London has no shortage of places to grab a Sunday roast, but few do it with quite as much style and skyline bravado as OXO Brasserie. Perched on the top floor of the iconic OXO Tower on the South Bank, this modern British restaurant offers diners panoramic views of London’s skyline that make you feel you’ve truly arrived.
Inside, the space is effortlessly cool, all sleek lines and industrial-chic charm with modern art adorning the walls. Tables are close enough to create a buzz but not so packed you’ll accidentally adopt your neighbour’s bread basket. It’s relaxed but refined, stylish but never stuffy – the kind of place where even the napkins seem to have their own PR team.
Whilst the live music hums in the background like an agreeable dinner guest who knows when to stay quiet, the impeccable service from the friendly staff is attentive without being overbearing allowing you time and space to enjoy sharing food with friends and family. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows London sprawls before you like an overachieving postcard: St Paul’s standing smugly in the distance, the Thames curling beneath like it owns the place. It’s a view that doesn’t just invite admiration – it demands it.
Whether you’re looking to indulge in a hearty Sunday Roast or enjoy a modern twist on a British classic, the OXO Brasserie menu on Sundays provides a perfect way to end the week in style – be it with your family or a group of friends.
Tasty Tipples from the Cocktail Menu
For the perfect start to your Sunday lunch, the cocktail list reads like a novella penned in a beach bar during a particularly indulgent sabbatical. Take the Rum’eo and Juliet — a frankly ludicrously good Tiki number that arrives looking like it’s late for a luau. Ron Santiago de Cuba Dark Rum, bergamot liqueur, Earl Grey, lemon juice and ginger, all topped with a spritz of Mexican lime soda and a potent dash of Bounty 151 Overproof Rum. It’s a sun-drenched tropical treat in glassware.
The Melba Daiquiri is what happens when someone with access to very good rum decides to make a peach melba relevant again. Fruity, frivolous, and just shy of flirty. Then there’s the Power Station, a brooding behemoth of a drink. Six weeks in an oak barrel has done wicked things to its whisky-Campari core, and the result is less cocktail, more a slow-burning revelation. It punches like a disgruntled bouncer but finishes with surprising elegance.
Non-drinkers aren’t left to sip sad soda. The Virgin Mary is every bit as fiery and satisfying as it’s Bloody Mary cousin, without the need for alcohol. For those looking to indulge, the OXO Bloody Mary is a house favourite developed over 15 years, featuring an expert blend of cold-pressed tomatoes, chipotle peppers, slow-roasted garlic, smoked paprika, and Ketel One Citroen vodka.
Starters That Whisper, Then Shout
The Bread Selection arrives like a warm-up act with a surprisingly solid fan base. Not warm, granted, but forgiven for being so texturally pleasing – slices of sourdough baguette, chunks of olive focaccia and poppy seed rolls – all made charmingly unpretentious with a slab of Somerset butter. The Mushroom Arancini are golden orbs of comfort, soft-centred and smug with Cornish brie. The truffle mayo doesn’t overdo it – a rarity these days – and the whole thing feels decadent without being overwhelming.
Baby Chorizo with honey and rosemary is a whisper of the Mediterranean with a slap of smoky heat. It dances somewhere between charcuterie board and fever dream.
Then comes the Dorset Crab, which surprisingly is a warm dish – but oh what a pleasant surprise! Sweet, light, sea-kissed, and artfully presented on wheaten bread with sea vegetables. If Poseidon had a starter course, it would be this.
Sesame Spiced Pork Belly with pickled radish and nashi pear brings balance – fat and crunch, heat and sweetness. It’s the sort of dish you try to recreate at home and end up weeping into a jar of pickles.
The Sunday Centrepiece
Available from 12pm to 5pm each Sunday, the OXO Brasserie’s Sunday Roast Menu has been created with culinary flair by Head Chef Keir Barry and features a quartet of expertly prepared options each served with an array of mouthwatering sides. Choose from succulent Corn-Fed Chicken served with chorizo pigs in blankets or tender slow-roasted Rump of Beef with horseradish cream and beef dripping caramelised onions. Also on offer is Pork Belly with crispy crackling, and for the vegetarians & vegans amongst us, Roasted Cauliflower with white bean hummus, tabbouleh and dukkah.
The Pork Belly is the textbook answer to why British cuisine still matters. The crackling is perfectly crisp, the pork is tender enough to cause a minor swoon, and the Yorkshire pudding — gloriously stuffed with caramelised onions — borders on absurdly good. Drenched in what is aptly described as “proper good gravy”, the beef dripping roasted potatoes could be weaponised in the best possible way. Bringing up the rear, hispi cabbage and organic carrots add another layer of deliciousness to the plate.
Aside from the quintessentially British Sunday Roast options, the menu also features a choice of main dishes with something to suit all tastes. The Beer-Battered Cod is not your local chippy’s effort. Toasted fregola and a rich mussel bisque elevate it into something entirely new — familiar yet elevated, like a London cabbie quoting one of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
Harissa Lamb Shoulder is all smoke and silk – falling apart with the lightest nudge, warmly spiced, and cleverly brightened by spinach yoghurt and preserved lemon. It’s Sunday lunch meets spice market.
Sensational Sides
Often treated as an after-thought, sides can either be terribly underwhelming or a quickly forgotten taste on the palate. Not here. The ubiquitous Mac ‘n’ Cheese has been upgraded to Crab Mac ‘n’ Cheese. Over the top? Certainly. Necessary? Entirely. Creamy, indulgent, and laced with proper crab, it’s culinary comfort with a luxury twist.
Even the Fries, those humble sidekicks, deserve applause. Rosemary salt. Crispy edges. Fluffy centres. You’d be a fool not to order them.
Desserts That Know Their Worth
The Sticky Toffee Pudding comes with clotted cream, fudge ice cream, and enough toffee sauce to require a nap afterwards. It’s traditional, rich, and entirely unapologetic — as all great puddings should be.
The Pear and Ginger Cheesecake, deconstructed to within an inch of its life, actually pulls it off. The poached pear is perfectly tender, the ginger Hobnob is a playful nod to biscuit tin nostalgia and a stylish interpretation of a cheesecake base. It’s all terribly clever without too much overthinking.
For a lighter option that still feels indulgent, go for the Fudge Ice Cream. Silky smooth with a caramelised richness, it has a buttery depth with a hint of nostalgia that takes you straight back to seaside fudge shops, only this time, it’s grown up and dangerously sophisticated.
The Verdict
OXO Brasserie is the sort of place that lures you in with the view and keeps you seated with the food. Head Chef Keir Barry knows precisely what he’s doing – seasonal modern British fare that’s contemporary without being pretentious. The open kitchen buzzes, the live music hums, and the whole experience feels like London at its best: effortlessly stylish with just enough edge to keep it interesting.
If you’re after a Sunday lunch that respects tradition but isn’t shackled by it, this is your spot. It’s not just lunch – it’s theatre, comfort, indulgence, and a little bit of city swagger served on a plate.
OXO Brasserie
OXO Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, London, SE1 9PH
0207 803 3888
oxotowerrestaurant.com
