We try the Sunday roast at a posh Bristol pub where pint-supping locals and dogs are as welcome as diners 

The best pub Sunday roast in Bristol? It’s a question readers ask as often as they do about which greasy spoon serves the finest fry up in the city.

Of course, Bristol is blessed with some cracking places dishing up traditional Sunday roasts to suit all tastes and budgets.

The Kensington Arms, tucked away in the heart of leafy Redland, is a name that often crops up in any round-up of such venues.

Part of Chew Valley chef Josh Eggleton’s local empire of businesses, this well supported neighbourhood pub has a growing reputation for its food since Oscar Davis took over the kitchen.

Davis previously cooked for Eggleton at the much-missed Yurt Lush restaurant next to Temple Meads which closed during the pandemic.

Bristol-born Davis has quickly made his mark at ‘The Kenny’ (as locals call it) by showcasing local or South West suppliers and producers, all of whom get a name check on a board in the dining room.

Although driven by the food side of the business, The Kenny is still very much a boozer with plenty of regulars - some with their dogs - propping up the bar and putting the world to rights over pints of Old Speckled Hen.

The separate dining room has a classic ‘posh gastropub’ look with high ceiling, tasteful artwork next to the blackboard of daily specials and an open kitchen at the far end.

On a busy Sunday lunchtime when staff were expecting around 100 diners to turn up for a roast, there was a real buzz about The Kenny.

An enticing smell of thyme and roast meat wafted through the place as a mix of families with kids, couples and hungover students arrived for lunch.

In the background, The Kinks’ Sunny Afternoon did its best to lift the spirits despite the drizzle outside. It was followed by Talking Heads, Blondie and other cool classics adding to the laidback Sunday afternoon vibe.

Although there are a few specials individually priced, it’s a set menu priced at £27.50 for two courses or £35 for three courses. All roasts are also available as child portions for a very reasonable £8 and there are three choices per course.

My daughter started with St Austell Bay mussels - a generous bowl of plump molluscs languishing in a heady broth of cider, cream and soft herbs. I kicked off with the Wye Valley asparagus, the firm spears coated with a dribble of punchy sauce gribiche, wedges of soft-boiled egg and crisp rings of fried shallots. Delicious.

The main courses include a vegetarian option (it was mushroom, walnut, apricot and Cheddar loaf with celeriac and thyme) and there was also fennel and black pepper rolled Chew Stoke pork belly.

We both went for the beef sirloin from New Manor Farm in the Chew Valley. Served as a thick slice like a decent size steak, it was medium rare, pink and impressively tender. It arrived with a light and puffy Yorkshire pudding, fragrant and silky celeriac puree, exemplary roast potatoes with plenty of crunch and a rich thyme-scented gravy.

The accompanying vegetables were arguably the best we’ve had in any Bristol pub. No overboiled cabbage and floppy carrots here.

There was sherry-glazed beetroot, roasted heritage carrot, mixed greens, braised red cabbage and, best of all, a small cast iron casserole dish of simply sensational broccoli and cauliflower cheese topped with chopped chives. It was so good, we’re still talking about it.

Being an old traditionalist, I can’t pretend not to be slightly disappointed that there wasn’t a crumble on the puddings list, but the fabulous sticky ale pudding with cider and butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream more than made up for it.

My daughter was equally pleased with her pretty in pink dessert of white chocolate cheesecake, stewed rhubarb, almond and rhubarb sorbet, which was well balanced, not too sweet and had plenty of sharpness from all that pink Yorkshire rhubarb.

Well stuffed and in need of a long walk afterwards, we waddled out of The Kenny with rosy cheeks and full bellies. 

It was as good a Sunday lunch as we’ve had this year and deserving of its growing reputation as one of the best roast you’ll find in Bristol.  

The Kensington Arms, 35-37 Stanley Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6NP. Tel: 0117 9446444.