The Pig and Butcher....one word: ROASTS.

I went home last weekend for my mum's birthday, but also for some very much-needed R&R. There's nothing like having a gorgeous little two year old around to distract you from all the shit that life can throw at you.
I have never appreciated my mum and sister as much as I did that weekend, so thank you guys. Even though I was a sad sack of potatoes all weekend, you did make it easier <3

On the Sunday, me and my sister treated my mum to a lunch at the Pig and Butcher in Islington, famed for its Sunday Roasts and it's meat being butchered on site.

Courtesy of The Pig and Butcher's Google + page

Courtesy of The Pig and Butcher's Google + page

Before we get to the food, just look at the birthday girl. Doesn't she look gorgeous?! You'd never guess how old she is!

She is going to kill me for this.

But come on, she is such a babe.

In quaint surroundings, with vintage "waiting room signs", original decor with old kitchen equipment dotted around, we felt like we were transported to the 40s.
TIP: If you know you want to go, BOOK!!! We got there just after 12, when they open on Sundays, and only just scored a seat. Any later we would have been on the waiting list.

The Pig and Butcher offers 3 roasts, all priced the same: pulled pork, beef and chicken (and a home made nut roast).

For those who enjoy it, it offers an impressive range of beer all of quality and craft varieties. I, however, went for my first Pimms of the year!! Well, it was the first sunny day of the year after all.

Me and my gorgeous sister - we have great taste in jumpers.

The food came, and my god the plates were HUGE.

One serious Yorkshire Pudding

Pulled Pork

Stamped crackling

Beef - you get a smaller amount for the same price as the pork, but still, it was a huge plate of food.

So to the checklist: the yorkshire, the meat and the potatoes. The yorkshire pudding was....well, look at it, it was unreal. The pork was so tasty and tender and I can't stress how much of it there was. For £15.95 such a good deal. The roast potatoes were perfect: crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and lightly dusted with large salt crystals to make them even more moreish. The apple sauce was home made and I could taste large chunks of apple, not that congealed jelly concoction you can get in some places. OH and the crackling was like crisps. But really really good crisps!

My only gripe would be that the vegetables could have been more exciting, seasonal and cooked a bit better. The carrots were rather school-dinneresque, but other than that the cabbage and the leeks were fine. The gravy was very tasty too, but could have been just a little bit thicker for my personal tastes!

This little guy had just woken up, he was giving me the most hilarious evil looks. Anyway he approved of the Yorkshire puddings too as he ate most of my sisters.

Then dessert. There was no other choice for me than chocolate ganache with hazelnut praline and coffee ice cream. Dead.

The chocolate was so rich and divine. Coffee ice cream was very subtle, so didn't overpower the chocolate - not that that would have been possible anyway with the richness.

So overall, The Pig and Butcher is definitely in my top 3 roasts in London. The Pantechnicon in Belgravia is my absolute favourite roast of all time. The entire Cubitt family of roasts in general are pretty perfect. The drinks, food - they all do a great cocktail - and surroundings is unbeatable. The thing that makes them stand out in comparsion to this Islington pub is the vegetables that they provide. Always seasonal and cooked to perfection. I didn't think that veg was that important, but it honestly gives it the edge over this roast. That, along with the two-person rack of beef that the Pantechnicon provides is outstanding. However the Cubitt's are more pricey so this wins in that respect: very similar food for less.

The bill was a nice touch, I always like it when places bring a bill in a vintage cigarette tray or decorated box or something. Very cute.

We then moved on to Caravan King's Cross for a coffee, where my little nephew looked so cute with his little babyccino.

It was packed in there, at 11.45 as were walking past to go to the canal, there was a queue about 10ft outside the door. Note to self: Never go there for Sunday brunch.

The coffee beans have been changed since the last time I was there and this batch is a little stronger. Could have been because I had a flat white instead of a latte, but I'm sure that wouldn't change the smoothness of a coffee....would it??

Still, a great coffee, not complaining!

My mum decided to order tea, even after all the raving we did about the coffee here. Oh well, wouldn't have seen the cutest milk jug in the world.

To kill some time before my train back to York (SAAAAAD) we headed to the British Library - ashamed to say I've never been before. I didn't realise how ugly it was.....

St. Pancras peeking out.

Not the prettiest of entrances, but once your inside the building it looks much more impressive. I thought it was going to be a lot older than it actually was, like the British Museum or something, and its not. I'll let you make your own minds up. Don't want to offend any architecture geeks out there ;) 

And then it was time to catch the train to York. 

Back home in 4 weeks, I really really can't wait.