As summer gives way to autumn many of long for those lost warmer days and longer evenings. But one of the things making that seasonal jump a little bit easier is the Sunday roast.
Nothing quite hits the spot like a good Sunday dinner - a plate stacked high with crispy roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings as big as a fist and lashings of gravy. Fortunately, in Manchester we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to this weekly pastime.
Whether it's classic roast dinners or huge sharing boards, Greater Manchester has a number of great options , whatever your taste. However, in these difficult times, as the cost of living crisis deepens, many will be looking for ways to make their money stretch further.
Read more: The best Sunday roasts in Manchester
Admittedly, eating out in town can set you back a fair bit, and for those with kids in tow, the cost of a simple Sunday roast can really start to add up. Below we cover some of the affordable roast options to suit all tastes and budgets.
Toby Carvery
Think roast dinner, and one name comes to mind - Toby Carvery. This British roast institution has venues across Greater Manchester - including Watergate Toll in Bolton, Chadderton Park in Oldham and Ainsworth in Radcliffe - and changes up its carvery selection throughout the year.
You can enjoy a minimum of three premium roasted meats, then help yourself to roasted vegetables, Yorkshire puddings, ruffled roasties, and all the trimmings. For £11.99 you can choose from succulent roast turkey, slow-roasted beef with dripping glaze and gammon with marmalade glaze - and for £1.99 extra you can supersize this. They also offer a range of starters and sharers, as well as Toby Tasters like the stuffed Yorkshire pudding for £2.99.
The Windmill Denton - Stonehouse Pizza and Carvery
Part of Stonehouse Pizza and Carvery, which also has sites including The Red Lion on Chorley Road and The Sandbrook in Rochdale, roasts here also come in at under a tenner. The traditional carvery, with roasts, vegetables, potatoes and mash can be upgraded with some festive pigs in blankets for as little as 99p extra. A large carvery meanwhile, with extra meat, pork sausages and another Yorkshire pudding comes in at £11.78, while the Full Works offer - a large carvery with three pigs in blankets - will set you back £12.77.
Barlow Croft, Greene King Pub & Carvery
While there’s many pubs within the Greene King portfolio, this one, situated within the Parrs Wood entertainment complex in East Didsbury, is a good shout if you have children in tow, especially if they’ve worked up a hunger at the bowling or Wacky Warehouse within the restaurant.
The fresh carvery here includes a choice of at least three 14-hour, slow-cooked roast meats plus a veggie option. Fill your boots with seasonal accompaniments and help yourself to as much gravy as you like - all from £5.49. If you feel like switching up your roast dinner ritual, you can also try their Carvery Bap - filled with a hand-carved roast meat of your choice, stuffing, and served with roast potatoes and gravy - also £5.49.
Hungry Horse
With spots in Heald Green, Rochdale and Bolton, Hungry Horse is another safe bet when it comes to your Sunday roast - and this one comes in at under a tenner. The Flying Horse, Hornet and Matchstick Man respectively all served up the £8.29 offer, with meat options including hand-carved topside of beef and roast chicken breast, while the veggie offer is a red cabbage, apple and brie roulade.
The beef is served as expected with horseradish, sage and onion stuffing, as well as roast spuds, mashed potato - double potato for the win - plus peas, beans, cauliflower, gravy, and if you still have room for more, Yorkshire pudding. Larger versions of the chicken and beef can be purchased for £10.29.
Henry Boddington, Salford - Sizzling Pub & Grill
Here, you can fill up on roast potatoes, honey-roasted parsnips, mash, carrots, green veg, and gravy for less than £10. With other branches such as The Haddon Hall in Droylsden and Wilton Arms Hotel in Middleton, Greater Manchester has a number of Sizzling Pub & Grill venues to choose from.
Choose from hand-carved beef (£9.99), chicken breast with pork sage and onion stuffing and a pig in blanket (£7.99), or the root vegetable and walnut wellington(£9.99) with parsnips, butternut squash and sweet potato encased in a puff pastry. The kids carved beef and chicken breast comes in at £3.49, while add ons like Yorkshire puddings and stuffing come in at under a pound.
Brewers Fayre
This family friendly pub chain - with venues at the Trafford Centre, Sale and Denton - has Sunday lunch covered from 12 noon every Sunday. They believe it is the highlight of the week - we don't disagree - and are positioned to serve up their Sunday best at great value.
Here, you can choose from beef, turkey or gammon - or a mix of all three - and all the trimmings including unlimited roasties, Yorkshires, veg and gravy. Not a meat lover? Then the Fake Ale & Pie with butternut squash provides a veggie alternative, plus there’s also a vegan option. Adult serves are priced at £9.99, while kids portions come in at £3.99.
Dorvy’s Diner
If you’re from this neck of the woods, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Dorvy’s - the diner in Cadishead has been around for almost two decades and serves up one of the most affordable roast dinners around. For £5.50 a pop you’ll be served a massive portion with meats and all the roast dinner trimmings.
Often selling out by 1pm, the roast experience here comes complete with four of your five a day piled high, plus two Yorkshire puddings for good measure. If you struggle to finish the large portion, there’s a small portion at £4.50, or you can ask for a takeaway tray to take it home - their takeaway versions are also very popular.
Farmhouse Inns
With locations across Greater Manchester including Applewood Farm in Worsley and Coppice Wood Farm in Urmston, there’s plenty to choose from. Sunday roast fans will be glad to know that its Manchester branches serve up a weekday carvery - just in case you can’t wait until the weekend. Priced at £7.79, they include 14-hour, slow-roasted meats, fluffy Yorkshire puddings, crispy roast potatoes, a variety of veg, and all the trimmings. Veggie options are available at the same price.
It may actually be a bit of a coup to go in for your roast during the week as it’s a few pounds cheaper than its weekend counterpart, which stands at £10.79 - presumably when demand is higher. If you don’t fancy the meat, the roast comes in at £6.29 in the week and £9.29 on weekends.
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