Some of our fondest memories are long Sunday lunches, spent at the table with family, friends and flowing wine.
Let’s face it Aussies love a good roast – the Sunday tradition is all about sitting down to a big meal of veggies, gravy and roast meat with your family to reconnect after a long work week.
How did this tradition begin? The Brits love of beef began during the reign of King Henry VII in 1485 when the Royal guard would eat fresh roasted beef every Sunday after church; resulting in them being affectionately known as the ‘Beefeaters’.
Here are five of our faves to get your Sunday roast fix:
Get Your Roast Fix Every Night
Bringing Portland good food since 1955, iconic and much-loved café Harbour Lights Snack Bar on Bentinck Street is a casual hangout for generations of locals and visitors alike. No trip to the Great Ocean Road is complete without a refuelling stop at this eatery, step through the blue and white façade to discover a welcoming vibe ideal for chowing down on gourmet burgers, sandwiches, souvlaki and much more.
Get your roast fix every night – not just Sunday – and devour plates like roast lamb or pork with sides such as roast potatoes, pumpkin, peas and cauliflower gratin; burgerholics opt for The Beast – beef patty, tomato sauce, Southern fried chicken, bacon, cheese, lettuce and burger sauce.
Come for Sunday Roast Lunch
Discover an intimate dining experience with a European influence at Harrison’s Food & Wine on Tudor Street in Hamilton. This fine dining restaurant exudes stylish charm with sea-green coloured walls covered with vibrant artwork, white-clothed tables, sparkling glassware and potted greenery setting the scene for inspired dining with family and friends.
Specialising in the best wines from across the Hunter region and beyond, settle in with a drop of choice to go with a Sunday roast lunch for just $50 per person – think roasts like beef, lamb, or pork with roast potato, pumpkin, broccolini, Brussels sprouts and blistered cherry tomatoes, along with gravy or jus.
Two-course Sunday Roast Deal
Expect fare with a South African twist and delicate smokiness on the menu at Old Palm Liquor on trendy Lygon Street in Brunswick East. This moody wine bar and dining destination delivers an eclectic vibe of timber panels, rattan ceilings, fans with blades like canoe paddles and a vintage pokie room with padded stools, making this the ideal place to linger over a vino and bite to eat with someone special.
Stop in on Sunday from 12 pm-4 pm for a two-course Sunday roast deal of Cape Malay spiced mussels and fries to start, followed by succulent braai-grilled lamb shoulder, served with eggplant chutney, labneh and flatbread; add on a decadent dessert of chocolate, smoked coconut, coffee and rum tart to finish a memorable meal.
Modern European Cuisine
Classic cooking with contemporary gastronomy is on the menu at Magnolia Wine Bar and Café on Lawrence Street in Beaufort. Nestled in the heart of the countryside, expect a rustic fine dining experience bringing the soul of modern European cuisine to life in a cosy yet refined space which transports you to a world where tradition meets innovation and simplicity intertwines with sophistication.
Sundays are for roasts such as crispy crackling pork, or eye fillet of beer, served with seasonal vegetables, potatoes two ways, Yorkshire pudding and Burgundy jus; housemade scones, jam and cream make for the ideal finish, enjoyed with a freshly ground Domattina Prima Gazza coffee.
Roast Beef & Gravy Roll to Die For
Traditional country cooking, just like Grandma’s, is what you’ll find at Taste of the Country café on Broke Road in Pokolbin. Nestled in Hunter Valley Gardens Village, café mascot Matilda awaits to welcome guests into an old-fashioned kitchen where enticing aromas promise hearty country-sized meals. Dine inside or walk through to the outside dining terrace and take in garden, vineyard and mountain views as you relax and indulge in delicious all-day breaky plates such as baked potatoes, with cheese, bacon and chives.
Don’t go past the roast beef and gravy roll for a Sunday brunch – tender roast beef, smothered in gravy on top of a buttered Turkish roll – or share a ploughman’s platter of ham, corned beef, gourmet cheese, salad, antipasto, preserves, chunky bread and two glasses of house wine.
