Beef with dripping-roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and proper gravy, the meal Bristol takes so seriously that its most famous roast books out a year ahead.

The Sunday roast is a national ritual, but Bristol turned it competitive. The Bank Tavern's roast won national attention after the Observer Food Monthly named it among Britain's best Sunday lunches in 2019, and its bookings now sell out about a year in advance. Across the city, pubs measure themselves against it, from Henbury's Blaise Inn to the Ox's basement dining room, while vegan kitchens plate their own versions.

Where to eat West Country Sunday roast in Bristol

4 editor picks for West Country Sunday roast in Bristol, ranked by editorial score. All Bristol signature dishes · West Country Sunday roast across every city.

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Make it at home

Serves Serves 42 hr 15 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg topside or sirloin of beef
  • 1kg floury potatoes, peeled and halved
  • 4 tablespoons beef dripping or vegetable oil
  • 140g plain flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 200ml whole milk
  • 500ml beef stock
  • 1 tablespoon flour for the gravy
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 220C. Season the beef all over, sear it hard in a roasting tray, then roast for 15 minutes before dropping to 170C for 40 minutes for medium-rare. Rest under foil for 30 minutes.
  2. Parboil the potatoes for 8 minutes, shake them rough in the colander, then roast in smoking dripping at 200C for about 50 minutes, turning once.
  3. Whisk flour, eggs, milk and a pinch of salt into a smooth batter and rest it. Pour into a muffin tin of smoking-hot fat and bake 20 to 25 minutes without opening the door.
  4. Make gravy in the beef tray: stir flour into the juices, cook out for a minute, then whisk in stock and simmer until glossy.
  5. Carve the rested beef thinly and serve everything hot, gravy last.

Editor tip. Rest the beef longer than feels right, a full 30 minutes; the difference between a good roast and a great one is mostly patience.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs.