ROAST

Last Thursday night my Aunt treated us to dinner at ROAST in Borough Market.

Our family friend Heather was over on business from New York so it was the perfect opportunity for a catch up.

Rach looking pretty cheery

ROAST is one of the capital's top restaurants located in the iconic Borough market.

After meeting at London Bridge we made our way leisurely to the restaurant, weaving in and out of market stalls and the hubbub of people sat outside of the many restaurants that line the narrow streets.

It was a hot August evening, in the middle of that awful heatwave and the air was close and heavy, jugs of Pimms and ice cold lemonade stood in pitchers on tables, couples and friends chatted at outside tables, whilst the smell of cooking food filled the air; it felt very European and you could easily imagine yourself to be in some small back alley of Italy.

It was a Thursday (Borough Market opening details here) and the stalls were just shutting up for the evening after a busy day's trade. The smell of fish lingered and the floor was wet and slippery having just been cleaned of the day's dirt.

Finally emerging from the maze of green market stalls we stumbled upon ROAST. Located in the portico of Borough's former flower market, the building is aptly named 'The Floral Hall'.

You enter into a lift on the ground level of the market and are whisked up several stories to the dining room which has a three walled glass exterior offering stunning views of the market below and out across towards St Paul's Cathedral.

The three walls of windows, combined with the skylights above you, provide a glorious natural light that bathes London in an evening glow, whilst the centre of the restaurant is taken up by an open-plan kitchen and bar. Crisp white linen, chandeliers and elegant features make it the perfect hideaway from the market mania below. 


ROAST was opened 9 years ago by Iqbal Wahhab, OBE, a Bangladeshi-born British businessman, also the founder of the award winning Cinnamon Club restaurant. He has won a whole host of prestigious awards. 

ROAST prides itself on transforming traditional British dishes into innovative creations, all made using fresh, seasonal, British produce purchased from the market below, meaning the menu changes regularly. They have specials for each day of the week and in keeping with the street food style of the market you can even take your dinner to go. 

As its name suggests, the restaurant is most renowned for its Sunday dinners, which include slow roasted free-range pork belly with bramley sauce, Goosnargh chicken with bread sauce, or blackface lamb with mint relish. It all sounds mouth watering right?

Needless to say it was Thursday and with work the next day we opted for something a little lighter than a roast dinner.

They offer a special set summer menu which began, as all good menus should, with a round of pomegranate and rum cocktails. 

16 year old Rach was even allowed a little tipple and thoroughly enjoyed it. After ordering some wine and chatting whilst looking out onto the stunning views we had our starters.

Three of us chose Courgette spaghetti (a much healthier, more delicious and no carb version of pasta) with oven-dried cherry tomatoes, basil, anchovies and capers.

It was delicately seasoned with an added kick from the salty fish and sweet tomatoes.

Rach chose the ROAST tomato soup with rosemary croutons. These weren't your average croutons but large chunks of crisp bread swaddled in garlicky butter.

Unfortunately we weren't very adventurous and three of us again chose the same main course, which makes the pictures a little boring for you, but it certainly didn't disappoint. 

Pan-fried fillet of pollack with Peter Gott's wild boar pancetta, peas and baby gem. The fish was perfectly cooked, the baby gem lettuce crunchy and fresh, all sitting afloat a buttery sauce.

A side of carrots with honey and thyme, peas, and cabbage shoots accompanied the dish.

Rach went for the ROAST burger with triple cooked fries.

After a few more glasses of wine we just had room for something sweet and shared two desserts between us.

Bramley apple and blackberry crumble with thick vanilla custard.

Eton mess with Sussex strawberries.

We were just finishing as the lights were beginning to dim over St Pauls. 

Amidst the street style food of the rest of Borough Market, ROAST is a little bit of decadent dining tucked away, perched high over the market stalls. If you're looking for delicious British food in the heart of one of London's best known spots, look no further.