Where to find Sydney’s best Sunday roasts

The traditional Sunday Roast is more than a meal; it’s a chance to meet up with family and friends over something familiar — even when its reinvented. Explore the best Sunday roasts with Sydney Eat Street.

The Dove & Olive offers a traditional Sunday roast with all the trimmings ... as well as a pint. Picture: Jenifer Jagielski

The traditional Sunday Roast is more than a meal; it’s a chance to meet up with family and friends over something familiar — even when its reinvented. Explore the best Sunday roasts with Sydney Eat Street.

Forrester’s

The Forrester's Big Yorkie. Picture: Kitti Gould

It’s a match made in pub grub heaven – a classic roast and Yorkshire pudding all in one., “We love a good roast at Forrester’s, and Yorkshire pudding is always a crowd favourite, ”says Patrick Friesen, Applejack Culinary Director. “So, we thought, why not make it the star of the show? That’s how The Big Yorkie was born. Customers can’t get enough of it, and it’s one of our most popular dishes. The best part is you don’t have to wait for Sunday – we serve it every day of the week.” This bowl-sized Yorkshire pudding is filled with the week’s roast, seasonal veggies, crispy potatoes, and generous pours of yummy gravy. ($35pp, Available every day till sold out).

336 Riley St, Surry Hills; forresters.com.au

Dove & Olive Hotel

The Dove & Olive’s traditional Sunday roast accompanied by a pint. Picture: Jenifer Jagielski

The Dove and Olive Hotel had long been a place to grab a bite and a beer, but it took a massive renovation in 2019 to bring this 150-year-old hotel up to inner-city pub standards. It’s still a lively watering hole frequented by both locals and visitors, only now there’s more seating, including an expansive upstairs terrace, the addition of craft beers (they were one of the first pubs in Sydney to feature local craft beers), and a polished pub menu including a traditional Sunday Roast. “We first tried to make it (the roasts) a bit fancy. But when you do that, you start to lose the tradition of the meal itself”. Chris explains how they used to rotate between beef, lamb, and pork but ultimately stuck with beef, lamb, and a vegetarian loaf with veggies and housemate Yorkshire pudding. “We realised how popular the Sunday roasts had become, so we extended it throughout the weekend”. ($29.90pp).

156 Devonshire St, Surry Hills; doveandolive.com.au

Bistro Moncur

Bistro Moncur’s Sunday Rosbif. Picture: Supplied

A staple in Sydney’s French dining scene, Bistro Moncur has offered refined bistro fare from the same Woollahra corner for over 30 years. Its enduring French menu, crafted with locally sourced ingredients, is complimented by a timeless elegance with its defining warm wood tones, curved vaulted ceiling, and monochromatic mural.

Restaurant Manager Simon Tebbs says, “Winter is a time for warming comfort food, and we wanted to be able to offer our French take on the traditional Sunday roast. Using the best of Australia’s seasonal produce and incorporating classic French cuisine, we’ve created the Sunday Rosbif – tender roasted chateaubriand served with fondant potato, braised red cabbage, Vichy carrots and a horseradish jus, accompanied by a classic Yorkshire pudding, all for only $45pp. This elevated version of the family roast is proving to be a weekly favourite for our guests during these colder months.”

116A Queen St, Woollahra; bistromoncur.com.au

Three Blue Ducks Rosebery

The Three Blue Ducks’ lamb shoulder. Picture: Jenifer Jagielski

The Sunday Roast at Three Blue Ducks is more than just food; it reflects the essence of the restaurant’s journey. Founded by three friends who met surfing in Bronte, they opened their first eatery in 2010, emphasising top-quality cuisine and sustainability. They used local produce and grew their own in the kitchen garden. In 2014, they expanded their commitment to sustainability by acquiring The Farm in Byron Bay, where they started their Sunday Roast lunches. This beloved tradition has made its way to their Rosebery location with a hearty lunch of locally sourced grass-fed beef sirloin or roast pork along with Yorkshire pudding, beef fat roasties, and seasonal veggies ($39pp). Or off their Sunday Lunch menu and share the succulent slow-roasted lamb shoulder ($49/$89), seasonal sides, and the requisite confit garlic butter crispy potatoes.

1/85 Dunning Ave, Rosebery; threeblueducks.com

Cardea

Cardea’s selection of Sunday roasts. Picture: Supplied

From the footpath in Barangaroo, Cardea appears to be another sleek restaurant along Barangaroo Ave, but once inside, it reveals authentic speak-easy charm with sparkling chandeliers, an ornate marble-sided bar, and plush red velvet booths, all intertwined with accents of luxurious gold gilding. It’s perfect for creative cocktails, delicious share plates, and live music. Throughout Winter, they’re hosting Sunday Roast and Jazz Night. Executive Head Chef Dario Nencioni has put together a special menu featuring roast pork belly, beef cheek, chicken, and lamb shoulder, along with traditional sides like Yorkshire pudding and baby carrots. For dessert, there’s Sticky Date Pudding. Head over on Sundays from 5:30pm till late for a cosy, elegant evening.

– Shop 2 T3.01, 300 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo; cardeasydney.com.au