Restaurant Review: Roast Restaurant. Having just moved near Borough Market I jumped at the chance to review the Roast Restaurant on Friday and loved it. If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Borough Market, Sunday lunch in SE1, places to eat near London Bridge or British restaurants in London you must book yourself a table now!
“Savour British dishes from the Borough Market farmers and producers as you watch the famous market in full swing from your dining table in the iconic Floral Hall building,” Homegirl London
Roast Restaurant Menu
Since the opening in 2005, by restauranteur Iqbal Wahhab OBE, Roast has a well-deserved loyal following. With head chef, Stuart Cauldwell, at the helm you’re in good hands. The focus is on using seasonal ingredients from Borough Market’s British farmers and producers. We decided to try the ‘Market Menu’, which is three courses for £30 or £35 with a glass of Prosecco. This menu is available Monday to Saturday 12 noon until 3.30 pm, 5.30 pm until 6.30 pm and from 8.30 pm onwards. I thought it was excellent value for money considering the high standard of cooking and the upscale surroundings.
Market Menu
I ordered a Raspberry’s Love cocktail, which was sweet and ever so strong, I felt a little giddy at one point or perhaps that was the fantastic view I was drinking in! Meanwhile, Homeboy tried a virgin Mojito, so at least one of us was sober. After toasting our move to the area and gushing about how lucky we were, it was time to make some decisions about the menu.
Cocktails
I started with the creamy Wiltshire burrata which looked adorable thanks to the candied tomatoes and lovage pesto. It was a dainty little dish, and I thoroughly enjoyed eating it. My other vegetarian option was onion leek and garlic soup which was a strong contender, but I wasn’t in the mood for garlic today. Homeboy opted for the grilled sardines on toasted focaccia with tiny cubed courgettes, along with a scattering of broad beans and mint. What a pretty presentation and the taste didn’t disappoint either; we were off to a good start! Meat eaters might have liked to try the chorizo scotch egg with piccalilli which sounded somewhat retro.
Wiltshire Burrata
The four mains included fillet of hake which Homeboy selected. This arrived on a bed of wild garlic with baby beets and fennel. The flavour combinations were spot on, and the hake portion was generous. For meat-eaters, the pork belly with mash and Bramley apple sauce or the salt marsh lamb rump with toasted fregola (Sardinian pasta), kale, olives and feta was a lovely Med meets Brit treat.
Hake and Wild Garlic
I was very content with my robiola (Italian soft-ripened cheese) and radicchio (chicory type leaf) tortellini with sage and a scattering of smoked almonds. It had a summery look which was welcome considering the temperature was plummeting outside.
Robiola and Radicchio Tortellini
I had to stop myself from ordering all the sides because each one sounded tempting. We settled on the rosemary roasties which Homeboy said tasted as good as his grandma’s. The harissa and maple roasted baby carrots with cumin were super cute. Otherwise, it was winter greens, grilled field mushrooms with garlic and parsley butter, chips or mash.
Rosemary Roasties
We kept space for pudding. Homeboy couldn’t wait to tuck into his sticky date pudding with toffee sauce, almond brittle and clotted cream. I didn’t get a look in because it was gone by the time I’d stopped admiring my pretty dessert. I went for the blueberry cheesecake with black cherry yoghurt ice cream. They also had a Bramley apple, forced Yorkshire rhubarb with hazelnut crumble and English vanilla custard. If only we could have fitted in the cheese selection with Woodbridge pear chutney but alas, our trousers wouldn’t let us!
Dessert
This restaurant is famous for their Sunday roast lunch which is well worth booking if you want to tuck into some free-range chicken with lemon, thyme, smoked bacon and bread sauce. Or a slow-roasted lamb shoulder studded with rosemary and garlic. If you can’t finish your meal, then you can take it home with you. The restaurant is encouraging diners to create their dishes using said leftovers with the help of recipe cards. They even package it up in a takeaway box which you can recycle.
Roast Restaurant Interiors
Restaurant Interior
Set inside the stunning Floral Hall, an iconic building in the heart of Borough Market, you get a fabulous view of the stalls from high above through amazing arched windows. The building was re-erected from Covent Garden to Borough Market and used for storage until Iqbal Wahhab realised the potential and brought it back to life with a buzzy restaurant. The British menu, lively atmosphere and uber professional staff, make this a special place for business lunches, celebratory occasions and anyone who wants to take advantage of the three courses for £30!
Roast Restaurant Information
Restaurant Exterior
To find out more about this eatery, visit the Roast Restaurant Website. The address is The Floral Hall, Stoney Street, London SE1 1TL. The nearest station is London Bridge or Borough. Check the website for current opening times. I visited the restaurant again for a Roast Sunday Lunch which was fabulous.
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Homegirl London except for the interior image. Thanks: Erin Gillard for inviting me. Thanks to the restaurant for the fabulous free meal, it was a real treat. Thanks to Homeboy for joining me, putting on a shirt and staying off his mobile phone! Disclosure: Our meal was free which is why this article has been labelled as an Advert.
