No Sunday is complete without a roast dinner, and in the glorious county of Kent you’ll be spoilt for choice with fantastic places to go. We pick 15 great places where you can indulge in a roast with all the trimmings, complete with a glass of wine or pint of beer in hand
1. The Poet, Matfield
Be met with a warm welcome at The Poet, and choose from the extensive Sunday menu offering all the classic favourites as well some modern variations. To start, try the king prawn and salmon raviolo, followed by a roasted rump of beef complete with all the trimmings. If you fancy something that little bit different sample the locally caught Matfield trout, and if you’ve still got some room there is a delicious dessert menu that is good enough to get mouths watering. To wash it all down there is an extensive drink selection, offering craft gins and quirky cocktails. The Poet prides itself on sourcing as much of its food from the area as possible, with local meat suppliers including Gunne Butchers and vegetables coming from nearby green-grocers.
2. The George and Dragon, Chipstead
Offering hospitality to locals and visitors alike since the time of Henry VIII, The George and Dragon is a piece of history, and its legacy as a local pub offering great service continues to the present day. The pub maintains excellent relationships with local suppliers, and strongly believes in supporting local businesses in order to ensure the highest standard of food. All meat served on the menu is either free range or organic, and as well as a traditional Sunday roast you could sample the Chart Farm Venison with Jerusalem artichoke. The bar is stocked with a range of beers from the nearby Westerham brewery, and even has its very own pint entitled ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’!
3. The White Rock Inn, Underriver
Nestled in the quiet hamlet of Underriver you will find the traditional country pub The White Rock Inn, complete with its roaring log fires and period oak beams. Sunday lunch is served right through until 6pm, with an a la carte menu that continues until 8pm – roast dinners include the classic selection of beef, chicken and lamb, or a vegetarian alternative such as butternut squash, red pepper and pine nut wellington. Be sure to leave room for Gary’s legendary lemon curd sponge pudding, or the cherry chocolate sundae. All of this can be enjoyed in either the bright and airy restaurant area, or out in the pretty beer gardens, the perfect spot for whiling away a sunny day with a glass of wine in hand.
4. Topes, Rochester
A family run, independent restaurant, Topes will provide you with a warming roast dinner sourced from Kent’s natural pantry. To start you could try the locally produced Necci Farm Pigeon with cauliflower cream, followed by Rodney Marsh roast lamb accompanied by all the usual trimmings. However, if you don’t fancy a roast you won’t be short of other options: there is also basil potato gnocchi on the menu, or pan fried seabass if you would prefer something lighter. Topes is well known for its impressive selection of gins and wines, and every Friday night it transforms into Rochester’s first Gin Palace, offering over 40 premium gins. Its pretty setting in buildings from the 15th, 16th and 17th century gives it a real cosy feel, making it easy to spend the whole day here!
5. The Black Horse Inn, Thurnham
With a delicious lunch menu crafted out of locally grown and sourced products, The Black Horse Inn is the ideal spot for spending a lazy Sunday afternoon. Dishes include roast beef, lamb and chicken accompanied by all the traditional extras, but you could also sample variations such as the BBQ pork belly with celeriac and red cabbage. This cosy country pub has served as a place to eat your fill and lay your head for hundreds of years, and continues to offer comfortable accommodation should you need it. If you feel like walking off your roast dinner, there are a number of local walks in the area to enjoy the beautiful scenery, such as the ruins of the nearby Thurnham Castle.
6. Chapter One, Locksbottom
For an excellent Sunday lunch in a stylish settling, Chapter One ticks all the boxes. Accompanied by a glass of the blood orange almond fizz, try the velouté of button mushrooms to start, followed by a roast air-hung sirloin of beef complete with fantastic Yorkshires. There is also poached and crispy locally caught sole with crushed jersey royals on offer, or for vegetarians there is the Roscoff onion tart tatin. Complementing the fantastic menu, the modern interior is luxurious without being pretentious, and below ground there is a huge wine cellar offering a selection to satisfy even the keenest wine connoisseur.
7. The Vineyard, Lamberhurst
The beautiful setting of this pub in the historic Lamberhurst vineyards means that it should be on everyone’s to-visit list. The extensive Sunday menu is served between 12pm and 5pm, featuring beef, lamb, pork or pine nut roasts to choose from. With any vegetarian or gluten free options on the menu, 25p is donated to the local primary school in order to promote healthy eating in the area. To finish there is a fantastic selection of desserts, including a dark chocolate and avocado mousse if you can fit it in! All of this can be enjoyed in either the rustic interior of this 17th century inn or out in the large beer garden at the rear. With the surrounding Kentish countryside for you to enjoy, this pub is the perfect Sunday retreat.
8. The Moody Mare, Mereworth
This classic gastropub in the pretty village of Mereworth is the ideal spot for kicking back and relaxing on a Sunday, with roast dinners being served all day. Their menu features traditional dishes with a modern twist, such as the lemon roasted chicken breast accompanied by Yorkshire puddings, cauliflower cheese, potatoes and vegetables. If you fancy something a little bit different, there is a varied seafood selection featuring options such as dressed crab. To top it all off the dessert menu offers puddings such as a peanut butter parfait or chocolate orange fondant which are far too good to resist! If you’re feeling the need to work off your roast dinner, go for a wander in the nearby Mereworth Forest.
9. Mu Mu, Maidstone
Have Sunday lunch with a difference at this part time cabaret, part time Sunday Club Cinema and part time eatery, where you’ll be surrounded with eccentric but luxurious décor. Sit below the chandeliers and choose from the mouth-watering Sunday lunch menu – you could try the 28 day matured rump of beef accompanied by both roast potatoes and mash, the ideal way to indulge at the end of the week. If you’re struggling to decide which meat to have, there is the ‘indecisive medley’ featuring beef, pork and turkey. There is also an extensive cocktail menu available from the bar, with all sorts of weird and wonderful recipes – the Nu Nu cocktail comes served in a pineapple!
10. The Hare, Langton Green
Situated in the pretty village of Langton Green is The Hare, a classic country pub with a cosy interior that will make you feel right at home. There is a varied menu offered on a Sunday, featuring delicious options such as roast pork with sage and onion stuffing, and not forgetting the all important Bramley apple sauce! For vegetarians there is a warming homity pie on offer and you can top it all off with a selection from the dessert menu, such as the bread and butter pudding. This pub is also paradise for gin lovers with a wide gin selection on offer. If you fancy exploring the beautiful surrounding area, head out on the four mile circular walk from the pub – this will lead you past Groombridge Place, a stunning manor house, as well as providing you with a chance to explore the beautiful Kentish countryside.
11. The Aperfield Inn, Westerham
Taking its name from the ancient spelling of ‘apple tree field’, this pub truly is steeped in history. Built on the site of a former manor house that was presented by William the Conqueror to his half brother, the Aperfield Inn is now a thriving country pub. The Sunday menu offers variations on all of the hand-carved favourites, such as roast turkey wrapped in bacon with lemon and thyme stuffing, or butternut squash and mushroom tart if you’d prefer a vegetarian option. Sharing platters are also available, or if one meat isn’t enough you can get a medley of beef, turkey and pork loin. You can enjoy your roast in the spacious conservatory area or choose to dine outside on the patio and soak up the sun, complete with a refreshing pint.
12. The Malt Shovel, Dartford
With its open fires and cosy seating area, The Malt Shovel is like a home away from home nestled right in the heart of the community of Dartford. The meat for the Sunday roasts is all reared in the area, with options featuring a boneless leg of lamb, or for vegetarians there is the Stilton, mushroom and onion pudding. The Malt Shovel’s signature dish is its cauliflower cheese, and it is so well-known that the pub is fondly referred to as ‘the home of cauliflower cheese’, so it is a must-try when you visit. Top it all off with a zesty lemon tart or mint chocolate bomb from the mouth-watering pudding selection. Sit back in the pretty beer gardens with a cider and you have the recipe for a perfect Sunday afternoon.
13. The Corner House, Minster
Proud to have been named Kent Restaurant of the Year in both 2015 and 2017, The Corner House in Minster is the ideal place for getting your Sunday roast fix. Sit in the sympathetically decorated restaurant and try the chicken liver parfait with port jelly, followed by a roasted belly of pork complete with all of the trimmings and a delicious cider jus. If you fancy an alternative to the classic roast dinner, you could have the herb crumbed cod with mashed potato, or if you’re feeling hungry there is a whole roast chicken to be shared between two people. Wash it all down with a pint of ale or cider sourced locally at the Ramsgate Brewery, and curl up for a well deserved lazy Sunday afternoon.
14. The Plough at Lewson Street, Faversham
Locals, walkers and families alike will find a haven in the form of The Plough, a traditional inn with original buildings dating back as far as 1260. It is a pocket of character with its oak beams and former fireplaces, and legend has it that a blacksmith once shod his horse at the bar! Today there are unfortunately no horses at the bar, but you can tuck in to a fantastic traditional roast dinner with all the trimmings, with a choice of beef, lamb or chicken. If you are a seafood fan, try the scallops to start with or sample the fillet of plaice with salmon mousse for something different. Children will be kept happy with the climbing frames on offer, while adults can make themselves comfortable in the idyllic beer gardens.
15. The Mulberry Tree, Boughton Monchelsea
Indulge with a tempting Sunday lunch in the comfort of The Mulberry Tree, a contemporary country restaurant and bar. Sit on the sun-soaked terrace and try the smoked cheese croquettes for your starter, or perhaps the salmon and watercress salad will take your fancy. For your main course there is a great selection of locally reared meats, all from within the Kent countryside – try the loin of pork with Bramley apple sauce and crackling, or alternatively there is the South Coast sea bream. For the perfect accompaniment to your meal, choose from the extensive wine list featuring many ‘new world’ wines from smaller vineyards.
