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The Laundry bar-bistro makes Sunday boujie, with cracking cocktails, prettily presented roast dinners, and friendly service.

Tamsin Salfrais - Staff Writer • 26 September, 2022

A stone’s throw from Brixton tube station – and Brixton Overground for that matter – you’ll find The Laundry. Once an Edwardian laundry house (hey, it’s in the name), today, it is a Kiwi-run bar-bistro open daily, serving casual all day fare, banging brunches, and on Sundays, roast dinners. Given that the days are getting colder, and winter is right around the corner, we headed over to The Laundry Brixton to indulge in a hearty Sunday roast and we were not disappointed. Why? Well, let us count the ways…

Obviously. The Sunday roast at The Laundry was absolutely fantastic. You can choose to start your roast with a selection of nibbles, or starters, which include prawn cocktail, toasts topped with the likes of duck rillette or potted crab, or a selection of salads. However, we jumped straight into the mains. The roast options include rolled pork belly, 28-day aged Hereford sirloin, or leek and mushroom pie. We opted for the two meat options, both of which come with roast potatoes, seasonal squash, minted peas, glazed carrots and gravy.

The pork belly roast was absolutely divine. Served with an apple sauce, the pork is melt-in-your-mouth soft, and the sweetness of the apple sauce pairs perfectly with the meat; it’s a much-loved pairing for a reason. The crackling was crunchy but not hard, a mean feat to achieve, and overall, the variation of textures on the plate was very satisfying. As for the beef, well, it elicited a happy dance, it was so good. Again, the meat was cooked to perfection, and the servers indulged our request for more horseradish.

While the meat was cooked brilliantly, we have to give a moment to the sides too. The squash was delightfully sweet, while the peas were minty yet not overpowering. And for someone who could give or take carrots, I ate the whole lot, which really is testament to their flavour. It’s worth noting that while a Yorkshire pudding comes as standard with the beef roast, you’ll need to ask for a Yorkshire pudding side if you fancy one with the pork. Soft and pillowy – more so when adding gravy – it was a must have, regardless of where you stand on the Yorkshire pudding/roast dinner/Christmas dinner debate (I’m firmly Yorkshire pudding with all, thank you).

Alongside its service as a bistro, The Laundry is also a working wine shop, with hundreds of bottles for sale. On the menu, however, there is a much smaller selection – though just as impressive. Whites, reds and roses hailing from South Africa, Chile, Spain and France make up a good portion of the drinks menu, and there’s even a rose sangria, if you’re feeling for a little Spanish flair.

Alternatively, the drinks menu also comprises local beer, house cocktails, and a decent non-alcoholic list that stretches far past the standard sodas. We opted for one of the house cocktails: the cucumber margarita. It’s up there with some of the best margaritas I’ve consumed. Initially, the margarita – which, coincidentally, colour matched with the booth we were sat at in the corner of the venue – tastes strong, but it is very refreshing and oh so moreish.

The attention to detail at The Laundry is second to none, from the Sunday roast itself to the drinks. It was clear from the presentation of the dinner that a lot of time was taken to plate the meat and veg, piling it just right, so it was aesthetically pleasing. And of course, once we got stuck in, the balance of flavours was again indicative of the time gone into the preparations.

As for our cucumber margaritas, whether intentional or not, we really liked that only half the rim of the glass was salted. Not only did it look pretty, but it gave the option to enjoy the drink with or without salt, whichever way we were so inclined. I also really liked the coasters brought out with each drink too, cut from old menus. The little touches like this made the experience at The Laundry all the more enjoyable.

From the moment we entered the venue, we were greeted with a smile and really friendly service. The host gave us a choice of table – both walk-ins and bookings are accommodated at The Laundry – and when our server first came up, she introduced herself to us by name. Proper Michelin-starred manners, at a lovely laid-back eatery. We felt at ease to ask any questions, service was super quick, and everyone was made to feel very welcome.

The Laundry is set out across two floors, plus there’s an outdoor terrace at the front of the eatery. The outdoor area is the perfect place to catch some sun (if you can brave the colder spells!) in the afternoon, while indoors, you’ll find a casual-chic style with comfortable peppermint booths, dark wood chairs, and wall-to-wall wines. It truly is a great place to catch up with friends or family over a roast dinner.

Check out The Laundry’s other menus, or make a reservation here.

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