11 years on: is it still London’s best Sunday roast?

April 4, 2026

Searching for the best pub food in London is a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially if you’re visiting London for a short trip.

But if you’ve been following Sunny in London for a while, you’ll know that I don’t do “mediocre” and have been working with London restaurants to create food content since 2013.

When I moved to London to work for NBC News, I lived in the heart of Bloomsbury, on the outskirts of Holborn. That’s when I met my husband, Mr. Sunny. He was my cameraman at the time and, as a London-born man, he spent a lot of time researching where to go for a pint and pub grub.

I first reviewed The Ship Tavern in 2015. It is a 475 year old independent London pub. After a recent return to this hidden gem for a Sunday Roast, I can confirm: it has not only maintained its standard. It sets the bar for what a “truly British pub” should be.

A pub where time stands still (in a good way)

If you have already booked a Consultation on a VIP trip to London with me, you know I’m honest. When customers ask for a London pub that feels “authentic”, I point them here.

The Ship Tavern is the kind of place where you half-expect Charles Dickens to walk through the door, shake off his coat, and order a mug of beer. With its dark mahogany paneling and pre-Great Fire of London history, it exudes Dickensian charm without feeling like a theme park.

Before even looking at the main menu, follow Mr. Sunny’s advice. He’s been here countless times and his professional opinion (as a self-proclaimed London pub expert) is that sausage rolls are the elite bar snack. They are legendary, especially during the Christmas holidays.

The main event: a Sunday roast from Smithfield

Although the ambiance is 10/10, we came for the food on our recent visit. We started with the cider battered squid and Black Bomber croquettes. They were really adorable.

But for the main event, we opted for the Butcher’s Board.

It’s a good mix of roast beef, pork and lamb, with meats sourced directly from nearby Smithfield Market. It’s served with all the trimmings: crispy roast potatoes, maple-glazed roots, creamed leeks, spiced apple and red cabbage and a Yorkshire pudding that could double as a satellite dish.

And then there’s the bottomless pitcher of Tavern sauce.

Mr. Sunny has been to some intense news venues, but nothing compares to the concentration he displays when there’s a bottomless pitcher of sauce on the table. It’s rich, dark and exactly what a Sunday in London demands.

London pub food: saving room for pudding

Usually, after a Butcher’s Council, most people surrender. We are not most people.

We finished with the Vanilla Cheesecake and Kraken Rum Sticky Toffee Pudding served with Cornish Clotted Cream. The desserts were simply divine. Kraken Rum adds a spicy, dark twist to the sticky caramel that makes the standard version of this iconic London pub dish boring by comparison.

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Plan your visit at the ship’s tavern

The Ship Tavern is a must in my The 10 best places to eat in London list for a reason.

I have sent countless friends, family and clients here. Some have even returned twice in the same week as the experience is always excellent.

  • Location: 12 Gate St, Holborn (right next to Holborn tube station).
  • Reservation: I highly recommend booking 1-2 weeks in advance if you want a table for the Sunday Roast. They accept walk-ins, but on a busy weekend you might wait a while for a spot.

Want to eat like a local every day?

If you liked the look of this roast, you’re going to want my full list of places to eat in London. Don’t waste your trip eating at the first chain restaurant you see in Leicester Square.

  • The Insider’s Guide to London Restaurants: My handpicked recommendations from British, Asian, French, Greek and Italian cuisines. It includes neighborhood maps (from Soho to Kensington) and my ‘Best Of’ lists for afternoon teas, food streets and of course, pubs to eat.
  • The gourmet pack: Get the Restaurant Guide plus my 3-day London guide to take the stress out of planning.
  • The festive trio– London Christmas Trip Planner: If you are visiting during the holidays, the package including my Christmas Guide is a must. It even includes Mr Sunny’s Secret Sausage Roll Recipe so you can bring some of that iconic London pub food into your own kitchen.
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What do you order when you visit a traditional English pub, Sunny Friends?

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