Planning a trip to the Cotswolds? My guide to the best Sunday roast in the Cotswolds covers 12 of my favourite spots for an amazing roast dinner. Whether you prefer a more casual setting or somewhere a little fancier, here in the Cotswolds there is something for you.
I’m lucky enough to have been born and bred in the Cotswolds, which means I’m also pretty well versed in where to find a decent Sunday roast here too. Lucky for us, we’re absolutely spoilt with a ton of incredible pubs, restaurants, and gastropubs in the area all serving up one hell of a Sunday roast. Sunday is probably my favourite day of the week for this reason. There’s nothing quite like sipping a glass of red in a cosy pub with some incredible food on the way. I’ve had enough roast dinners in the Cotswolds to shake a fist at, and here I’ll be sharing all my favourite spots as well as a few tips and tricks. Whether you’re visiting the Cotswolds for the day, have planned a glorious weekend away, or are a local in the area too, here’s my guide to finding the best Sunday roast in the Cotswolds. Scroll through and enjoy!
Quick tips for visiting the Cotswolds
Get this: affordable car hire from Cheltenham. Cheltenham is the gateway to the Cotswolds, and having a car is a huge help for enabling you to travel between the villages as public transport here isn’t great.
Don’t miss: a small group tour of the Cotswolds from Oxford. A local tour guide can show you all the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds so you get the most from your trip.
Bucket list experience: a guided walking tour of the Cotswolds so you can see the best of the beautiful Cotswold countryside before tucking into a Sunday roast.
Stay: Find the most affordable hotels in the Cotswolds on Booking.com.
1. The Halfway at Kineton, Guiting Power
Best for: Reliably good pub grub and good vibes
Location: Kinneton, Guiting Power, GL54 5UG
Photos courtesy of The Halfway at Kineton | Best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds
You really can’t go wrong at this neighbourhood pub, especially when it comes to a decent Sunday roast. A seventeenth century inn in the adorable hamlet of Kineton, it’s worth stopping off at Guiting Power before coming here for a delicious lunch. Alternatively, you can choose to work off your lunch with a stroll along the beautiful River Windrush. Undoubtedly serving some of the best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds, The Halfway at Kineton is the ultimate gastropub with a great atmosphere. I chose to start with the smoked salmon with toasted rye bread and horseradish before tucking into the grass-fed Herefordshire beef sirloin. It was melt in the mouth and served with crispy roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire pudding, and seasonal veg. It’s definitely one to visit during your time in the Cotswolds.
2. The Potting Shed, crudwell
Best for: Excellent food and a pup friendly meal
Location: The Street, Crudwell, SN16 9EW
Photos courtesy of The Potting Shed | Best Sunday roast in the Cotswolds
The Potting Shed is one of my all time favourite pubs in the Cotswolds, and the place I recently chose to take my mum for a Mother’s Day Sunday roast, which says it all! Nestled in beautiful Wiltshire near Malmesbury, The Potting Shed is set in the gorgeous little village of Crudwell, and right near Cotswold Airport which is worth a visit for the surreal view of jumbo jets queued up amid the countryside. It’s an adorable pub with lovely interiors, and is super dog friendly. Rumoured to be the pub where Kate and Wills used to frequent when they began courting, it’s super popular for good reason. Serving a fantastic Sunday roast in the Cotswolds, I recommend going for the butcher’s plate with all the trimmings – you get a range of the meats on offer (I had beef, lamb, and chicken, and it was fantastic). Whatever you pick, you really can’t go wrong here.
Looking for somewhere to enjoy a pint in the area? Check out my guide to the best pubs in the Cotswolds.
3. Lords of the Manor, Upper Slaughter
Best for: High end Sunday roasts in a beautiful character building
Location: Upper Slaughter, GL54 2JD
Photos courtesy of Lords of the Manor | Best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds
Set in the most beautiful grounds in the gorgeous village of Upper Slaughter, Lords of the Manor offers some of the best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds. Offering fine dining, you’ll find excellent cuisine led by Head Chef, Charles Smith, who helped Lords of the Manor enter the Good Food Guide. As a result, you can expect an incredible Sunday roast here, and it’s truly one of my favourites in the Cotswolds. Set in the formal dining area, we opted for the three course Sunday lunch option which is great value considering the high quality of the food. I started off with a delicious salad, before moving onto the beef rump with Yorkshire pudding, dripping potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and bone marrow gravy. The beef was truly some of the most tender I’ve ever had, so I’d return in a heart beat! Walk it all off afterwards with a stroll from Upper Slaughter to Lower Slaughter.
4. The House in the Tree, Cheltenham
Best for: Family friendly pub grub in a relaxed setting
Location: Withybridge Lane, Cheltenham, GL51 0TQ
Photos courtesy of The House in the Tree | Best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds
With an excellent reputation in Cheltenham for being a great go-to for an excellent Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds with the family, you can’t really go wrong with The House in the Tree. Boasting both excellent food and friendly service, their Sunday lunch is the star of the show. It’s also super reasonably priced. My usual choice is the roast topside of beef, although you can pick from a mix of pork, chicken, and beef if you can’t decide and fancy a bit of everything. One thing that’s great about The House in the Tree is that there is something for everyone – they have fish options, vegetarian options, and even hot meat baps served with crispy roast potatoes and a jug of gravy if you don’t fancy a full on roast dinner. Make sure you save some room for pudding – their Eton Mess is delicious, as is the warm caramel apple pie with custard. Kids love this place, too – there’s a play area and even a petting garden!
Visiting Cheltenham? Check out my guide to the best Sunday lunch in Cheltenham for more options in the town.
5. The Daneway Inn, Sapperton
Best for: A hearty Sunday lunch after a long countryside walk
Location: Dane Lane, Sapperton, Cirencester, GL7 6LN
Photos courtesy of The Daneway Inn | Best Sunday roast in the Cotswolds
A rural gem in the heart of the southern Cotswolds, The Daneway Inn dates back to the late 17th century, when it was originally three bricklayers’ cottages. Nowadays, it retains all the charm and character as a Cotswold pub. Utilising local suppliers, The Daneway Inn services some of the best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds. You can choose from a range of delicious starters before your roast. I loved the smoked Craigelachie salmon and prawn salad. For mains, choose from roast Aberdeen Angus beef, roast loin of pork, roast chicken breast, or a nut roast. All roast dinners are served with Yorkshire puddings, garden vegetables, crispy Maris Piper potatoes, horseradish cream, and a delicious pan gravy. Save room for dessert too, if you can! Set in the beautiful Cotswold countryside, you can go for a stroll afterwards to walk it all off.
6. The Green Dragon Inn, Cockleford
Best for: A hearty Sunday lunch after a long countryside walk
Location: Cockleford, Cheltenham, GL53 9NW
Photos courtesy of The Green Dragon Inn | Best Sunday roast in the Cotswolds
A rural Cotswolds pub in the adorable hamlet of Cockleford, The Green Dragon Inn is a relaxed pub with a difference. It offers a fully handcrafted bar – look for the hand carved wooden mice throughout – as well as roaring log fires in the winter months. Dating back to the seventeenth century, The Green Dragon Inn is known locally as being a reliable spot for great pub food and real ales. As well as their great Cotswold pub lunches, I’m a huge fan of their Sunday lunch. One thing I like in particular is the fact that their menu changes each week, using the best fresh, local ingredients. When it comes to a roast dinner, you can’t go wrong with their roast topside of beef with sage and onion stuffing, Yorkshire pudding, fresh vegetables, roast potatoes, and gravy. Alternative roast options usually include roast leg of lamb, turkey breast, and a nut cutlet. Whatever you choose, you won’t leave hungry!
7. Seven Tuns Inn, Chedworth
Best for: A bustling village pub with good food and wine
Location: Queen Street, Chedworth, Cheltenham, GL54 4AE
Photos courtesy of Seven Tuns Inn | Best Sunday roast in the Cotswolds
A lovely independent pub dating back to the seventeenth century, the Seven Tuns Inn recently reopened after an extensive refurbishment. As well as a main bar and a cosy snug, the pub has a converted barn restaurant in its stone building, which serves up some of the best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds. Dine surrounded by exposed stone walls and fireplaces, perfect for a cosy winter meal. I recently visited and had the roast rib of beef with seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding. Compared to similar pubs, it’s also reasonably priced. Other tasty options include roast local pork belly and a nut roast with seasonal vegetables. If you’re visiting with somebody who doesn’t fancy a roast dinner, a number of other pub classics are also available on a Sunday.
8. The Butchers Arms, Sheepscombe
Best for: Delicious pub classics served in an idyllic countryside setting where you can bring your pup
Location: Sheepscombe, Stroud, GL6 7RH
Photos courtesy of The Butchers Arms | Best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds
Set in the heart of the countryside where Laurie Lee’s Cider With Rosie was set, The Butchers Arms is a wonderful country pub serving some of the best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds. Located in the gorgeous surroundings of Sheepscombe near Stroud, it’s a great spot to relax in after a long stroll in the local area. Enjoy an excellent Sunday roast here complemented by a great selection of real ales and ciders, or handpicked wines. When I visited, I chose the rib of beef with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and gravy. I was impressed with the Sunday menu – if you don’t fancy a whole roast, you can also choose roast meat sandwich with roast potatoes on the side. Vegetarians are well catered for too, with baked cauliflower cheese and a hearty nut roast on the menu. It’s a lovely little pub to visit on a Sunday
9. The Frogmill, Shipton Oliffe
Best for: Tasty food and a beautiful Cotswold pub garden
Location: Shipton Oliffe, Andoversford, GL54 4HT
Photos courtesy of The Frogmill | Best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds
The Frogmill is one of my favourite Cotswold pubs. It’s especially good in the summer, when you can sprawl out in one of the comfy outdoor chairs and enjoy a Pimms in the sun. The Frogmill also happens to do one of the best Sunday lunches in the Cotswolds. A gorgeous 16th century inn, The Frogmill has a large pub garden for the summer months, and crackling log fires during the winter. Get your Sunday roast kicked off with one of the generous choice of starters. I usually pick the cured salmon gravlax with creme fraiche and cucumber chutney. For the main event, the dry aged native breed roasted sirloin of beef with Yorkshire pudding and traditional gravy is delicious. All Sunday roasts are served family style, with fat roasted potatoes, maple glazed rainbow root vegetables, and cabbage, leeks, and peas. The roast chicken with sage and shallot stuffing sounds delicious too – I’ll give that a go the next time I visit!
10. The Bell at Sapperton
Best for: Excellently presented food from an independent pub in the heart of the Cotswolds countryside
Location: Sapperton nr Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6LE
Photos courtesy of The Bell | Best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds
A multi-award winning independent pub in the heart of the Cotswolds, there’s a good reason why The Bell at Sapperton is so popular. Located between the beautiful towns of Stroud and Cirencester, The Bell is rightly known as a destination for foodies and wine lovers. Serving some of the best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds, it’s the perfect pitstop for after a long walk through the countryside or a horse ride (there’s even horse parking onsite!) Enjoy the manicured garden in the summer months or cosy up near a roaring log fire in the winter with a roast dinner. Here, you can choose from West Country aged sirloin of beef, a thyme marinated roast pork lion, or the Chef’s nut roast. All Sunday roasts are served with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, kale, and honey roasted carrots. All ingredients are locally sourced where possible. It’s a lovely little pub that I often take guests who are visiting from out of town as it’s sure to impress.
11. The Lygon Arms, Broadway
Best for: Exquisite fine dining in an iconic establishment in the Cotswolds
Location: High Street, Broadway, Worcestershire, WR12 7DU
Photos courtesy of The Lygon Arms | Best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds
If you’re looking for somewhere impressive to enjoy a Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds, look no further than The Lygon Arms. An iconic hotel and brasserie located in the beautiful village of Broadway in Worcestershire, The Lygon Arms has famously had guests including Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Early in 2023, Chef James Martin took the reins at the Grill, curating a wonderful menu featuring local ingredients. You can’t visit and not try the Lygon Arms’ signature dish – the Longhorn Beef Wellington. Served with spring onion mash, mushrooms, tomato, and red wine jus, it’s simply to die for. Each Sunday, there’s also a roast of the day to choose from, served with Yorkshire pudding, market vegetables, and a red wine jus. I often visit and the food is well worth the forty five minute trip from Cheltenham, especially through the stunning scenery.
That’s my guide to the best Sunday lunch in the Cotswolds! Are there any other Sunday roast spots you’d recommend? Let me know in the comments below.
