Sunday lunch at Sale Pepe – review
We recently enjoyed Sunday lunch at Sale Pepe in Shotley Bridge so thought I’d share an honest review.
When Steve spotted on Facebook that Sunday roasts were back at Sale Pepe, there was really only one option – book a table immediately.
I am a big fan of a proper Sunday roast.
Crisp roasties, rich gravy, Yorkshire pudding… it’s my love language.
Unfortunately, Elsie doesn’t share my enthusiasm, which means a traditional Sunday lunch out or even at home, isn’t something we do very often.
Many restaurants switch entirely to a set Sunday menu, and if she won’t eat it, it feels such a waste.
One of the reasons we love Sale Pepe is that even on a Sunday, they still offer a great children’s menu alongside their roast options.
It makes all the difference.
They stopped doing Sunday lunch for a while, so we were genuinely pleased to see it return.
We parked nearby in the free spaces just a short walk from the restaurant – something Steve (and his broken bone in his foot) was especially grateful for. Small wins.
Our table was booked for 12:15 and we were the very first diners to arrive.
There’s something quite lovely about that – the calm before the gentle Sunday buzz.
We settled in, perused the drinks menu and placed our order: Pepsi Max for me, orange squash for Elsie and an Appletiser for Steve.
On Sundays there’s plenty of choice for adults.
The main menu is packed with Italian favourites, there’s a regularly changing specials menu, and then of course the Sunday roast menu.
The best of all worlds really.
Elsie has very recently decided that she likes pizza. Now. After years of declaring a hatred for it.
So she confidently ordered a pepperoni pizza and an extra portion of fries. Growth.
Steve and I both had our eyes firmly on a roast.
He chose the feather blade of beef, while I opted for the roast chicken for a change. No starters. No messing about.
Straight to the main event.
While we waited, we soaked up the ambience.
It’s such a welcoming space – relaxed but still special enough to feel like an occasion.
Elsie read to us at the table (one of my favourite things she does at the moment), and thankfully by half past twelve more diners began to arrive and the restaurant filled with that comforting Sunday hum.
Our food arrived piping hot – and I really do mean piping hot.
Plates steaming, gravy glistening.
There is nothing worse than a lukewarm roast, and this most certainly was not that.
We had a table by the window which made for excellent people watching. Always a bonus.
Elsie’s pizza was a generous size, and the fries were a great addition. She made a very respectable dent in both.
As for the roasts – I really like that they aren’t piled high in a towering stack.
Some places seem to build vertically, as if testing structural engineering limits.
I prefer to see what’s on my plate without risking a landslide.
Everything here was neatly presented, each element given its own space.
Steve’s feather blade of beef was melt-in-the-mouth tender.
He very kindly offered me a forkful and it was every bit as good as it looked.
My chicken was beautifully moist, not a hint of dryness in sight.
The roast potatoes could have been a little crispier for my personal preference, but they were still good.
The greens were well seasoned, the mash silky smooth, and the gravy rich with just the right consistency and amount (I am quite particular about gravy).
Both roasts came complete with a Yorkshire pudding, of course.
Despite declaring we were full, we somehow found room for dessert. It would have been rude not to.
Elsie chose the kids’ brownie with vanilla ice cream.
Steve went for the grown-up brownie with vanilla ice cream, and I opted for the kids’ brownie sundae – because sometimes the children’s menu just calls your name.
All three were delicious. Warm, chocolatey, indulgent.
It felt so lovely to be back enjoying a proper Sunday roast out as a family, without compromise and without waste.
A relaxed start time, great choice, and food that absolutely hit the spot.
I’m quite sure we’ll be back at Sale Pepe on another Sunday very soon.
Where is Sale Pepe?
10-12 Front Street
Shotley Bridge
Consett
DH8 0HH
Sale Pepe opening hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 4.30pm – 10.30pm (last booking 8.30pm)
Wednesday: 4.30pm-10.30pm (last booking 8.30pm)
Thursday: 4.30pm-10.30pm (last booking 8.30pm)
Friday: 4.30pm-11pm (last booking 8.45pm)
Saturday: 12pm-11pm (last booking 8.45pm)
Sunday: 12pm-7.30pm (last booking 5.30pm)
Please check with Sale Pepe directly for current opening hours.
Telephone: 01207 509 969
Email: hello@salepepeshotley.com
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If you’re looking for somewhere for all the family here’s my thoughts on the Blue House Haswell.
See our thoughts on The Miner’s Arms Medomsley
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