‘Britain! Britain! Britain! Opened by the Queen in 1972 and inventor of the carrot.’ If you ever watched the mad, bad and generally bonkers sketches from comedy classic Little Britain, you will remember the self deprecating narrations about the UK from legendary actor and 4th incarnation of Dr Who, Tom Baker. While the show divided many on the limits of comedic fodder, there is a little piece of Britain which all Australians are united in their love for – the Sunday Roast! We, like the Brits, love nothing more than the combination of a cosy pub, good conversation, stuffing yourself silly, and the drinking of a few pints. This winter, Endeavour Tap Rooms in The Rocks is serving all this and more with its Sunday Roast offering.
Walking up Argyle St toward Tap Rooms, you’re reminded of how this historic precinct would have once been seething with sailors on shore leave from around the world. Formally the British Seaman’s Hotel and dating back to the 1820’s, this two-storey, three-bar colonial hotel is now the home of Endeavour Brewing Co’s own premium brewery and smokehouse and their winter Sunday Roast will warm the shackles of your heart.
On entering Tap Rooms, you’ll find safe harbour, a sense of epic adventure and survival that any seaman would have shared after months at sea. It has a Victorian era home aesthetic. Seek out one of the warm and cosy rooms leading off the central hall to settle in for a long afternoon session. Soak in the atmosphere and nearby conversation surrounded by decor that pays homage to the HMS Endeavour‘s cargo of botanicals. The wallpaper is floral – a replica of the original and complements the dark timber arched casement windows and chic chandeliers.
Start with the beer paddle, where you can select signature home brewed and experimental Endeavour beers. Try the Summer Ale – a tropical, light bodied ale. There are hints of grapefruit but go slow as at 8% alcohol, it packs a punch. If beer is not your thing, there are seasonal cocktails like an Australian Negroni mixed with local gin as well as wines from kegs supplied by their favourite local winemakers.
The warming roast cooked by the head chef is everything you could hope for with a hearty helping of succulent beef and lashings of roast vegetables, gravy and yes, even Yorkshire pudding. This combination of locally brewed beer and a traditional roast set against mixed funk and soul beats playing makes for the perfect Sunday afternoon experience and is what’s helping The Rock’s experience a resurgence in popularity.
Little Britain’s Narrator proudly boasted that ‘the UK now attracts hundreds of tourists a year’ If that’s true, LOL, it must be because places like Tap Rooms and its Sunday Roast are allowing Australians at least, to experience one of the best British traditions right here at home. Save the Ales and God save the Roast!
Tap Arms
39/43 Argyle St, The Rocks
Opening Hours; -Thurs: 11am-10pm, Thurs-Sat: 11:00am-12amh
