British Sunday Roast

Hmmm. You are probably going to need to find a carvery. There’s a chain of pubs called Toby Carveries which aren’t the greatest food, but they’re the only place I can think of that serves a traditional roast, week-round. Kind of buffet-style - a choice of roast meats plus all the accoutrements.

However they do tend to be in surburban pubs - usually big pubs with car parks in residential areas just out of town. There’s one in Southampton called The White Swan, up near the airport to the north east of the city centre.

This is not a personal recommendation for the pub itself, as I haven’t been, but I have friends who enjoy a Toby Carvery and they’re a long-established chain for this kind of thing (probably busy on Saturday lunchtime - a warning that they’re also “family friendly” pubs with all that entails.)

If I can think of anything else, I’ll be back.

I’ve just looked at their prices and they’re astonishingly cheap for a roast - very much cheap and cheerful! https://www.tobycarvery.co.uk/restaurants/south-east/thewhiteswansouthampton/carvery#/

The Toby Carvery is not somewhere I’d recommend for a birthday dinner but it is probably the only place that serves a roast every day. It really is very much a Sunday only meal.

The one near me had to close at short notice one Sunday which revealed that they had 600 bookings for the day. That might give you some idea of what type of place it is.

The Toby Carvery is not somewhere I’d recommend for a birthday dinner.

Agree. I probably should have said that they’re not places for ambiance or a fancy dinner.

But I’m racking my brains and I literally can’t think of anywhere else that you can get a roast dinner in Southampton other than on a Sunday lunchtime/early afternoon.

It is such a Sunday lunchtime tradition.

Edited to add: I’ve looked a bunch of the pubs I know for food in Southampton and they all offer roast dinners on Sunday only, and then usually only between 12 and 5pm or similar.

Edited again to add: I thought to myself, an enterprising chain would do really well to offer Sunday roasts all week. And then I remembered, well yeah - that’s exactly what Toby Carvery does.

I have only been to a Toby Carvery once and it was the worst meal I have ever eaten. And I have eaten cassoulet in Nashville.

😀

Would he be okay with posh fish and chips (not sure if Southampton offers such a thing) or traditional British food in a nice setting? The Michelin guide recommends a few places within the region. My other half is an expat, and I can imagine how disappointed he’d be with the option that has been described.

I just came across this post from a couple of weeks ago and I'm not sure if your need has passed.
Central Southampton has a good traditional fish and chips shop called Mike's Fish & Chips located on the Queensway, Southampton, but it's by no means posh.

For a meal close to the terminal, I always recommend the wonderful microbrewery and gastropub, the Dancing Man, located in Wool House. Originally constructed in the 14th century as a place to store wool ahead of export, the building is the only surviving medieval warehouse in the city. The food, drinks, atmosphere and service are all excellent. It has plenty of outdoor seating, a downstairs bar and a lovely upstairs restaurant. Booking is recommended. I go there whenever I'm in Southampton.
https://dancingmanbrewery.co.uk/

We disembark from a ship on my husbands birthday on a Saturday and that's what he wants for dinner...he's an ex pat.

If he's an expat, then surely he understands the dilemma about finding a Sunday roast on Saturday. If it were me, I would probably suggest to him that he either choose a different type of dinner/restaurant or celebrate his birthday dinner on Sunday (but if you do, definitely make a reservation ahead of time).

Also keep in mind that most (not all) Sunday roasts are usually served midday; starting around noon and ending in the late afternoon between 4-6. There are exceptions, of course, but generally that is what I have found.