There is a particular kind of quiet that settles over Leith Walk on a Sunday afternoon. The buses are half empty, the shops are taking it easy, and somewhere a gravy boat is being filled. If you have spent the week rushing, Sunday is the day for sitting down properly, ideally somewhere warm with a pint and nowhere else to be.
That is the whole idea behind the Sunday roast at Brunswick Book Club. We bill it as the “Best in Leith”, which is a bold claim for a part of the city that takes its food seriously. So this guide does two jobs: it explains what we think makes a proper Sunday roast in Edinburgh, and it shows you exactly what lands on the table when you book with us.
Why the Sunday Roast Still Matters
The roast has outlived almost every other British food ritual. Weeknight dinners have turned into trays on laps and something quick from a delivery app, but Sunday lunch has held its ground. It is still the meal people plan around: a catch-up with parents, the post-match debrief, the hangover cure that everyone agrees is medicinal.
In Scotland the tradition has always been a little different from the English version. Sunday dinner here might just as easily be a steak pie or a pot of mince as a joint of beef. That gives Edinburgh’s roasts a bit of character, and plenty of pubs now borrow from both sides of the border.
What has not changed is the point of it. A Sunday roast is about time: time spent cooking the meat slowly, and time spent eating it without anyone checking the clock.
What Makes a Proper Sunday Roast
Ask ten people in a Leith pub what makes a good roast and you will get eleven opinions, most of them about potatoes. Still, a few things come up every time.
Meat that has been given time
The best roast beef is either a beautifully rested joint or something that has been cooked low and slow until it gives way under a fork. Rushed meat shows. You can always tell when a kitchen has thrown a few slices under a lamp and hoped for the best.
Potatoes with a crunch
Roast potatoes should be crisp and craggy outside and fluffy inside, and plenty of cooks swear by roasting them in beef dripping. They should never be pale, and they should never be an afterthought. If the potatoes are good, people forgive almost anything else.
A Yorkshire pudding that stands up
A proper Yorkshire is tall, golden and slightly chewy at the base, ready to hold a pool of gravy. A flat, cold one is a small tragedy.
Gravy, and enough of it
Gravy is the thread that ties the whole plate together. It needs depth, it needs to be hot, and there needs to be enough of it that nobody has to ration.
Vegetables that taste of something
Carrots and greens are not just there for colour. Cooked properly, they cut through the richness and make the plate feel like a meal rather than a dare.
The Brunswick Book Club Sunday Roast
Our roast is built around 12-hour braised brisket. Brisket is a hard-working cut from the chest of the animal, full of flavour and connective tissue. Cooked quickly it is tough; braised slowly for half a day it becomes tender, rich and almost spoonable, and that long cook is the reason we use it.
Alongside the brisket you get:
- a Yorkshire pudding
- roast potatoes
- carrots
- broccoli
- a generous pour of gravy
It is served on Sundays only, from noon when the main menu starts, and costs £22.95 at the time of writing. Prices change from time to time, so check the current food menu before you come. The roast is listed alongside our classics.
Why brisket rather than a joint?
A traditional sliced joint is lovely when it is carved to order, but it can dry out quickly over a busy service. Braised brisket holds its moisture, soaks up the gravy and stays tender from the first plate to the last. In practical terms, the roast you get at 5pm is as good as the one served at noon.
What to drink with it
The drinks list has plenty that sits well beside a roast. A pint of Guinness from the tap is the obvious pairing, and the stout’s roasted notes work nicely with braised beef. If you prefer wine, the Malbec and the Tempranillo on our drinks menu both have the body to stand up to gravy.
Driving, or taking it easy? We stock alcohol-free Guinness, Budvar and Erdinger, and several of our Brunswick Originals cocktails can be made without alcohol.
Leave room for pudding
Sunday is not the day for skipping dessert. The desserts menu has warmed apple pie with custard, sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, banoffee pie and a chocolate truffle torte that is both gluten free and vegan. The sticky toffee pudding is a strong finish after a roast, as long as you have planned a long walk afterwards.
Not Everyone Wants Beef
Sunday lunch with a group usually means at least one person who does not eat red meat. Our full main menu runs alongside the roast on Sundays, so nobody is left with a side salad.
For vegans, there is the melanzane parmigiana, layered baked aubergine with vegan mozzarella and tomato sauce, plus the vegan burger with sweet potato fries. Fish eaters have fish and chips in our famous batter, the honey soy hake, or the sea bream salad.
For something more Scottish, the Balmoral Chicken (stuffed with haggis, wrapped in Parma ham, with turnip mash and a light whisky sauce) is a proper Sunday plate in its own right. We have written more about it in our guide to Balmoral chicken.
Dishes marked NGCI on the menu are made without gluten-containing ingredients, and an allergen menu is available by QR code at the table. If you have a specific allergy, tell your server when you order.
Bringing the Family
Sunday roasts and children go together, and we are set up for it. Our kids menu offers three courses for £10 at the time of writing, with starters such as garlic bread and tomato bruschetta, mains like twisty pasta, cod goujons and sausage and mash, and a choice of warmed sugar waffle, mini cannoli or an ice cream sundae to finish.
If you are coming as a big family group, book ahead and mention numbers. A bigger group around one table is what Sunday lunch is made for. Sunday lunch is our busiest service of the week, and the corner tables go first.
Where to Find Us
Brunswick Book Club is at 113 Brunswick Street, Edinburgh EH7 5HR, just off Leith Walk. We have a terrace onto the Walk itself, which is first come, first served when the weather allows.
Leith Walk is one of the easiest streets in the city to reach. The trams and a long list of bus routes run its full length, so you can be here from Princes Street in a few minutes without worrying about parking. If you are walking off lunch afterwards, the Shore and the Water of Leith are a pleasant stroll north, and Calton Hill is a short climb at the top of the Walk.
Sunday opening times
We are open from 10am on Sundays. Breakfast runs until 5pm, so a late riser can still have a Full Scottish while the rest of the table gets stuck into the roast. The main menu, including the Sunday roast, is served from noon to 10pm, and we close at 11pm.
Make a Day of It
A Sunday at Brunswick does not have to be a quick in-and-out. Plenty of our regulars arrive for a late breakfast, read the papers, and drift into a roast. Our guide to brunch on Leith Walk has more on the morning menu if you fancy starting early.
If you are buying for someone else, a Sunday roast for two makes a good present. Gift vouchers are available through the Vittoria Group gift shop and can be used at Brunswick Book Club.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Sunday roast served at Brunswick Book Club?
Every Sunday, from noon, when the main menu starts. It runs through to 10pm, while stocks last on a busy day.
What meat is in the Sunday roast?
Our roast is 12-hour braised brisket, served with a Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, carrots, broccoli and gravy.
How much is the Sunday roast?
It is £22.95 at the time of writing, and the current price is always on our food menu. An optional 10% discretionary service charge is added to the bill.
Do I need to book for Sunday lunch?
We recommend it. Sunday lunch is our busiest service, especially for larger groups. You can book a table online in a couple of minutes, and it saves a disappointing wait on a busy Sunday.
Is there a vegetarian or vegan option on Sundays?
Yes. The full main menu runs alongside the roast, including vegan melanzane parmigiana and a vegan burger.
Can children have the Sunday roast?
Children can choose from our kids menu, which offers three courses for £10 at the time of writing. Ask your server if you would like to discuss a smaller portion of the roast.
Where is the best Sunday roast in Edinburgh?
Everyone has a favourite, and Edinburgh has some excellent ones. We would point you towards Leith, and to a 12-hour braised brisket on Brunswick Street, but we would say that.
Book Your Sunday Roast
Sunday lunch is the best seat in the week, and it fills up. Book a table at Brunswick Book Club, bring whoever you like, and leave the washing up to us.
