Ultimate Food Guide to: Dublin’s Best Sunday Roast/Carvery
Words: Emily Mullen
After much racking of brains, trawling of the internet and broken down email threads we are proud to present, The Ultimate Dublin Food Guide, Sunday Roast/Carvery edition! A guide that cuts through the mire of food and drink reviews made by every Tom, Dick and Harry, with opposable thumbs and access to 3G.
While we don’t quite have the same cultish affection for the Sunday Roast/Carvery as our neighbours across the water, Dubs have a particular soft spot for them. The meat (chicken, beef or ham) thickly cut, piled with potatoes in many forms, scoops of veg and thick gravy ladled on with abandon can be a pretty special experience.
For many, it’s a Sunday tradition not to be missed, for others it’s a treat during the week depending on the day. The institutions that provide them are revered, their names whispered from ear to ear with a breathy mouth, “there’s a lovely carvery there”.
The ritual of going for a carvery or Sunday Roast is a rite of passage, there’s something about going out for an enormous plate of food that’s pretty similar to your companions, that provides the right environment for a bonding experience. Tackling that plate that’s been piled high and not only conquering it but asking for extra gravy, can sometimes equate to overcoming some of life’s greatest challenges together.
Pointing to this reverence, ex-Chapter One head chef Eric Matthews told us that when he was young, he was brought out “to a carvery every Sunday like church”.
The answers have been thickly cut, scooped onto a plate and poured with gravy. Into your hungry little mouth let us shovel The Ultimate Food Guide to Dublin’s best Sunday Roast/Carvery:
The Pre-Flight Carvery
Located two minutes away from Dublin Airport, The Coachman’s takes on a strange tradition for some Dubliners, who visit the place before a flight out of the country. Grabbing the last available plate of meat, spuds and veg before jetting off. The portion sizes are pretty big even in carvery terms, ordering a Half Portion is about the same as a standard plate elsewhere. Coachman’s was on Eric Matthews top carvery list.
Location:
Cloghran’s Airport Road
Opening times:
Monday-Saturday 11.00-23.30
Sunday 12.00-23.00
Carvery daily from 13.00-20.00
For more information visit the website.
For a Sunday Roast With a Nice Wine List
The Wild Goose can be found in the upstairs of McSorleys on Sandford Road. The little bistro does a great Sunday roast spread, it also doubles as a wine bar and has a pretty approachable wine list attached to it. Diners can choose from two or three courses for the Sunday lunch which includes veggie and pescatarian friendly options, alongside the signature supreme of chicken, that comes with roast diced potato, garden peas, carrots, chorizo, pine nuts and a red wine jus. A glass of wine is advised to wash down this feast, with the team on hand to recommend the best pairings. The Wild Goose was on Mister S co-owner Paul McVeigh’s list of top Sunday feeds.
Location:
Ranelagh’s 1 Sandford Road
Opening times:
Tuesday-Saturday 17.30-22.00
Sunday 13.00-20.00
For more information visit the website.
The Hotel Carvery
This spot wouldn’t be first on people’s minds when thinking of a Sunday dinner, but those in the know will tell you that hotels have some of the finest carveries in Ireland. This historic hotel serves up as traditional a carvery as you are likely to get in town. Caitriona Devery told us, “Wynn’s is close to my heart as I sometimes meet my parents there when they come up from Offaly. My dad can’t walk so far so he can alight the Luas and he’s immediately carvery-ready. It feels like stepping into another era. The carvery is decent, although my dad usually complains about Dublin portion size, and the price (anyone charging more than he pays in the Bridge House in Tullamore he denotes as ‘three prices’)”
Location:
Dublin 1’s 35-39 Abbey Street Lower
Opening times:
Visit the website.
The Historical Sunday Roast
Locations don’t get much more Ritz-y than the Bank Bar on College Green, set in a former bank built in 1894, the spot is filled with historical features. Alongside being a bar, the team also serve food, including a Sunday roast, with their Cote De Boeuf being the most popular, the 28-day dry-aged piece is served with roasted root veg, onion rings and mash, is supposed to serve two, but when in the Bank sharing goes out the window. Influencer and cookery book co-author James Kavanagh told us that though he loves a homemade Sunday dinner, “The Bank on College Green do a lovely one.”
Location:
Dublin 2’s 20-22 College Green
Opening times:
Monday-Sunday 11.00-22.00
For more information visit the website.
The Meat Lover’s Paradise
F.X. Buckley is a name synonymous with quality meat in this city. The butchers turned restauranteurs, supply some of the city’s best spots with their meat. When you manage to overlook ordering the Buckley’s famous beef Wellington, their Sunday roast comes with all the trimmings, great big slices of beef, veg, roasties, a great big Yorkshire pudding, with gravy in a little separate container. Niall Sabongi was a big fan of the roast in F.X. Buckley’s spot on Pembroke street.
Locations:
For more information visit the website.
The Business District Carvery
The 51 is a popular spot for a lunchtime carvery, serving all the hungry workers within a several mile radius. The plate comes with all the trimmings including on occasion cranberry sauce, stuffing and sliced cabbage, while there are three types of meat to choose from and rumour has it if you ask nicely they will give you a slice of each. The food fan and presenter on FM104 told us there’s “nothing better than walking to the 51 on Haddington road for their Sunday carvery. I get all the trimmings… extra mash, extra roasties, extra gravy… their turkey and ham is beautiful”.
Location:
Dublin 4’s 51 Haddington Road
Opening times:
Monday 12.00-23.30
Tuesday-Saturday 12.00-23.00
Sunday 12.30-19.00
For more information visit the website.
District’s Unofficial Official Carvery of Choice
A Dublin institution for over 110 years, the spot on the Drumcondra Road Lower also has a pretty beautiful old-school Victorian interior. But carvings and stained glass aren’t all Fagan’s has to offer, the pub serves up a great carvery. Their plates have all the hallmarks of a traditional carvery, the meat, roasties, boiled veg, stuffing, lashings of gravy, but they also have a bit of an edge to them, sometimes there’s the option of a scoop of champ. The team at Fagan’s describe the dish as a “staple with the locals”. Eric Matthews and Craig Connolly agreed and gave Fagan’s a shout out.
Location:
Dublin 9’s 146 Drumcondra Road Lower
Opening times:
Monday-Saturday 10.30-23.30
Sunday 12.00- 23.30
For more information visit the website.
The Authentic Experience
After holding a license for over 300 years, O’Neills is an out and out Dublin-boozer. Recently back in action, the lunchtime carvery is back with a bang. Serving up a variety of Irish meats from the roast leg of lamb, collar of bacon or rib of beef, each with different sauces and accompaniments. Craig Connolly, Eric Matthews were fans with Colin Harmon telling us, “it’s hard to look past O’Neills on Suffolk street for an authentic carvery.”
Location:
Dublin 2’s 2 Suffolk Street
Opening times:
Cavery runs from 12.30 – 14.30 Monday – Friday
Visit the website for the pub’s full opening hours.
The Fancy Sunday Roast
This isn’t the only Ultimate Dublin Food Guide list this restaurant has frequented. The inclusion in these lists, have all demonstrated Locks’ outstanding treatment of Irish meat. The team offer up a Sunday Roast, the stand-out being the salt aged Delmonico-style rib eye from Peter Hannan, served with chips, onion rings and what the team describe as “a few bits & bobs to share”. Paul McVeigh was a card-carrying fan alongside Eric Matthews who told us, “now I wouldn’t call it a carvery its probably a carvery/roast sitting there with a big rib of beef or lamb whatever it is- it’s just a fabulous spot to sit and enjoy. Chris Maguire who is the head chef is one of the best chefs in Dublin, he’s a very passionate guy and yeah I love it.”
Location:
Portobello’s 1 Windsor Terrace
Opening times:
Wednesday-Thursday 17.30-21.30
Friday-Saturday 12.30-14.30; 17.30-21.30
Sunday 12.00-16.00
For more information visit the website.
The Undisputed Sunday Roast Winner
It was tough to topple The Old Spot of the top position. The team out in Bath Avenue have dedicated themselves to serving the best Sunday Roast in the business. Opened in 2012, the ol’ spot has become a regular haunt for after-work patrons, sports fans and local residents alike. Hungry visitors can opt to start with some small plates (the highlight being the Carlingford Lough oysters with shallot vinaigrette), and finish with a dessert, these two bookend the roast with all the trimmings. The backbone of the roast comes from Pat McLoughlin’s dry-aged sirloin plated up with duck fat roast potatoes, roast carrots, cauliflower cheese, a much appreciated Yorkshire Pudding and a container of gravy. The Gastropub was a hit with the likes of Eric Matthews, Paul McVeigh, Dan Hannigan and Andy Noonan who told us he had plans to hit up The Old Spot imminently.
Location:
Dublin 4’s 4 Bath Avenue
Opening times:
Serving Sundays from 13.00-20.00, for more information on opening times visit the website.
Honourable mentions: Ashton’s in Clonskeagh, The Yacht, Richmond and The Garden Room.
