Bristol dining, compared
The Best Sunday Roasts in Bristol
Looking for the best Sunday roast in Bristol? It can mean anything from dry-aged beef in an atmospheric Old City basement to a harbourside pub right beside the water. To help couples and families choose, we compared the city's most talked-about roasts on food quality, atmosphere, service, value and how easy they are to book. Below are five real Bristol venues ranked from best overall down, each with an indicative price and a clear sense of who it suits.
Our top picks
The Ox
The Kensington Arms
The Ostrich
Researched by WATTB
- Published
- 13 September 2026
- Updated
- 13 September 2026
- Last verified
- 13 September 2026
- Sources
- 8 sources
We research and rank options from public data, official information and published reviews. How we research →
Written by
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page may be affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not influence our rankings or WATTB Scores. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we rank.
How we picked · Rankings draw on official venue menus and pricing, Bristol food press and city guides (VisitBristol, Bristol247, BristolWorld), industry accolades such as the Top 50 Gastropubs, and aggregated public reviews across Tripadvisor and Google, combined with our editorial assessment. Read our full method →- Rank 1The OxWATTB Pick— Best overallWATTB89/100Indicative — roast prices not published online (steakhouse pricing)
- Rank 2The Kensington Arms— Best for a special occasionWATTB89/100~£32 for two courses / £38 for three (indicative)
- Rank 3The Ostrich— Best for a waterside settingWATTB85/100~£20 pp (indicative)
- Rank 4Hort's Townhouse— Best for city-centre convenienceWATTB83/100£19.50–£22 (roast mains, indicative)
- Rank 5The Gloucester Old Spot— Best for families and valueWATTB82/100~£18 pp (indicative)
The WATTB Score is our own research-based editorial assessment out of 100 — not a customer-review average.
Choose by occasion
The things that decide where to go — match them to your evening, not just the rating.
- Special occasion or easy family lunch?Matters most
- A set-menu gastropub roast, a steakhouse roast with a kids' option and a neighbourhood pub plate suit very different Sundays — decide whether polish or a relaxed, wallet-friendly lunch matters more.
- Old City, harbourside or neighbourhoodMatters most
- The Ox and Hort's Townhouse are central in the Old City and The Ostrich sits on Bathurst Basin by the harbour; The Kensington Arms (Redland) and The Gloucester Old Spot (Horfield) are further out from the centre.
- Budget per headWorth weighing
- Indicative prices run from around £18pp at The Gloucester Old Spot and £19.50-£22 at Hort's to about £20 at The Ostrich and £32/£38 for the Kensington Arms set menu; The Ox doesn't publish roast prices online.
- Vegetarian, vegan & kidsWorth weighing
- All five list a vegetarian option; The Ostrich lists a vegan filo parcel and can advise on gluten-free, and The Ox has a children's roast — flag requirements when booking, as menus change seasonally.
- Service hours & bookingMinor
- Service windows vary: The Ox serves roasts until 5pm while Hort's Townhouse runs noon to 9pm; The Ostrich's riverside garden tables can't be booked, and The Gloucester Old Spot advises booking early — check availability with each venue.
Compare at a glance
- Price
- ££
- Style
- British / steakhouse
- Best for
- Best overall
- Price
- £££
- Style
- Modern British gastropub
- Best for
- Best for a special occasion
- Price
- ££
- Style
- British pub / gastro
- Best for
- Best for a waterside setting
- Price
- ££
- Style
- British gastropub
- Best for
- Best for city-centre convenience
- Price
- ££
- Style
- British pub
- Best for
- Best for families and value
The picks in depth
The Ox
Why it won
A dedicated steakhouse's beef sourcing applied to the roast, with a kids' option and a central setting — the most complete all-rounder we found, if priced as a steakhouse rather than a bargain.
Dry-aged Buxton beef rump from a dedicated steakhouse kitchen
Children's 'Little Ox' roast plus a vegetarian nut roast
Central Old City location, open from noon with roasts until 5pm
Trade-off: Windowless basement setting won't suit everyone
Why it ranks here
It takes the top spot because it pairs steakhouse-sourced beef with family flexibility: a steakhouse kitchen serving Buxton's dry-aged beef rump and porchetta, plus a nut roast and a 'Little Ox' children's roast, in a central Corn Street basement — the trade-off being a windowless room and roasts ending at 5pm.
Go here if
- You want steakhouse-sourced beef as the centrepiece of your roast
- You need one venue that works for both a couple and a family with children
Skip it if
- You want natural light or a view
- You want a leisurely late-afternoon roast after 5pm
Where it's the better choice
- Children's 'Little Ox' roast and à la carte flexibility rather than a set menu
- Central Old City location on Corn Street
Where another pick wins
- A windowless basement rather than a leafy neighbourhood gastropub
- Roast prices aren't published online, so the spend is harder to plan
Closest alternative: The Kensington Arms — Choose The Kensington Arms for a more refined, set-menu roast if you are happy to pay more and travel to Redland.
- Best for
- An all-round roast for couples or families with children
- Typical spend
- Roast prices not published online; à la carte two/three courses ~£25/£30 (indicative, steakhouse pricing)(as of Sep 2026)
- What to order
- Buxton's dry-aged beef rump, the venue's headline roast, Slow-roasted porchetta, or the butternut squash nut roast for vegetarians, The 'Little Ox' children's roast for younger diners
- Atmosphere
- A windowless basement beneath the Commercial Rooms on Corn Street in the Old City
- Booking
- Sunday service from noon with roasts until 5pm; booking ahead is advisable — check availability and confirm roast prices with the venue.
The Kensington Arms
Why we recommend it
A refined, set-menu roast from the highest-end kitchen here, at a price to match.
Co-owned by acclaimed chef Josh Eggleton of The Pony & Trap; has featured in the Top 50 Gastropubs
Seasonal, locally sourced cooking with strong service reputation
Relaxed leafy-neighbourhood setting good for a special occasion
Trade-off: Set-menu format and higher spend make it poor value for a casual lunch
Why it ranks here
It ranks second on chef-led pedigree — co-owned by chef Josh Eggleton, whose The Pony & Trap earned a Michelin star (per The Caterer), and a past Top 50 Gastropubs entry — but its set-menu format and higher spend make it less flexible for families and weaker on value than The Ox.
Go here if
- You want a polished, grown-up roast for a date or celebration
- You value seasonal cooking from South West suppliers
Skip it if
- You want a budget family lunch
- You want to order a single roast and go rather than commit to two or three courses
Where it's the better choice
- Chef-led pedigree and a past Top 50 Gastropubs listing
- Relaxed leafy-neighbourhood setting suited to a special occasion
Where another pick wins
- Set-menu format at ~£32/£38 (indicative) is weaker value for a casual lunch
- Residential Redland is a trek from the city centre, and no children's roast is listed
Closest alternative: The Ox — Choose The Ox for a central, more flexible roast that also works for children.
- Best for
- A refined roast for a date or celebration
- Typical spend
- ~£32 (two courses) / £38 (three courses) set menu (indicative)(as of Sep 2026)
- What to order
- The Sunday set menu, two or three courses, The vegetarian option on the set menu
- Atmosphere
- A leafy, residential Redland gastropub with a relaxed, special-occasion feel
- Booking
- Booking ahead is advisable; check availability and Sunday lunch times with the venue.
The Ostrich
Why we recommend it
The best roast-with-a-view in Bristol — a harbourside garden and dog-friendly welcome, if slightly less consistent than the top two.
Standout harbourside location with a large riverside garden
Dog-friendly, with a vegan option and a choice of three roast meats
Angus & Hereford beef roast at a mid-range indicative ~£20
Trade-off: Reviews suggest quality can be less consistent than the top picks
Why it ranks here
It earns third for setting: a Butcombe pub on Bathurst Basin with a large riverside garden that Bristol food guides rate among the city's best waterside roast spots, dog-friendly and with a vegan option — though published reviews rate the food good rather than exceptional and note some inconsistency.
Go here if
- You want to eat by the water, ideally on a sunny terrace
- You need a vegan roast or want to bring the dog
Skip it if
- You want more consistent, refined cooking
- You are counting on an outdoor table, which can't be booked
Where it's the better choice
- Harbourside location with a large riverside garden
- Vegan filo parcel, gluten-free advice and a dog-friendly welcome
Where another pick wins
- Reviews suggest quality can be less consistent than the top picks
- Garden tables are first come, first served and can get busy in fine weather
Closest alternative: Hort's Townhouse — Choose Hort's Townhouse for a central roast with flexible noon-to-9pm timing if the view matters less.
- Best for
- A roast with a harbourside view, dogs welcome
- Typical spend
- ~£20pp (indicative)(as of Sep 2026)
- What to order
- Rump cap of Angus & Hereford beef, Confit Somerset pork belly or Castlemead chicken supreme, The vegan celeriac, squash and pearl-barley filo parcel with mushroom gravy
- Atmosphere
- A harbourside pub on Bathurst Basin with a large riverside beer garden; dog-friendly
- Booking
- Booking indoor tables ahead is advisable (check availability); riverside garden tables are first come, first served and can't be reserved. Ask about gluten-free when booking.
Hort's Townhouse
Why we recommend it
The easy central choice — a choice of three meats served noon to 9pm, so it fits around the rest of your day.
Choice of beef, pork or chicken, plus a vegetarian roast
Roasts served noon to 9pm — unusually flexible timing
Central Old City location and fair indicative pricing (£19.50–£22)
Trade-off: Food and setting are dependable rather than distinctive
Why it ranks here
It ranks fourth as the flexible central option: a roomy Broad Street gastropub serving beef, pork, chicken or a vegetarian roast from noon right through to 9pm, at fair indicative pricing — solid rather than distinctive on food and setting, which keeps it behind The Ostrich.
Go here if
- You want a late lunch or early dinner rather than a narrow lunchtime slot
- You want a choice of meats in the city centre
Skip it if
- You want a destination experience or more distinctive cooking
- You want a calm room at peak times
Where it's the better choice
- Roasts served noon to 9pm, well beyond a lunchtime-only window
- Central Old City location with a choice of three meats
Where another pick wins
- No harbourside view or garden setting
- Food and setting are dependable rather than distinctive
Closest alternative: The Ostrich — Choose The Ostrich if a waterside setting matters as much as the plate.
- Best for
- A flexible central roast that fits around a day in the city
- Typical spend
- £19.50-£22 for roast mains (indicative)(as of Sep 2026)
- What to order
- The Slimbridge rump of beef, or pork or chicken, The vegetarian roast (a teriyaki-glazed root-vegetable tian on the current menu), Trimmings of duck-fat roast potatoes, double-egg Yorkshire puddings and celeriac purée
- Atmosphere
- A spacious Old City gastropub on Broad Street; busy and less relaxed at peak times
- Booking
- Roasts served noon to 9pm on Sundays; reserving a table is still advisable — check availability.
The Gloucester Old Spot
Why we recommend it
A friendly neighbourhood local doing generous, keenly priced roasts — the value-and-families pick, if further out.
Generous portions and keen indicative pricing around £18
Genuinely family-friendly neighbourhood atmosphere
Devon Ruby Red beef, pork belly and chicken plus a vegetarian Wellington
Trade-off: Out in Horfield, away from the centre and its stations
Why it ranks here
It rounds out the list as the neighbourhood value pick: a family-friendly Horfield local with a longstanding reputation for generous roasts at around £18pp (indicative) — honest pub fare rather than refined plates, and further from the centre.
Go here if
- You want a relaxed, well-priced family roast
- You prefer a proper neighbourhood pub to a city-centre venue
Skip it if
- You want a central location
- You want the refined cooking of the gastropub picks
Where it's the better choice
- Keen indicative pricing around £18pp with generous portions
- Family-friendly neighbourhood atmosphere
Where another pick wins
- Out in Horfield, away from the centre and its stations
- Honest pub cooking rather than the polish of higher picks
Closest alternative: The Ox — Choose The Ox for higher-quality beef and a children's roast in the city centre, at steakhouse prices.
- Best for
- A relaxed, wallet-friendly family Sunday lunch
- Typical spend
- ~£18pp (indicative; prices have risen over time)(as of Sep 2026)
- What to order
- Devon Ruby Red beef, crackling pork belly or chicken, The wild mushroom and nut Wellington for vegetarians
- Atmosphere
- A family-friendly neighbourhood local on Kellaway Avenue, Horfield
- Booking
- Roasts from noon; the venue advises booking early — check availability and confirm prices when you book.
How to choose
Polished occasion, or relaxed Sunday lunch?
For a refined, set-menu meal from a chef-led kitchen, The Kensington Arms leads; for high-quality beef that still works for children, The Ox is the all-rounder. For a relaxed, well-priced family lunch, The Gloucester Old Spot is the value pick.
Setting and timing
If eating by the water matters, The Ostrich's harbourside garden is the draw (outdoor tables are first come, first served). If you want flexibility, Hort's Townhouse serves roasts from noon to 9pm, so a late lunch or early dinner both work.
How we ranked this list
Rankings draw on official venue menus and pricing, Bristol food press and city guides (VisitBristol, Bristol247, BristolWorld), industry accolades such as the Top 50 Gastropubs, and aggregated public reviews across Tripadvisor and Google, combined with our editorial assessment. Prices are indicative and change; we have not visited, dined at or tasted these roasts ourselves — always check the venue directly before booking.
Prices and availability last checked September 2026; these change, so confirm current details with the provider before buying.
Read our full ranking methodWhy you can trust WATTB
Independent & unbiased
We rank on merit. Commercial links never change which picks make a guide or where they rank.
In-depth research
Official information, specifications and aggregated expert and user reviews — compared, not guessed.
Clear pros & cons
Every pick gets its real advantages and at least one honest trade-off, so you can weigh it.
Transparent sourcing
We show how we rank and the sources behind each guide, and re-check them as things change.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best Sunday roast in Bristol?
Our top pick is The Ox on Corn Street: as a dedicated steakhouse it applies serious beef sourcing (Buxton's dry-aged rump) to the roast, adds a vegetarian nut roast and a children's option, and sits centrally, which makes it the best all-rounder for couples and families — though as a steakhouse it's priced accordingly rather than being the cheapest. For a more refined, special-occasion roast, The Kensington Arms in Redland — co-owned by chef Josh Eggleton, whose restaurant The Pony & Trap earned a Michelin star, and a past Top 50 Gastropubs entry — is the standout kitchen, and The Ostrich is the pick if you want to eat beside the harbour.
How much does a Sunday roast cost in Bristol?
Indicatively, most of our picks are roughly £18–£22 per head: around £18 at The Gloucester Old Spot, £19.50–£22 across the roast mains at Hort's Townhouse, and about £20 at The Ostrich. The Ox is a steakhouse and doesn't publish its roast prices online — expect steakhouse rather than budget-pub pricing (its à la carte two- and three-course menus run roughly £25/£30). The Kensington Arms is the priciest, running as a set menu at about £32 for two courses or £38 for three. All prices are indicative and change, so confirm with the venue when you book.
Where can you get a vegetarian or vegan Sunday roast in Bristol?
All five offer a vegetarian option. The Ostrich has a vegan celeriac, squash and pearl-barley filo parcel with mushroom gravy and can advise on gluten-free, making it the strongest for dietary needs. The Ox does a butternut squash nut roast, Hort's serves a vegetarian root-vegetable roast (a teriyaki-glazed tian on the current menu), and The Gloucester Old Spot does a wild mushroom and nut Wellington. Menus change seasonally, so always flag dietary requirements when booking.
Do you need to book a Sunday roast in Bristol?
Yes — booking is strongly advised at all our picks, as Sunday roasts are popular and several stop serving mid-afternoon. The Ox serves roasts until 5pm and The Gloucester Old Spot advises booking early, while The Kensington Arms and The Ostrich fill quickly (the Ostrich's riverside garden tables are first come, first served and can't be reserved). Hort's Townhouse offers the most flexibility, serving noon to 9pm, but reserving a table is still wise.
What the evidence shows
Rankings draw on official venue menus and pricing, Bristol food press and city guides, industry accolades such as the Top 50 Gastropubs, and aggregated public reviews, plus our editorial assessment of the roast, setting, service, value and ease of booking. We have not dined at or tasted these roasts in person.
Limitations
- Prices are indicative and change — The Ox doesn't publish roast prices online, and The Gloucester Old Spot's prices have risen over time, so confirm when booking.
- Menus and dietary options change seasonally; flag requirements with the venue before you go.
Sources & further reading
8The information and claims in this guide draw on the references below. We check these when a guide is published or updated.
- Official informationPrimary source
Sunday Roasts at The Ox Bristol (opens in a new tab) — The Ox Bristol
Supports: The Ox menu, dry-aged beef rump, porchetta, nut roast, Little Ox children's roast, sides and Sunday service times (roast prices are not listed on the site)
- Official informationPrimary source
The Ostrich Pub, Bristol Harbourside (opens in a new tab) — Butcombe (The Ostrich)
Supports: The Ostrich location on Bathurst Basin (BS1 6TJ), Angus & Hereford beef plus pork belly and chicken roasts, vegan filo parcel, dog-friendly welcome, riverside garden and first-come outdoor tables
- Official informationPrimary source
Hort's Townhouse — Eat & Drink (opens in a new tab) — Hort's Townhouse
Supports: Hort's Sunday roast meats, vegetarian option, trimmings, current roast prices (£19.50–£22) and Broad Street location
- Official informationPrimary source
Sunday Roast at The Gloucester Old Spot (opens in a new tab) — The Gloucester Old Spot
Supports: The Gloucester Old Spot's family-friendly Sunday roasts, Devon Ruby Red beef and vegetarian options, and Horfield address (138-140 Kellaway Avenue, BS6 7YQ)
- Customer & expert reviews
The Ox — Time Out Bristol (opens in a new tab) — Time Out
Supports: The Ox's reputation and à la carte two/three-course pricing (~£25/£30), giving context for its steakhouse roast pricing
- Related analysis
The Kensington Arms | Top 50 Gastropubs (opens in a new tab) — Top 50 Gastropubs
Supports: The Kensington Arms' past Top 50 Gastropubs listing and reputation
- Related analysis
Josh Eggleton and Guy Newell buy Bristol pub (opens in a new tab) — The Caterer
Supports: Josh Eggleton's co-ownership of The Kensington Arms (Eggleton's The Pony & Trap earned a Michelin star) and head chef Oscar Davis
- Related analysis
Bristol's best Sunday roasts (opens in a new tab) — VisitBristol
Supports: Overall selection and reputation of Bristol Sunday roast venues, and Hort's Townhouse noon–9pm Sunday roast service
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