There’s something timeless about the ritual of a Sunday roast, that soft hum of conversation in a cozy dining room, the golden glow of candlelight reflecting off a glass of red wine, and the comforting scent of meat slow-roasting somewhere nearby. In Edinburgh, the tradition is alive and deeply felt. This is a city that understands warmth: in its architecture, in its whisky, and most of all, in its food.
Here, Sunday isn’t just another day. It’s a moment to pause, gather, and indulge in the kind of meal that soothes the soul. The Scottish capital does it with particular flair: slow-roasted cuts from the Borders, crisp tatties, Yorkshire puddings puffed to perfection, and vegetables that taste of the season. Whether you prefer a fireside pub or a chandeliered dining room, Edinburgh’s roasts range from humble to haute, each one a masterclass in comfort.
Below, eight unforgettable spots where Sunday roasts rise to something close to art.
1. Kyloe
At Kyloe, Sunday lunch is an event. Housed in a handsome city-centre dining room with cowhide chairs and views straight onto Edinburgh Castle, this steakhouse is where the roast becomes theatre. The menu reads like an ode to beef: Borders-reared Aberdeen Angus, 28 days dry-aged and carved tableside in thick, glistening slices. Choose between sirloin, rump, or an indulgent beef wellington, and prepare for the kind of sides that make you linger: beef-dripping potatoes, creamed cabbage, organic root vegetables, and Yorkshire puddings that catch the gravy like golden boats.
It’s the kind of meal you want to savour slowly, glass of Malbec in hand, the afternoon stretching lazily ahead. And when the sticky toffee pudding arrives, dark, buttery, sweet, you realize this is what Sundays were meant for.
2. Rhubarb at Prestonfield House
For those who believe a Sunday roast should come with a sense of occasion, there’s Rhubarb. Nestled within the stately Prestonfield House, this restaurant turns lunch into an act of grandeur. The walls glow with the warmth of claret velvet and ancestral portraits, while windows frame views of Arthur’s Seat rising in the distance.
Here, even tradition feels elevated. The classic rump of Scotch beef comes accompanied by honeyed root vegetables and crisp roast potatoes, while the chateaubriand for two: served with pillowy Yorkshires, Lyonnaise potatoes, and Madeira jus, feels almost regal. Dining here is like stepping into a painting: everything glows, everything lingers. It’s a feast for those who want their comfort with a touch of ceremony.
3. The Ox
The Ox is a New Town favourite, a modern gastropub that understands the magic of simplicity. There’s no fuss, just excellent ingredients cooked with respect. On Sundays, the menu offers two classic roasts: pork belly with apple sauce or beef with horseradish, both served with all the essentials: roast potatoes, seasonal greens, and a glossy bone marrow gravy that’s pure umami comfort.
The atmosphere here is effortlessly convivial: brown leather booths, warm light, the clink of pints and chatter. Locals stay long after lunch, nursing craft ales and catching up on the week. Vegetarians aren’t forgotten either, their tomato gravy roast is hearty, fragrant, and just as soul-satisfying as its meaty counterparts.
4. The Queen’s Arms
Hidden beneath the cobbled streets of New Town, The Queen’s Arms is Edinburgh at its most down-to-earth and welcoming. The walls are lined with tartan touches and vintage memorabilia, and the air smells faintly of roast potatoes and nostalgia.
Here, Sunday is all about sharing. The “ultimate roast” arrives on a grand wooden board, piled high with 14oz of blushing beef, Yorkshire puddings, cauliflower cheese, and enough gravy to swim in. Add a pint of local Cold Town beer, and it’s impossible not to feel content. For those flying solo, there’s an individual roast option, and vegetarians can indulge in a roast pumpkin wellington glazed in balsamic.
It’s hearty, humble, and entirely without pretence: the kind of place where comfort takes centre stage and dessert (a cranachan sundae with raspberries and Scottish tablet) feels like a hug from the Highlands.
5. The Sheep Heid Inn
Tucked away in Duddingston, The Sheep Heid Inn is a piece of living history. Established in 1360, it’s said to be Scotland’s oldest pub, and it still carries that sense of timeless charm. Low ceilings, flickering fires, and a skittle alley straight out of another century make it the perfect setting for a Sunday feast.
The portions here are as generous as the welcome. You can choose from half a roast chicken with bacon-wrapped stuffing, slow-cooked pork belly, or a 21-day-aged beef sirloin, all served with a proper jug of gravy. Can’t decide? Go for the trio of roasts and have it all: this is not the place for restraint. Even the vegetarian nut roast feels indulgent, studded with fig and dolcelatte for a Mediterranean twist.
It’s impossible to leave without feeling a little happier, and perhaps a little drowsier, than when you arrived.
6. Ardfern
In Leith, where old meets new, Ardfern has quietly redefined the modern roast. At first glance, it’s a chic wine bar: dimly lit, with bottles glinting along the walls. But behind the understated facade lies one of the most imaginative Sunday lunches in the city.
Chef Roberta Hall McCarron, a Great British Menu alumna, takes the traditional and makes it thrilling. Her beef rump cap, a tender, fat-ribboned cut, is charred to perfection, served with barbecued carrots, marinated oyster mushrooms, and, in a playful twist, hash browns instead of roast potatoes. Even purists forgive her: they’re that good. Vegetarians can revel in courgettes stuffed with halloumi and bulgar wheat, and of course, a Yorkshire pudding cradling either ox tongue or haggis. Pair it with one of the sommelier’s impeccable wine selections, and you’ve got a Sunday roast that feels effortlessly cosmopolitan.
7. The Broughton
Polished yet inviting, The Broughton in New Town is where design and dining meet. Behind its royal blue facade lies a warm, contemporary interior: leather banquettes, parquet floors, soft jazz floating through the air. The menu, much like the space, is refined without being fussy.
Begin with a starter of cheddar croquettes or crab crumpets, then move on to their standout pork chop: rare-breed, perfectly caramelized, and paired with apple sauce. The sides are anything but secondary: duck-fat roasties, glazed carrots, cavolo nero, and a rich red wine gravy that ties it all together. It’s the kind of roast that makes you linger over dessert just to stay a little longer. For vegetarians, the braised globe artichoke offers equal parts comfort and sophistication.
8. The Spence at Gleneagles Townhouse
If Edinburgh’s Sunday roast had a couture version, it would be The Spence. Set beneath a glass dome and marble columns in the Gleneagles Townhouse, this is dining as theatre, elegant, luminous, and filled with the scent of slow, cooked perfection.
Here, the experience begins with a Bloody Mary trolley and ends with Champagne. The menu is both nostalgic and inventive: crayfish cocktails, chicken liver parfait, and pithiviers filled with slow-cooked squash and mushrooms. The main courses deliver everything you’d expect from a luxury roast, perfectly pink lamb with mint sauce, pork loin with toffee apple glaze, and roast beef with horseradish cream. Every plate is artfully presented, yet still deeply comforting.
It’s a fitting finale: a place where Edinburgh’s historic grace meets modern indulgence, proving that the Sunday roast, in all its forms, will always have a place in the city’s heart.
In Edinburgh, the Sunday roast is about belonging to a table, a moment, a memory. Whether you’re sipping a smoky whisky at The Sheep Heid Inn or unfolding a linen napkin at Rhubarb, every roast carries a sense of tradition and quiet joy.
So next time you find yourself in the Scottish capital on a Sunday, follow the scent of gravy through the cobblestones. Somewhere between the clatter of cutlery and the low murmur of conversation, you’ll find what the city does bes: warmth, depth, and the kind of comfort that lingers long after the plates are cleared.
