Surrey is a county that does weekends properly. Between its collection of villages, country lanes and green spaces, the pace slows, making room for walks, pints, and roasts cooked to perfection.
The Sunday roast has long been a cornerstone of British life, and today, crisp potatoes and rich gravy still take centre stage. With village pubs with beams older than the recipes they serve, and hotels turning out roasts worthy of a white tablecloth, there’s attention to ingredient sourcing, and an emphasis on generous portions. Whether it’s a family lunch, a post-walk feast, or a slow afternoon, these are the spots that turn an ordinary Sunday into something worth looking forward to.
The Queen’s Head
In the small Surrey village of East Clandon, The Queen’s Head stands as a 17th-century pub that has been part of village life for hundreds of years. The exterior is picture-book Surrey with white-washed walls and original beams, and today, the pub combines its traditional character with a modern restaurant. There’s a large terrace at the front and to the side, with outdoor tables for drinks or lunch in summer. Indoors, the space is divided between the bar area and a more formal dining room. The kitchen takes on quality British cooking and regional ingredients, and works closely with nearby farms and producers, changing its menu seasonally. That approach extends to the Sunday lunch, the centrepiece of the week for many regulars.
Sunday service begins at midday and features five roast options, a strong selection for a single sitting. Redefine meat and truffle Wellington, honey roast English pork, roast Norfolk chicken, rosemary West Country lamb, or dry-aged Sirloin of British beef arrive with duck fat roast potatoes and beef dripping Yorkshire puddings. Seasonal vegetables such as honey-glazed carrots, buttered greens, tender stem broccoli, and sweetheart cabbage accompany the roast, finished with the house’s special recipe gravy. By their own admission, Sunday is The Queen’s Head’s favourite day of the week, when a lively, sociable crowd of families, walkers and local Guildford diners fill the tables.
The Oak Room Restaurant at Barnett Hill Hotel
Set in the Surrey Hills, Barnett Hill Hotel occupies a striking Queen Anne-style mansion built in 1905. Outdoors, the establishment sits within 26 acres of landscaped gardens, whilst inside, The Oak Room restaurant is a formal yet welcoming space with views across the grounds. Holding two AA Rosettes, the dining experience here is built around the finest seasonal produce, with ingredients sourced from suppliers of the Surrey Hills wherever possible.
The Sunday menu follows a traditional structure with modern alternatives. For mains, the roast sirloin arrives with horseradish, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, parsnip, braised red cabbage, Yorkshire pudding and greens. Roast chicken with lemon thyme offers a lighter take on the same line-up, and further alternatives include roast halibut with mussels, or leeks and sea herbs in a verjus sauce. A dessert menu with 70 percent dark-chocolate mousse with espresso and vanilla ice cream, sticky toffee pudding, and a selection of local cheeses with fruit bread and apple chutney provides a satisfying finish. For those seeking a traditional Sunday afternoon in a grand setting, The Oak Room Restaurant provides an occasion lunch, done properly.
The Prince of Wales
In the quiet lanes of West End, near Woking, The Prince of Wales is a contemporary country pub serving the modern dining crowd. The pub’s exterior stays true to its village roots, with a brick and timber structure and a terrace that fills quickly on fine days. Inside, the dining space is welcoming with deep green walls, classic wooden floors, open fires, and a large central bar that anchors the room. The Prince of Wales’s ethos is “British, seasonal and sustainable”, which runs through everything from the sourcing of meat and vegetables to the warm atmosphere of the pub itself.
The Sunday line-up includes a 28-day dry-aged rump of beef, dry-aged pork and apple porchetta, quarter or half lemon and thyme roast chicken, and a wild mushroom and spinach strudel for a plant-based option. The meats come from Turner & George, one of London’s most respected butchers, whose focus on small farms and proper ageing adds depth and texture to each cut. All roasts are served with roast potatoes, onion purée, heritage carrots, cavolo nero and condiments. Sides are treated as part of the experience rather than an afterthought with Sharpham Brie, Rutland Red and Croxton Manor cauliflower cheese, sage and onion suet stuffing, honey and mustard pigs in blankets, and, notably, unlimited Yorkshire puddings and gravy. Seconds are welcomed as the kitchen encourages diners to settle in and enjoy themselves. With well-known favourites and unexpected additions, The Prince of Wales keeps Sundays comfortable, but never predictable.
The Stag on the River
Beside the River Wey in the hamlet of Eashing, The Stag on the River is a carefully restored 18th-century inn. The establishment is immediately inviting with its broad riverside terrace, modern countryside interiors, and low exposed beams. Covered seating is available and leads seamlessly indoors to the Riverside Restaurant, where plants and flowers decorate the walls and tables.
Each Sunday lunch arrives with a beef-dripping Yorkshire pudding, fresh seasonal vegetables, roasted roots, duck-fat roast potatoes and plenty of rich, house-made gravy. Diners can choose from dry-aged sirloin with homemade horseradish cream, honey-roast belly of English pork with cider apple sauce and crackling, rosemary-roasted leg of West Country lamb with a crisp pea and ricotta bonbon and mint jelly, or a half spatchcock Norfolk chicken finished with lemon, garlic and herb butter. For a meat-free option, the Redefine meat and truffle Wellington is paired with plant-based gravy and Yorkshire pudding. The Grosvenor signature cauliflower cheese comes baked in a Mornay sauce, rich enough to earn its reputation. After a walk in the Surrey countryside, The Stag on the River is the perfect picturesque pub for a fine Sunday lunch.
The Poyntz Arms
In the suburban district of Molesey, The Poyntz Arms is an independent neighbourhood pub with a loyal following. The establishment is found within a Victorian corner building with large windows and an open layout that keeps things lively on a Sunday afternoon. The Poyntz Arms forms part of the Big Smoke Brew Co family, a Surrey-based brewery known for its hop-forward pale ales, crisp lagers and rich stouts.
The drinks aren’t the only attraction. The Sunday menu focuses on classic cuts of beef striploin, leg of lamb, chicken or pork belly, with the option of a trio of meats for those unable to decide. The beef is sliced thick, the lamb rich and tender, and the pork belly cooked until the crackling breaks. Each roast comes with a Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, honey-roasted carrots, seasonal greens and gravy. For vegetarians, the mushroom and cashew nut Wellington is a strong alternative, served with the same attention alongside vegan gravy. The Poyntz Arms gets it right with good food, generous portions, and a room that hums with the easy pace of a Sunday well spent.
Each of these Surrey kitchens approach the Sunday roast in its own way, yet all share a respect for tradition and a love for hospitality. The Poyntz Arms shows how the neighbourhood pub can still hold its own when Sunday comes around, and from the warmth of The Queen’s Head to the precision of The Oak Room, the ingredients change and the details shift, but the sentiment stays the same. In Surrey, the Sunday roast isn’t a ritual preserved out of habit, but a tradition kept alive because it’s still done properly.
