Sunday Lunch in Selsey

Roast dinners and weekend dining

Sunday lunch is a well-observed tradition in Selsey, as it is across coastal Sussex, and the town and its immediate surroundings offer a handful of options for those wanting a roast dinner to mark the end of the weekend.

The main destination for Sunday lunch in the wider Selsey area is the Crab and Lobster at Sidlesham. While the pub is better known for its seafood, it also serves a traditional Sunday roast with all the trimmings, and the combination of good food and the views across Pagham Harbour makes it a popular choice. Booking is essential, particularly during the summer months and around Christmas when demand is highest. The setting, overlooking the harbour with its flocks of wading birds, gives a Sunday lunch here a quality that is hard to find elsewhere in the area.

The pubs in Selsey town centre, including The Fisherman's Joy and The Seal, serve Sunday lunch in a more traditional, local setting. These are straightforward pub roasts with a choice of meat, roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy, served in a friendly atmosphere. The portions are honest and the prices are fair, and the pubs are well used by families, couples and groups of friends who make Sunday lunch a weekly ritual.

The holiday parks have their own dining facilities that serve Sunday carveries during the season, aimed at the family visitor market. These provide a convenient option for park guests who do not want to travel into the town.

For those who prefer to cook at home, the High Street butcher and the local shops supply roasting joints, vegetables and all the accompaniments. The fresh seafood option should not be overlooked either. A Sunday lunch of dressed Selsey crab with salad and bread may not be a traditional roast, but it is a meal that captures the essence of the town.

After lunch, a walk along the coast path from Selsey Bill, or a circuit of the Medmerry reserve, provides the perfect way to work off a large meal. The flat, open paths are manageable for all ages and fitness levels, and the coastal light on a winter Sunday afternoon is particularly beautiful.

For a wider choice of Sunday dining, Chichester has several restaurants and pubs offering roasts, and the villages of the Manhood Peninsula have their own options. But for a Sunday lunch that belongs to Selsey, the local pubs and the Crab and Lobster provide everything that is needed.