From Manchester Ale porchetta to a center piece oyster mushrooms Wellington, we have some of the country best roast on our doorstep

A Stockport bistro and a plant-based ‘chill spot’ in Cheshire have been named in a prestigious list celebrating the best places in the country for a roast dinner.

This morning (November 20), The Good Food Guide named its top 50 places for a Sunday roast in 2024 – featuring some of the country’s best gastro pubs, fine dining restaurants, cafes and farm kitchens. The list was compiled following reviews and ratings from members of the public earlier this year.

Earning the top title of Best Sunday Roast 2024 was The Abbey Inn, located in Yorkshire. Opened just over a year ago, the venue is run by three times Great British Menu winner Tommy Banks and was celebrated for its ‘superb quality’ roasts, with its crisp crackling pork and thick-cuts of beef singled out in the praise.

The Good Food Guide also celebrated a number of venues for individual titles as well as recognising 50 venues across the country – including five spots across the North West.

Stockport’s Fold, located in Marple Bridge, was one of the North West recipients praised for its roast. The Town Street neighbourhood bistro and bottle bar opened at the start of last year and has quickly earned a reputation for not only its regular community events but its selection of organic drinks and selection of sharing plates.

Led by Executive Chef Ryan Stafford and Head Chef Jake Rossington, Fold’s selections of Sunday meats and alternatives are all fire roasted over Bincho embers – a hardwood charcoal traditionally made in Japan that adds a subtle, smoky taste to things.

Its roasts, available as two courses for £33 or three for £38, includes a choice of either English aged beef Bavette with ‘Yorkie bits’ and smoked salt, a half roasted chicken with Black Truffle and local honey, a porchetta featuring Manchester Ale, fennel and Pink Lady apple, or a Hen of the Woods mushroom featuring onion broth and pickled shallots.

The roasts are served with a Wagyu fat potato slice, rosemary salt and a selection of roasted autumn vegetables. Sides available include Manchester IPA Beignets and duck parfait, whilst desserts feature brack loaf and local cheese, and a dark chocolate, celeriac and dulce de leche pudding.

The selection has been praised online, with customers describing it as ‘sensational Sunday lunch’ featuring the ‘highest quality cooking’.

Also featured on the top 50 list was plant-based restaurant Shrub, in Chester, which also took home the title of Best Vegan Sunday Roast. Located on Eastgate Street, the venue is described as a ‘chill spot’ specialising in cocktails and small plates.

Its £16.50 Sunday roast features a centrepiece oyster mushroom wellington, which is served with roast potatoes, broccoli, carrots and charred cabbage, alongside seasonal puree, a vegan Yorkie and gravy.

One TripAdvisor reviewer described the vegan offering as a ‘banging roast’, whilst another said it was ‘honestly the best roast dinner I’ve had’.

Also making the top 50 list was Lancashire restaurant sōlō. Located in Aughton, Ormskirk, the restaurant is chef Tim Allen’s first solo venture and features a varied Sunday lunch menu. The selections include the likes of maple toffee sandy and black pork, served with ‘truffled snow’, a chalk stream trout with English radishes, and a Cumbrian heritage Sirloin.

The others to proudly represent the North West on the top 50 list were Heft, in Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, and The Black Bull, in Sedbergh in Cumbria.