Top 5 Sunday Roasts in Cambridge
The stuff of Sunday Lunch dreams, head to Cambridge for your roastie fix
By Maisy Farren | Updated Jul 17 2024
A side of beef with a handful of parsnips. A lamb shoulder with a healthy dollop of mint sauce. This is the stuff that Sundays are made of - and if you’re in Cambridge, you have a fair selections of roasts from which to choose. Pick up your forks and get those carving knives sharpened: here is our list of the best Sunday roasts on offer in Cambridge.
Image credit: St. John's Chop House via Facebook
21-24 Northampton St, Cambridge CB3 0AD
Don’t worry: the Chophouse isn’t as grizzly as it sounds - quite the opposite in fact. This meat-specialist bistro is part of Cambs Cuisine, the city’s finest gastro dining chain, and their cosy St. John's site serves a selection of particularly succulent roasts at the weekend. On the Sunday lunch menu are all the traditional favourites - pork belly (£14.50), lamb shoulder (£15.50), beef striploin (£15.75)- each delivered with roast veg & potatoes and a Yorkshire pudding. They also offer a vegan nut roast with all the regular roast dinner trimmings for £14. It’s a clean-cut pub-restaurant that mixes refinement with heartiness, a good choice for a fancy family day out.
The Granta. Photo Credit: Jim Linwood.
The Granta
14 Newnham Rd, Cambridge CB3 9EX
Granta is a local name for the green areas to the south of Cambridge leading to the Grantchester Meadows, and this elegant pub is one of the best drinking spots in the neighbourhood. The Sunday roast lacks a little in choice: there is only one option on offer. The meat served changes week on week, and vegetables vary with the season, however it only costs £10.99 and is served all day. The real highlight of the Granta, however, is their location. The bar overlooks an idle section of the Cam and punts can be hired from just below the overhanging veranda. The wooden decking of the outdoor dining area is nestled amongst the weeping willows and sedate waterways - the perfect place to eke out a sunny Sunday.
The Red Lion
33 High Street, Grantchester, Cambridgeshire, CB3 9NF
Traditional country pub set a 20-minute walk along The Cam from Cambridge, a lovely way to shake the cobwebs away from the night before. This thatched roof pub has a huge beer garden for summer and cosy fireplace for the rest of the year and offer a quality gourmet grub food menu. They pride themselves on using seasonal ingredients and local produce. Their priciest option is lamb rump at £21, and they also offer rump of beef for £18, roast pork at £16 and, of course, roast chicken for £16. Their veggie option is a McSweens Veggie Haggis wellington (£14) with all the trimmings.
Image credit: Pint Shop via Facebook
The Pint Shop
10 Peas Hill, Cambridge CB2 3PN
Of the plethora of chic microbreweries that have popped up in Cambridge in the last few years, The Pint Shop has proved one of the most successful. The bar inhabits a Grade-II listed building in the heart of the city and has been stylishly decorated with pop art and alternative photos. On Sundays, their surprisingly gourmet menu of charcoal grill mains give way to the more traditional roasts - beef, pork and chicken are all on offer. The team of chefs give particular care to the veg and potatoes, all beautifully tender and glazed; and the gravy is always extra flavoursome. Enjoy one course for £16, two for £22 or 3 for £26, and get a kids roast for only £7.
​​​​​​​The Plough
Green End, Fen Ditton, Cambridge, CB5 8SX
Journey to the other side of the city and visit The Plough, another gourmet pub nestled in Cambridge countryside. This picturesque selection is a favourite destination for locals escaping the city. The tavern’s spacious garden backs out down to the north section of the Cam, and plenty of tables and verandas litter the green lawn. Their Sunday roast boasts smoked beef dripping roasted potatoes and bottomless gravy, and you can choose from roast beef (£15.95), chicken (£13.95), pork loin (£13.95) or lamb rump (£17.50). For the veggies they offer a fig and dolcelatte nut roast (£12.95), and they offer an optional side of cauliflower cheese. They also offer their regular menu throughout the day, meaning your entire party doesn’t have to commit to the roast!