It has been a legendary fixture of British restaurant culture for four decades, standing alongside the likes of Little Chef, Harvester, and Beefeater. But while Little Chef has vanished from our roadsides and Beefeater will shortly disappear too, Toby Carvery is still seemingly thriving with roughly 150 restaurants nationwide.
I have passed the branch nearest to my home countless times and consistently thought "I must give that a go" but never actually managed to arrange a visit. Though you will occasionally spot other dishes listed on the menu, Toby Carvery is renowned for one thing and one thing alone: its celebrated carvery where you queue to be served up to four different meats before filling your plate with roasted and steamed vegetables and gravy.
As I stood there, empty plate in hand, awaiting my turn at the meat and veg counter on a Sunday afternoon, my initial thought was that this represented a straightforward yet brilliant formula for success given Britain's enduring passion for a cooked Sunday roast and the comparatively low cost of providing mountains of affordable veg. But my second thought was who on Earth fancies eating this on any of the remaining six days of the week.
What's on offer?
On a Sunday, you can order up to five meats, including gammon, beef, turkey, and lamb. There is also a wide selection of vegetables, including roast potatoes in beef dripping. Other veg included peas, carrots, green beans, and cauliflower, all of which are extremely good for you. I tried not to pile my plate too disgustingly high, but it is hard in these circumstances — you can see how good the parsnips look.
In fairness, Toby Carvery's parent company, Mitchells and Butlers, appears to be in reasonably solid shape, with share prices climbing steadily ever since they nosedived in 2022 due to soaring labour, ingredient, and energy costs, alongside reduced consumer spending amid the cost of living crisis. At the close of 2025, the firm, which also owns Miller and Carter and All Bar One, cautioned that it was facing £130m in additional costs this year owing to a surging wage bill and rising food prices, but subsequently revealed it had enjoyed an "exceptionally strong" Christmas period. It has shut a small number of Toby Carvery restaurants this year. So while things may be somewhat turbulent, it is operating within an incredibly challenging industry.
The experience
That said, the car park at the Cardiff restaurant I visited appeared busy enough, and there was a genuine sense of anticipation as I walked through the door (noticing the five-out-of-five food hygiene rating as I went). Inside, everything was spotless and well-presented, and our host went out of their way to rearrange the tables and chairs to accommodate what was a sizeable group of 16 (it had also been nice and straightforward to amend the booking on two separate occasions as the number of guests in my party kept increasing). Drinks orders were swiftly taken and promptly delivered, with a solid selection of beers on offer for the grown-ups — including Guinness, Madri, Stella, and Proper Job ale on tap — alongside soft drinks and milk for the little ones.
A couple of vegan dishes were requested, and the attentive server helpfully informed us of the wait time (10 minutes), allowing the rest of us to plan our trip to the carvery accordingly, which was priced at £16.99 per adult or £7.99 for two courses for children. Adults can upgrade to king size for an additional £1.99, netting you extra meat, an additional Yorkshire pudding, and two chipolata sausages. Personally, I struggle to see why you would want to make this already generous meal any larger.
The food
The queue for food moved along nicely, and I opted for lamb and turkey (with pork, gammon, and beef also available). After receiving hearty portions from the chef, I attempted to exercise some restraint while loading up on vegetables — cauliflower, roast onion, green beans, carrots, parsnips, and roast potatoes. The parsnips and potatoes were a real highlight — beautifully charred, gloriously crispy on the outside yet delightfully fluffy within.
The remainder was nothing to write home about, but was mostly thoroughly decent and met expectations, though the Yorkshire pudding was not great. It was a bit soggy and quite a long way from the crisp and fluffy Yorkie you would want. But at £16.99, there was little to grumble about. For the youngsters, a plate of turkey or pork with roast potatoes and veg, rounded off with an ice cream sundae with their preferred toppings, is spot on — and £7.99 represents cracking value.
Would I return?
Some people turn their noses up at a Toby Carvery, but I thought it offered a thoroughly enjoyable Sunday lunch at an excellent price point. Staff were welcoming and efficient, and the relaxed atmosphere meant parents need not fret about children being a bit boisterous – unlike at a more upmarket gastropub roast. My biggest question was why I had not visited sooner. I would happily return next weekend.
