Sunday Roasts in London: Opera Tavern, Covent Garden

Opera Tavern's Sunday Roasts are unashamedly untraditional but full of Mediterranean gusto
Opera Tavern: Continental cooking in Covent Garden
Ben Norum27 November 2015

Opera Tavern has been a reliable gem in the heart of Covent Garden since its launch in 2011, winning fans for its Spanish and Italian-influenced tapas dishes.

Given its continental outlook, it’s not surprising that it didn’t originally embrace the Great British tradition of a Sunday Roast — but that has all changed.

The main event: Don’t expect Yorkshire puddings and all the traditional trimmings. The restaurant is staying true to its roots and offering a very Mediterranean take on the roast dinner.

Options — which will change regularly — include slow-roasted beef brisket glazed with peach, and a slow-roasted lamb shoulder with onion jus. Both are served with purple sprouting broccoli and ‘manteca potatoes’.

Roast dinner with a difference: Slow-roasted lamb with manteca potatoes and salsa verde

Manteca means butter in Spanish, and these are effectively small crisped-up potatoes that have been pan-fried in butter. They’re not quite roasties, but they are deliciously indulgent and fill the role admirably.

Both meats boast an impressively deep flavour, with the lamb particularly winning merit for its blend of soft, tender flesh and slightly crispy fat. They’re winning platefuls, just so long as diners aren’t too set on tradition.

Plenty more besides: Tapas at Opera Tavern

The rest: It’s hard to know where to start, really. From some of the finest charcuterie in the capital to dishes such as courgette flower stuffed with goat’s cheese and drizzled with honey, Opera Tavern has tapas excellence in abundance.

A dulche de leche panna cotta with yoghurt sorbet, chestnut crumble and pear compote is a star among the puds.

In terms of drinks, the restaurant is well known for its hefty selections of both Italian and Spanish wines — including sherries — though a Negroni feels equally appropriate.

Where is it? In Covent Garden, a stone’s throw from the Royal Opera House and a short walk from the piazza.

Who's behind it? Opera Tavern was the third restaurant from the Salt Yard Group, following Salt Yard on Goodge Street and Dehesa in Soho. Since then, the group has also opened Ember Yard on Berwick Street.

When can I try it? All day on Sundays.

Cheque out: The set Sunday menu costs £16 for two courses or £22 for three. Other tapas dishes start around £4 and rise to £12. Wines start at £5 a glass or £20 a bottle.

Info: 23 Catherine Street, WC2B 5JS; 020 7836 3680, operatavern.co.uk.

Browse the capital's best Sunday Roasts in the gallery below:

The best Sunday roasts in London

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