A carvery is a restaurant that serves sliced meat to order, originating in Great Britain and also found in South Africa, Ireland, parts of the United States, and Australia. The offerings tend to be basic, with traditional meats like pork, lamb, and beef, along with vegetables and gravy. Some carveries also make sandwiches, with some focusing on high-quality ingredients while others offer basic options. Carveries can be found in hotels and pubs, and historically marketed themselves as special occasion restaurants.
A carvery is a restaurant that serves sliced meat to order. Carveries take on a number of different forms and appear to have originated in Great Britain. They can also be seen in South Africa, Ireland, parts of the United States and in Australia. The carvery offerings tend to be quite basic, with customers getting a simple, filling meal without a lot of frills. The type of food is what many people associate with British culinary history; simple, filling, and made with ingredients readily available in the region.
In a traditional roast beef, customers are given their choice of meat along with potatoes, vegetables and gravy. Meats can include traditional roasts of pork, lamb, and beef, and carvery can also offer seafood, along with more exotic meats. Traditional British vegetables such as peas, carrots and parsnips are common offerings, with sauces such as mint gravy for lamb. Some carvings allow people to take as much meat as they want, while others distribute the meat, charging more if people want more.
Some carvers make sandwiches, using generous cuts of roast beef and other meats. Such establishments may focus on using high-quality breads and other ingredients for a more gourmet sandwich, and may offer exotic ingredients and combinations to keep people interested in their offerings. Others provide basic inexpensive sandwiches that may not be of the highest quality, but fill up and can be packed on picnics, hikes, and other outdoor activities for a quick lunch. These sandwiches are also sometimes made into a roast and sold to corner shops so people can grab a sandwich while doing other shopping.
In some cases, a carvery is found in a hotel, although this practice is declining, as hotel guests have come to expect higher and more varied standards of hotel food. Pubs may also serve carvery meals, sometimes only offering such meals on certain days or at specific times. People can eat the carvery food or order a box to go with the meats of their choice.
Historically, some carveries marketed themselves as special occasion restaurants where people could take friends and family and eat extensively, yet at reasonable prices. Some decorated themselves with themes that were supposed to refer to various historical periods or local products. Pubs that held the occasional carvery night would use the event as a way for everyone to socialize over a simple meal that wouldn’t take much work to prepare.
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