Last Updated on January 9, 2026
An Excellent Sunday Roast and fine wines in Islington
Humble Grape Islington is located just off the famous Upper Street, with its plethora of bars, restaurants and pubs stretching from Highbury Corner down to Angel. Standing out from the crowd in this corner of Islington is therefore as tough a task as any faced by a London eatery – but this branch of the wine bar chain has proved itself up to the challenge. Humble Grape, on Theberton Street, is one of six branches, and some may be familiar with its other locations in Battersea, Fleet Street, Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf and Crouch End. I was pleased to be invited by Humble Grape Islington to try their Sunday Roast. Diners can select beef, lamb, pork belly, or a mix of all three – which comes in at a reasonable £25 for the mix or £22 for one type of meat. The Sunday Roast is served on Sundays from noon until stocks last.
As to be expected from the name, Humble Grape takes its wine seriously and this is certainly the Sunday roast for wine lovers. As we sat down for our lunch, locals were popping in behind us to buy a bottle to take home, and the attentive and knowledgeable staff were keen to inform of us the wide range available, such as biodynamic, organic, low intervention and natural wines. Humble Grape works to procure wine from small and sustainable producers, and in many cases, they are the only importer of the wine in the UK. The restaurant takes the same approach with its food offerings, using local and sustainable farm suppliers and reducing waste from the restaurant as close to zero where possible through recycling.
The first wine we tried was the sparkling rose Vinyes Ocults, Nat Charmat, NV from Mendoza, Argentina. A biodynamic and organic pinot noir, this was a natural sparkling wine which was unfiltered and with just the right touch of sweetness. Salmon pink in colour, the light sparkling rose had delightful notes of fresh fruits such as strawberries and cherries. The vineyard was founded around the year 2000 by Tomás Stahringer who spent time in Catalonia and Mexico studying wine and working in vineyards. The name of his vineyard, Vinyes Ocults, was named to honour Mexican cultural celebrations such as the Day of the Dead.
For those not drinking alcohol, the bartender at the Humble Grape was also very happy to offer non-alcoholic beverages. The virgin Bloody Mary was excellent with a kick of spice.
Our Sunday roasts then arrived, my guest and I both opting for the mix of pork, beef, and lamb. The pork belly was succulent with a shattering of crisp crackling. The beef and lamb were both tender too, melting in the mouth.
The sides were also very generous and roundly delicious. The cauliflower cheese was a particular highlight along with the crispy roast potatoes – a difficult dish to perfect in a restaurant setting where they often cannot be made fresh. The carrots and cabbage sides were also of high quality. The Yorkshire puddings were also light and fluffy, and not too oily as can sometimes be the case. In all, this was one of the best Sunday roasts in London that we had tried, and can be heartily recommended.
To accompany the roast, we enjoyed a glass of Schiena Impero, Primitivo di Manduria DOP, 2021 from Puglia, Italy. A fruit and rich red, the primitive is native to Puglia and is known for its dark, tannic wines. This wine was aged in an American barrel which gives the wine a vanilla, coconut and toasted aroma. Medium-bodied with smooth tannins, the Primitivo also offers a little bit of chocolate and black fruit on the nose.
For dessert, we enjoyed a lemon peel madeleine which was light and fluffy, served with a tart lemon curd and lightly dusted with sugar.
We greatly enjoyed our Sunday roast at Humble Islington, which not only offers a very fine roast that competes strongly in an area known for its variety of pubs, but also offers a unique and impressive wine collection, and friendly staff too. I hope to return for a glass, or another go at the excellent roast potatoes.
11-13 Theberton St,
London
N1 0QY
02039044480
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