The Chimney House might look like your classic red-brick, end-of-the-street boozer, but inside it’s busy rewriting the rulebook on modern-day pub décor, food and, crucially, the banging Sunday roast.
We arrived at The Chimney House just as autumn was breezing in – that blessed season when the words roast dinner become less a suggestion and more a Brightonian duty. Rather hidden away on Upper Hamilton Road – a short walk from Seven Dials and through some of the city’s most beautiful housing – I wonder if perhaps The Chimney House should consider sending smoke signals to alert would-be roasters.
But then again, we like to think of Restaurants Brighton as a modern-day signalling service, minus the fog. Let’s just say, you’d do well to beat the rush and get yourself to this pub as soon as your Sunday schedule allows. Take friends if you must – just make sure you get first bragging ‘I found an amazing roast place’ rights.
Let’s Talk Juicy Meat
Cooking a roast for your in-laws is enough to induce sweats in the calmest among us. Cooking dozens to perfection, simultaneously, every Sunday? That’s sorcery. And yet, somehow, The Chimney House kitchen does it with unnerving ease.
We went for the roast chicken and the pork belly. Each plate landed with an inspired, full supporting cast: roasties, swede mash, roasted beetroot, seasonal greens, Yorkshire pudding and a jug of bone-deep beef gravy. (There’s also sirloin of beef or a mushroom and tarragon bake and sweet potato, kale and caramelised onion loaf, for the veg-forward crowd. The plant-based chompers at the next table swore by both.)
The Supporting Cast!
Head chef Sam regularly appeared at the pass, delivering each plate like a blessing for his followers. The Yorkshire puddings were the size of a small football: crispy out, gooey within. Roasties with crunchy shells giving way to clouds of fluff. Beetroot, kale and broccoli cooked with al dente snap and bite. An uber-buttery swede mash.
Gravy with a deep, dark soul. A huge chunk of pork belly that’s tender and sports proper crackling. Juicy chicken filled with sage and onion stuffing. Sides of cauliflower cheese served bubbling and with a grilled, crunchy crown, and adult-sized pigs-in-blankets that dip into gravy like Sunday morning soldiers.
We’d heard rumours The Chimney House had Sunday roasts licked; we left with the proof smeared across our lips.
Desserts Worth Sinning For
By this point, our belts were begging for clemency, but duty called. Tempted by the Sussex cheese board and the dark chocolate and fudge brownie, we plumped in favour of a white chocolate and blueberry bread-and-butter pudding with vanilla ice cream. They’ve taken a school-dinner stalwart here and raised it to the gods. Gooey, sharp, sweet, creamy, and with a minty crown. We’d come back for this pudding alone.
The House of Bloody Mary
Sundays here also double as a temple to the Bloody Mary. A Virgin version is available, but we went for the OG vodka version and, for kicks and giggles, the tequila curveball, brilliantly called the Bloody Maria. Both were built on the mighty Bloody Bens mix, rich with spice and tongue-tingle.
Gold-plated
Word will get out. It always does. We help it to. When it does, finding a table will be like panning for gold in them there Seven Dials Hills. So, get yourself to The Chimney House for a roast that’s done properly – joyous, generous and, frankly, bloody marvellous.
