Sunday lunch
One kitchen, four roasts, and a room that fills up in waves from midday. Booking is sensible from about Wednesday onwards.
What arrives
Every roast lands with duck fat potatoes, a Yorkshire pudding, buttered greens, honey roast carrots and swede, cauliflower cheese and a gravy made from the bones of the same animal. There is no separate charge for trimmings, because a roast without trimmings is not a roast.
How the day runs
The quiet one. Best if you have small children, a dog, or a train to catch. Tables are yours for two hours.
The busy one. The room is full, the carvery board is going constantly and the noise is part of the point.
We stop taking bookings at four and keep serving until the beef runs out, which on a good week is closer to half four.
Kitchen shuts, the bar stays open for another hour for whoever is not finished with their afternoon.
Prices and small print
Starters run from £6.50 and puddings from £8.50. Tables of six or more take a £10 a head deposit, redeemed against the bill. A discretionary 10 per cent service charge is added and split across the whole team, kitchen included.
Fourth Sunday here and the roast potatoes have not slipped once. Beef comes pink unless you say otherwise.
We booked the twelve o'clock with a toddler and a nervous grandmother, and both of them left happy. That does not happen often.
Tables for two to twenty
Most weeks we are full by Friday afternoon. Book online, or ring the restaurant and we will find you something.
Or ring the restaurant on 0117 496 0148, Tuesday to Saturday from 10am.