The Duchess of Kent, Islington - Restaurant Review

Cuisine: Contemporary British
Price: ££
Food: 5/5
Style Points: 5/5
Value for Money: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

There’s nothing better than waking up late on a Sunday afternoon and heading to the pub for a Sunday roast with all the trimmings. It’s the definition of comfort, especially when the weather is frightful, and it’s definitely the perfect way to end the weekend on a high. Lucky for me, I have found a gastropub in Islington that may just serves the best Sunday roasts in the whole of London. Located just a few minutes from the Emirates Stadium, The Duchess of Kent in Islington is a beautifully decorated modern gastropub serving up traditional and modern British delights but it is their Sunday roasts that really set them apart. 

Choose from 21 day aged sirloin of beef, Braised pork belly, Dorset leg of lamb, Lemon thyme chicken or Celeriac, spinach & leek crumble. All are served with double egg Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, seasonal veg & lashings of ‘proper’ gravy. I chose the Dorset leg of lamb and it was tender, juicy and oh so succulent. There was plenty of it too so I didn’t have to plead for seconds! My guest opted for the sirloin of beef and words can’t do justice to the many expressions of joy that he exhibited with each mouthful. Needless to say, he was a very happy boy.

Every component was cooked to perfection and I especially loved the giant double egg Yorkshire pudding which was incredibly fluffy inside yet crispy on the outside. Not usually a fan of Yorkshire puddings, this one won me over. The carrots were also a standout with a lovely honey glaze that heightened the sweetness and made it a joy to eat with the rest of the dish. We also ordered some stuffing balls and pigs in blankets (why not!) and again we were not let down. These aren’t your usual supermarket kind, these were made with the finest ingredients and it really shows. 

Choosing a couple of Brixton Brewery pints from their wide selection of beers, the Sunday roast went down a real treat yet we of course left room for dessert. I went for Vanilla ice cream with espresso and a shot of Frangelico. Frangelico is a hazelnut liqueur and I soon learnt that it tastes delicious with vanilla ice cream with a shot of espresso. Not your typical British pub dessert but one which I thoroughly enjoyed.

My guest chose a more familiar pudding in Apple crumble pie with custard. Served as an individual pie with a proper shortcrust pastry casing, it was a delicious pudding that was full of buttery crumble and perfectly spiced apples. 

The Price?

The Dorset leg of lamb Sunday roast was £17 and the Sirloin of Beef was £18. The Stuffing balls were £3 and the Pigs in blankets were £4. The vanilla ice cream with espresso and Frangelico and Apple crumble pie with custard were £5 and £4 respectively. 

Overall

The Duchess of Kent provided me with a Sunday roast ‘experience.’ With ultra cosy armchairs, a roaring fireplace, beautiful artwork and colourful walls, the pub welcomes you with open arms and urges you to stay for a little while longer. The food may be a little more pricey than your usual Sunday roast but you really do taste the difference and feel more than satisfied once you put down your cutlery for good. 

I will certainly be back again to try more from their menu and one thing is for sure, there will stuffing balls and pigs in blankets aplenty. 

Book your Sunday Roast at The Duchess of Kent, London.
Address: 441 Liverpool Rd, London N7 8PR
Closest Tube Station: Highbury and Islington

My meal at The Duchess of Kent was complimentary - all opinions are my own.