What’s better than a roast dinner? A roast dinner where you don’t have to wash up after.
Nothing fends off the Sunday scaries quite like a proper roast dinner in Manchester. We’re talking crispy roast potatoes, towering Yorkshire puddings, rich gravy and beautifully cooked meat (or cracking veggie options), all served up in some of the city’s best pubs and restaurants. From indulgent hotel dining rooms to cosy neighbourhood locals, here’s where to book the very best Sunday roasts in Manchester right now.
Quick picks: Best Sunday Roasts in Manchester
The Refuge
Credit: The Refuge
Situated in the plush Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, glamourous Refuge is the perfect place to spend your Sunday. Their widely-acclaimed roast dinners come two ways – individually or as a platter for two. Go solo and you can pick from slow-cooked rump of beef, garlic & thyme roast chicken or porchetta, all £29, while vegans can tuck into a sublime Wellington for £20.
But it’s all about the trimmings. We’re talking garlic and Maldon salt roast potatoes, glazed carrots, buttered greens, carrot and swede purée, Yorkshire pudding and beef jus. The pièce de résistance? Their famous Vimto red cabbage for the ultimate Mancunian twist.
Team up for their epic roast dinner platter and you’ll get all three meats, all of the trimmings and the added decadence of their seriously good cauliflower cheese, all for £69 between two. Wash it down with an expertly made Bloody Mary for the ultimate Sunday session. You can even get a mini-roast for your dog!
Where: Oxford Street, Manchester, M60 7HA.
Book it: refugemcr.co.uk
Mr Tom’s Chophouse
Steeped in Victorian charm, Mr Tom’s Chophouse is one of the most historic restaurants in Manchester, and the ideal choice for a cosy Sunday lunch. Step inside and you’ll find a long, slim room, all high ceilings, ornate woodwork and tiled floors.
Their roast dinners are classic, hearty and easy on the pocket. Choose from melt-in-your-mouth sirloin of beef (£21.50), half roast chicken (£19.50) or crispy pork belly (£22), while vegans can enjoy a mushroom Wellington for £19.
Whichever you go for, it’ll arrive with honey roasted root veg, carrot & swede mash, crispy roast potatoes, tangy pickled red cabbage and a great big Yorkshire pudding – finished off with lashings of rich gravy. It truly is a real gem of a Sunday dinner.
Where? 52 Cross Street, Manchester, M2 7AR.
Book it: tomschophouse.com
Hawksmoor
Credit: Hawksmoor
Not content with being one of the best steak restaurants in Manchester, Hawksmoor’s Sunday offering is also well worth writing home about. If you’re looking for sophistication, first-class service and seriously succulent meat, it’s definitely one to add to your list. And don’t worry if you’re veggie – while they don’t offer a meat-free roast, you can order from their a la carte.
It goes without saying that beef is the star of the show. The sole roast option is slow roast rump, served tender and pink for £29.50. As for the trimmings, expect beef dripping roast potatoes, a crisp-yet-fluffy Yorkshire, carrots, greens and roasted garlic – a refined addition. The bone marrow & onion gravy adds a wonderfully umami finish.
Want to go all out? Go for the Sunday feasting option, available for groups of two or more, and you can get any of Hawksmoor’s blackboard sharing cuts with trimmings for the advertised price plus £9.50. Only one question remains – will you add on the bone marrow stuffing? The answer is always yes.
Where? 184 – 186 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3WB.
Book it: thehawksmoor.com/locations/manchester
Elnecot
Credit: Elnecot/Just Jess Eating
Over in Ancoats, Elnecot’s Sunday lunch ticks all the boxes. Floor-to-ceiling windows, soft lighting and exposed brick offer an industrial aesthetic befitting the neighbourhood bar’s location, while attentive staff deliver service with a smile.
As for the food, it’s up there with the best. Meat comes four ways – dry-aged beef topside (£23), lemon, thyme & butter roasted chicken with confit leg (£21), crispy, slow-roast pork belly (£21) or slow-roasted shoulder of lamb (£22). Vegan? There’s a nut & squash roast for £18.50.
And the trimmings aren’t an afterthought. The roast potatoes are wonderfully crunchy, the Yorkshires ultra-puffy, the pork stuffing packed with flavour. Veg comes in the form of roasted carrots & parsnips and sautéed greens, while broccoli cheese serves up a tasty alternative to the norm. Drench it with thick, rich gravy – bliss.
Where: Cutting Room Square, 41 Blossom Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 6AJ.
Book it: elnecot.com
Jane Eyre
Credit: Jane Eyre
For a banging roast dinner in the ‘burbs, Chorlton’s Jane Eyre is pick of the bunch. Situated on buzzing Beech Road, the friendly neighbourhood bar serves up a real community feel, alongside a killer soundtrack and a fantastic cocktail menu. Bonus points for being dog-friendly.
Their Sunday offering comes as a two (£31) or three-course (£35) affair. Starters include the likes of smoked mackerel with roast beetroot and crème fraîche, but it’s all about the mains. Choose from roast sirloin, confit pork belly or chicken supreme, with veggies getting a nut roast.
All roasts come with roasties, stuffing, roasted carrots, root vegetable mash, greens, Yorkshire pud and gravy, but veggie roasts get their own vegan stuffing and Yorkshire pudding, and the roast potatoes aren’t cooked in beef fat. Going for dessert? It has to be sticky toffee pudding.
Where? 60 Beech Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 9EG.
Book it: thejaneeyre.co.uk
Evelyn’s
Credit: Evelyn’s
The ever-popular Evelyn’s is one of the best places for a Sunday lunch in Manchester. You’ll have to book in advance to secure your spot, but it’s worth it for a chance to tuck into a divine roast dinner, served in their dreamy, plant-filled cafe bar.
There are three meaty roasts to go at, each with a unique twist. There’s beef sirloin with a mustard rub (£22), harissa buttermilk roast chicken (£19) or lamb in a Moroccan marinade (£22.50). For veggies, the puy lentil Wellington comes with its own gravy for £16.
Trimmings are top drawer. Giant Yorkshire puddings, caramelised carrots, roast potatoes and cavolo nero, served with as much gravy as you like (seriously, don’t be afraid to ask for more!). Amp up the Middle Eastern vibes with a side order of hispi cabbage or treat yourself to their triple cauli cheese.
Where? 44 Tib Street, Manchester, M4 1LA.
Book it: evelyns.co
Albert’s Schloss
Most known as a lively late-night bier hall, Albert’s Schloss’ Cook Haus serves up a killer Sunday roast – it’s one of the best in Manchester. It’s loud and lively, but if you like your outings with a side of live music, this one’s for you.
Their Sunday luncheon is served four ways There’s dry-aged rump of beef, roast Cumbrian chicken with stuffing or a gigantic caraway-roasted pork knuckle. Vegan? It’s a butternut squash spinach en croute with vegetable gravy.
Trimmings are served family-style, so prepare to pile your plate high. There’s crispy roast potatoes, creamy root vegetable mash, broccoli, cauliflower and peas and lashings of proper gravy. It’s a lot, but nothing a stein or two won’t help you with. Prost!
Where? 27 Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5QR.
Book it: albertsschloss.com
Abel Heywood
Credit: Abel Heywood
For a more laidback experience, Abel Heywood serves up quality food and a reliably great pint, with all the charm of a traditional Mancunian pub. With board games to play while you wait, it’s one of the Northern Quarter’s hidden gems.
Their roasts are seriously good. Choose from 12-hour roast beef with creamed horseradish (£18.50), roasted skin-on chicken breast or turkey with stuffing (£17.75), belly pork with stuffing (£18.50), or a sweet potato, chickpea and cranberry parcel (£17.75). Upgrade to a duo of meats and it’ll be £20.50. Each comes with veg, roasties, Yorkshire and super-thick gravy.
But for us, it’s the sharing platter every time – yours for £41.95 between two. And it’s no joke. Beef, ham, chicken and turkey, all stacked with stuffing, pigs in blankets, creamy mash, roasties, parsnips, carrot & swede, red cabbage, greens, Yorkshire puddings and bottomless gravy. See you there on Sunday.
Where? 38 Turner Street, Manchester, M4 1DZ.
Book it: abelheywood.co.uk
Volta
Technically Volta’s second entry on the list, their West Didsbury home provides a laidback alternative to their Sunday service at Refuge. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, cosy without being cramped. There’s a reason people travel from far and wide to visit.
Take your pick from a quintet of roasts – salt-aged rump of beef (£21.50), pork belly with crackling (£21.50), rosemary & thyme chicken supreme (£21.50), wild mushroom & spinach Wellington (£19.50) or walnut & almond roast (£19.50).
Each one comes served with two types of potato – roasties and mash – seasonal greens, spiced red cabbage, maple carrots and a giant Yorkshire, then drenched in gravy. Think you can share? Platters serve up all three meats with trimmings for £21.50 a head.
Where? 167 Burton Road, West Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2LN.
Book it: voltafoodanddrink.co.uk
The Firehouse
Credit: The Firehouse
Right up there as one of the top places for a Sunday roast in Manchester, The Firehouse struts its way onto this list with ease. With a focus on slow-fire cooking, they’re famous for their grilled chicken, but their Sunday offering is just as enticing.
Choose from lemon, garlic & thyme chicken, served by the breast (£20) or half (£24), roast pork belly (£20) or beef topside (£22). The oyster mushroom Wellington (£18) is a real treat, but if you’re after a fully-vegan option, you’ll need to ask your server.
Look past the massive Yorkshire pudding and you’ll find roast potatoes, onion & herb stuffing, honey carrots & parsnips, buttery greens and stunning house gravy. And it’d be rude to ignore the side menu – their leek & cauli cheese is worth it for the cheese pull alone.
Where? 40 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JG.
Book it: firehousemcr.com
Waterside
Credit: Waterside
Perched on the Bridgewater Canal in Monton, Waterside is a great choice if you’re looking for a chilled out Sunday lunch on the outskirts of Manchester. With live music to soundtrack your meal, expect a warm and welcoming atmosphere – perfect for group bookings.
A septet of roasts awaits. There’s sirloin of beef (£21.50), honey & mustard gammon (£19.95), turkey (£19.95), or all three for £21.95. But there’s more – chicken breast (£19.50) and a show-stopping roast leg of lamb (£21.95). Goats cheese roasted veg (£17.50) is somewhat of an afterthought – and not suitable for vegans – but tasty nonetheless.
Each one comes served with roast potatoes, homemade Yorkshire pudding, green beans and roasted carrots & parsnips, along with a boat of rich gravy for pouring. And don’t miss the cauliflower cheese – it’s almost too good to share.
Where? 1 Parrin Lane, Eccles, Manchester, M30 8AN.
Book it: watersidebarrestaurant.com
