There’s something a little ritualistic about settling down on a Sunday for a gigantic roast dinner in Cardiff. You’ve worked hard all week and now nothing is going to satisfy you quite like a monstrous portion of roasted happiness.
Our ongoing love affair with roasts has evolved over the years to include instagrammable veg, giant yorkies and hipster gravy boats. No longer will we have to endure lumpy gravy and soggy broccoli - we want glistening joints, posh presentation and a smoked salmon starter.
Dining establishments have responded to our new, Sunday dinner standards by upping their roast game, you can now find some cracking roast dinners across our fair city, you can pick a different very every Sunday and eat your way around if you so wish.
Read more: The most indulgent and delicious tasting menus in Wales right now
And we know that no one makes a roast that's as good as your mam's, but here are our picks of the places we think do some of the best Sunday roasts in Cardiff (in no particular order).
Meanwhile, if you're after the best grub for other days of the week in Cardiff you can try out our definitive guide to eating in the city.
Heaney's
Heaney's is a laid back bar and restaurant brought to the leafy suburbs of Pontcanna by chef Tommy Heaney. Dining in Heaney's is somewhat of a culinary experience in Cardiff and the chef has had heaps of praise for his exquisite culinary skills.
Their set Sunday lunch is £27 for two courses and £32 for three courses. Expect beautifully prepared and cooked dishes such as Dry Aged Beef, Cornish Skate Wing and Chalk Stream Trout Ceviche.
Where: 6-10 Romilly Crescent, Cardiff.
Society Standard
You'd know if you followed this Whitchurch Road bar on Instagram that they love doing roasts and are pretty efficient at making multiple Yorkshire puddings.
Their banging Sunday roasts are available from 12.30pm until sold out, choose from beef sirloin, pork loin or Seitan, all served with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, roasted root veg, red cabbage, gravy jus & cauliflower.
Where: 79-81 Whitchurch Road.
Chapel 1877
Sunday dining opulence can be found in Cardiff in the form of Chapel 1877, a fine dining restaurant within a gorgeous converted chapel.
It’s not often you enter a restaurant and are immediately impressed by your surroundings, but Chapel is a standout venue in terms of elegant design. It’s all gloriously high ceilings, beautifully restored ornate features, chandeliers and gorgeous lighting. They also have a smashing terrace where you can enjoy their sublime roasts.
All their roasts come with garlic & rosemary roasted potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, lemon & thyme roasted carrots, hispi cabbage, peas, French beans, broccoli and gravy. Choose from 28-day aged sirloin of beef, half a roast chicken with sage & onion pork belly, or Mushroom & cashew nut Wellington.
Where: Churchill Way, Cardiff.
The Grange
The Grange has a hip interior for dining and a large, inviting beer garden featuring traditional benches that are perfect for a Sunday catch up with friends. They serve outstanding roast dinners and also have a selection of real ale, craft beer and fine wine.
Their Sunday roasts are served between noon and 4pm and booking is essential as they are a very popular place for Sunday dining. Typical dishes include roast beef, roast herb chicken and mushroom and leek and per las loaf.
Where: 134 Penarth Road, Cardiff.
The Cricketers
Set in a classic Victorian townhouse, The Cricketers offers a seasonal menu and only uses local suppliers. Sunday lunch is a big event at The Cricketers and they always recommend reserving a table early!
There's great variety on the Sunday lunch set menu, ranging from the traditional roast beef with Yorkshire pudding to their popular Cricketers' beef burger topped with cwrw rarebit, smoked bacon, onion rings and tomato jam.
Where: 66 Cathedral Road, Pontcanna.
Potted Pig
Dine underground in style in a former bank vault at this highly acclaimed Cardiff restaurant. The Potted Pig is a hip place for a Sunday dinner session, with its rather stripped back, cool interior that’s all high ceilings, exposed brickwork, low lighting and original bank features.
All their exported cooked roasts are served with roasties, seasonal vegetables, cauliflower cheese, yorkshire pudding and proper gravy. Choose from confit pork belly, pressed lamb shoulder, braised beef brisket or Glamorgan sausages.
Where: 27 High Street, Cardiff.
The Conway
The Conway is a family-friendly pub that has a traditional bar area, a living room style dining room and cosy fireside sofas.
They offer a varied Sunday menu, offering the traditional - roast ribeye, Yorkshire pud and red wine jus, as well as the less conventional - roast fillet of grey mullet on crushed new potatoes and sweetcorn.
Where: 58 Conway Road, Cardiff.
The Lansdowne
The Lansdowne pub in Canton is known for its tasty homemade food and great atmosphere - and they also do a great roast.
You can expect the traditional roast meats, as well as dishes like butternut and cashew roast, all served with proper Yorkshires, roast potatoes and parsnips, seasonal veg, proper gravy and cauliflower cheese.
Where: 71 Beda Road, Canton.
Laguna
Those looking for a swanky Sunday should head straight to Park Plaza for an upmarket dining experience in their Laguna bar. Enjoy a three-course Sunday menu, created using the finest of ingredients, from a classy menu that changes with the seasons.
Typical choices include roast loin of Usk Valley pork, with wholegrain mustard mash and caramelised shallot & wild mushroom wellington.
Where: Park Plaza Hotel, Greyfriars Road.
Porro
Porro is located in the 'burbs of Llandaff and serves up modern British food, inspired by Italian cooking. Their menu includes some impressive and pretty plates of food, lovingly made using locally sourced products from as many independent and local suppliers as possible
With all the trimmings and proper gravy, their roast dinners are definitely worth a Sunday punt. Choose from roasted lemon & thyme chicken, Welsh topside of beef Welsh pork belly or leg of Welsh lamb.
Where: High Street, Llandaff.
Anna-Loka
Anna Loka's mission is to bring you the tastiest, freshest vegan food in Cardiff.
It's an essential vegan option in the city for Sunday dining. Anna-Loka's nut roast comes with all the essentials you want in a Sunday dinner. Feast upon baked herb tempeh or Seitan with seasonal root vegetables, roasties, mushrooms and homemade gravy.
Where: 114 Albany Road.
Heathcock
Popular gastro-pub The Heathcock brings the classic Sunday lunch from the Hare & Hounds at Aberthin (its sister pub) into the capital with a bang.
Succulent Torgelly beef is totally lush, but the opportunity to tuck into one of their sharing dishes, like braised lamb or whole brill must not be missed. Their menu changes regularly, so you'll
Where: 58-60 Bridge Street, CF5 2EN
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