Board Sundays at The Hoxton - Where the Sunday Roast Meets Your Competitive Streak
Sundays at The Hoxton aren’t just about eating; they’re about settling in. The Lobby transforms into the kind of living room you wish you had; low lighting, soft clatter, people leaning over tables in that half‑whispered, half‑competitive way that only board games can summon. And right in the middle of it all sits the star of the show: Board Sundays, The Hoxton’s take on the classic Sunday Roast, served sharing‑style and designed to be grazed on between dice rolls and dramatic victories.
It’s a clever idea. Edinburgh loves a roast, but it also loves a slow, sociable Sunday and The Hoxton has stitched the two together with the kind of ease that makes you wonder why more places aren’t doing it. Instead of the usual plated roast, you get a full sharing platter, piled high and meant to be pulled apart, passed around, and negotiated over like the final round of Monopoly.
The Lobby is the perfect backdrop for it: buzzy but relaxed, stylish without trying too hard, and filled with that gentle Sunday hum of people who’ve collectively decided that productivity can wait until Monday. Whether you’re here with friends, family, or someone you’re trying to impress with your Connect Four prowess, it just works.
With large tables perfect for laying out board games, deep, comfortable seating, and cosy nooks tucked between couches and low lighting, the space practically leans over and tells you to slow down. It’s the kind of room that doesn’t just welcome you in, it convinces you to stay a while, order another drink, and let the afternoon drift.
The board games are stacked and ready to go - Monopoly (Edinburgh edition, naturally), Scrabble, Connect Four, chess and a few wild cards for the brave. Choose your competition wisely; friendships have ended over less. The Board Sundays menu is built for lingering: bar bites, sharing roasts, Top‑Up‑the‑Table sides, and desserts (if you’ve somehow got room left). Bar bites ease you in with dishes like a buttery Crab Crumpet (£12) and Smoked trout rillettes (£11) perched on crisp millefeuille potato. Sides lean full comfort, Pigs in blankets (£4.50), bone marrow with salsa verde (£4.50), the kind of extras that make you rethink what counts as “just a side”.
But the main event is the sharing roast boards. Choose from beef rib, chicken, pork tomahawk, or miso cauliflower, each served with Yorkies, roast tatties, seasonal veg and gravy. It’s hearty, generous, and built for passing around the table between turns. And at £24 per person, it’s a solid Sunday option that feels both relaxed and a little bit indulgent.
From the bar bites, we kicked things off with the BBQ corn with aioli mayo (£6.50); simple, tasty, and exactly the kind of nibble that wakes the taste buds up. The cheddar croquettes (£7) were crisp and comforting, especially when dragged through that rich dip, though they could have used a sharper cheddar to really sing. From the sides, the Brown butter cauliflower gratin (£4.50) was the runaway favourite; rich, creamy, nutty, and the sort of dish you immediately regret agreeing to share. The Apricot and pork stuffing balls (£4) brought a sweet, savoury hit and disappeared embarrassingly fast.
For the sharing platter we went all in with the half chicken and the beef rib, and honestly, the sheer scale of it will stop you in your tracks. The cask iron serving skillet arrives fully loaded: four Yorkshire puddings, baby carrots, parsnips, broccoli, roast tatties, and not one but two large flasks of gravy - chicken and beef, because The Hoxton clearly understands priorities. Plates piled high, we attempted to keep Monopoly going, but let’s be real: you can’t concentrate on property portfolios when you’re too busy feeding your face. Some things are best enjoyed separately, and this roast platter is absolutely one of them.
The chicken came with a gorgeous char, the skin crisped just enough to give way to tender, well‑seasoned meat beneath. The short beef rib, all 500g of it, was a showstopper: succulent, deeply flavoured, and packed with that gelatinous, pull‑apart beefiness that makes you stop mid‑conversation. The veg was plentiful and well seasoned although a few of the parsnips were a little undercooked for me but all in all they were the kind of supporting cast that actually earned its place on the platter.
There might have been space for dessert (the Sticky Toffee Pudding was calling my name) but realistically, that would’ve been a 5pm situation!
You will not leave this afternoon hungry. What I loved most, though, is the pace of it all, you can take your time. Eat your fill, return to your board game, then drift back to the platter for another bite. It’s a Sunday built for lingering, grazing, and stretching the afternoon out as long as you like.
PS : The staff are fantastic - friendly, helpful and attentive.
THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT BOARD SUNDAYS AT THE HOXTON
Sunday roast platters are £24pp with any additional dishes and drinks, extra
They are not dog friendly
The Hoxton is wheelchair and disabled accessible with a step free entrance available. Inside areas are wide with accessible W/C
My Spoon Award : Silver Spoon 8/10
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