast.
A Sunday Roast is a special artefact of culture, where you eat a ridiculously heavy and indulgent meal at a slightly odd time (the non-scientific optimal roast time is 2pm) and prioritise drinking, leisure, and general indulgence. Imagine if you had American thanksgiving, but every Sunday instead of once a year!
I find it to be a mirror of British culture — prioritising respite, centering friends and family, getting hammered (if you like), going for a walk after, and generally enjoying the present. So, I feel that the search for a Sunday Roast in New York City feels wrong, because what makes a roast so special is the terroir of a cozy pub in a perpetually overcast city and the promise of a reflective stroll through the Heath afterwards with friends.
When I moved to the UK from America, and specifically to London from New York City, I felt a shift in how I engaged with work and “the hustle.” New York City is a city where you get things done. Everyone is literally hustling, trying to build as much social and financial capital as possible, and at times it can all feel a bit overwhelming. Although London is (although increasingly, was) a center of international business and capital, the mentality towards work life balance is different.
If there’s a spectrum with living to work at one end, and working to live at the other, NYC falls squarely at one end and some small town in Italy might fall at the other end, and I’d find London somewhere in the middle. People here must work to live — remember, we’re in the midst of a cost of living crisis (“cozzie livs”) and London is still one of the most expensive cities in the world. But, I observe a greater mindset of balance in those who work the average soul-draining office job than I did to my same peers in New York.
And so, when I’m at a roast with my British friends — I don’t find myself seeping into Sunday Scaries and stressed about the work week ahead, but embracing the moment, feeling connected, and enjoying my yorkshire pudding.
As a parting gift, my five favorite roasts in London.
The Bull and Last - My favorite roast in London. Excellent on all parts, but a bit more spendy. Be sure to book far in advance and plan to take a walk in gorgeous Hampstead Heath before or after.
The Colonel Fawcett - Unassuming pub in Camden with an excellent, yet well-priced Sunday Roast. Also home to some of the best sticky toffee pudding I’ve tried.
The Drapers Arms - A classic cozy pub tucked away in a Barnsbury back street. Particularly good for large sharing roasts, so go with a group.
The Hero of Maida - A delightful pub in Maida Vale near Little Venice, with the best lamb roast I’ve had.
The Camberwell Arms - A lively and modern gastropub in the South. Excellent meats and sharing plates, with only a ding for not always serving Yorkshire puddings.
Feel free to reach out with your favorites — lola dot agabalogun at gmail dot com.