Must-see restaurants in Oxford & the Cotswolds

  • Edamamé

    Oxford

    No wonder a constant stream of students squeeze in and out of this tiny diner – it’s Oxford’s top spot for delicious, gracefully simple Japanese cuisine…

  • Spiced Roots

    Oxford

    From black rice with pomegranates to oxtail with mac cheese and plantains – and, of course, spicy jerk chicken – everything is just perfection at this…

  • The entrance to Vaults and Gardens

    Vaults & Garden

    Oxford

    This beautiful lunch venue spreads from the vaulted 14th-century Old Congregation House of the University Church into a garden facing the Radcliffe Camera…

  • Magdalen Arms

    Oxford

    A mile beyond Magdalen Bridge, this extra-special neighbourhood gastropub has won plaudits from the national press. A friendly, informal spot, it offers…

  • Turl Street Kitchen

    Oxford

    Whatever time you drop into this laid-back, not-quite-scruffy, seductively charming all-day bistro, with its fairy lights and faded-wood tables, you can…

  • Wheatsheaf

    The Cotswolds

    Lively, stylish and laid-back, this beautifully revamped coaching inn – where diners dig into excellent, elegant seasonal British dishes with a…

  • Covered Market

    Oxford

    A haven for impecunious students, this indoor marketplace holds 20 restaurants, cafes and takeaways. Let anyone loose here, and something’s sure to catch…

  • Le Champignon Sauvage

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    For over 30 years, chef David Everitt-Matthias has been thrilling visitors and locals alike in this two-Michelin-starred Cheltenham favourite. Imaginative…

  • 5 North St

    The Cotswolds

    This veteran gourmet restaurant is a treat from start to finish, from its splendid 400-year-old timbered exterior to the elegant, inventive creations you…

  • Mount Inn

    The Cotswolds

    Revelling in glorious hilltop views above pretty honey-washed Stanton, just off the Cotswolds Way 3.5 miles southwest of Broadway, this pub is not just…

  • Badgers Hall

    The Cotswolds

    Set in a glorious old mansion facing the market hall, this definitive Cotswold tearoom is renowned for its no-holds-barred afternoon teas, served from 2…

  • Hind’s Head

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    Oozing atmosphere, this 15th-century pub offers diners the chance to experience Heston Blumenthal’s highly creative cuisine in a relatively affordable,…

  • Wild Thyme

    The Cotswolds

    This little 'restaurant with rooms' thrills palates with top-notch creative dishes packed with flavour, such as asparagus and goat's cheese risotto or…

  • Fat Duck

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    Arguably the most famous restaurant in the country, the Fat Duck is the flagship property of whiz-bang chef Heston Blumenthal. A pioneer of ‘molecular’…

  • Waterside Inn

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    From the moment the uniformed valet greets you until the last tray of petit fours is served, this three-Michelin-starred riverfront restaurant is…

  • Paris House

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    On the Woburn Estate, Paris House is a handsome, black-and-white, half-timbered structure to which the 9th duke of Bedford took a shine while visiting the…

  • Oli’s Thai

    Oxford

    This tiny Thai restaurant is a bit of a trek from town, a mile down Iffley Rd, but it’s absolutely worth the effort. The short menu changes frequently,…

  • Saracens Head Inn

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    This welcoming riverside gastropub, right beside the ferry crossing, ticks all the right boxes with its creative Modern British dishes, bursting with…

  • Outside The Handle Bar

    Handle Bar

    Oxford

    Upstairs above a bike shop, this chatty, friendly cafe has bikes galore, including penny-farthings, dangling from its ceiling and white-painted brick…

  • Prithvi

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    Prithvi's top-notch service and minimal monochrome style perfectly match its elegant, immaculate modern cuisine. While rooted in Indian traditions –…

  • Boston Tea Party

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    A spacious, friendly, vintage-chic cafe, where relaxed decor – all blue faux-leather booths and rough wood tables, fresh flowers and colourful cans –…

  • Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

    Oxfordshire

    Oxford itself has no Michelin-starred restaurants, so local food-lovers make the 9-mile pilgrimage east to this impressive manor house, which has two…

  • Daffodil

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    This breathtaking brasserie conjures its retro setting, in a 1920s cinema, into fabulous art deco glamour, with a delightful daffodil theme from its tiled…

  • Woolpack Inn

    The Cotswolds

    This lively little rural pub in Slad, 2 miles south of Painswick, was a favourite watering hole of local author Laurie Lee, whose portrait and books adorn…

  • Oxford Kitchen

    Oxford

    Oxford’s not renowned for high-end, cutting-edge cuisine, so if you’re crying out for a few foams, mousses, funny-shaped plates and bumpy slates, make…

  • Outside the Grand Cafe

    Grand Café

    Oxford

    Boasting of being England’s first-ever coffee house – though not, unlike its rival opposite, open ever since – the Grand looks very much the part, with…

  • Outside Society Cafe

    Society Café

    Oxford

    Stripped-down, dazzling-white cafe, with a scattering of light-wood Scandi-style tables, where you can enjoy a good cup of coffee in a relaxed ambience…

  • Outside the cafe

    George & Davis

    Oxford

    The original in a three-strong chain of Oxford ice-cream cafes, better known as G&Ds, this is where they actually make the stuff, with new flavours being…

  • Dylans Kings Arms

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    Dylans took a long-closed Tudor pub and turned it into a modern eating and drinking destination, informal but with a serious approach to food. Mains might…

  • King’s Head Inn

    The Cotswolds

    ‘Pub of the Year’ in 2018, and set in a 16th-century cider house with a lovely garden 4 miles southeast of Stow, the King’s Head is ideal for eating,…

  • County Kitchen

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    This friendly, unfussy and remarkably inexpensive cafe serves no-nonsense contemporary food using top-quality local ingredients. The all-day breakfast…

  • Kazbar

    Oxford

    As sultry as it is stylish, this energetic Moroccan-inspired bar-restaurant – a spin-off from nearby Café Coco – features hanging lanterns, draped fabrics…

  • Lords of the Manor

    The Cotswolds

    Set inside a dazzling countryside manor, this romantic restaurant – be sure to book ahead – concocts imaginative, beautifully presented dishes with French…

  • Tudor Farmhouse

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    Tucked into the cosy wood-beamed lounge of a gorgeous boutique hotel, this rustic-modern restaurant delights with tasty contemporary British cooking…

  • Tavern

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    Behind its bare-bones exterior, this stylish gastropub serves Modern British food with a punch, amid exposed brick, bare wooden tables, blue-velvet booths…

  • Ashmolean Rooftop Restaurant

    Oxford

    Run by the Benugo chain, the Ashmolean’s light-filled rooftop restaurant serves meticulous modern dishes such as black squid crusted cod or mustard…

  • Gilbey’s

    Windsor & Eton

    This bistro-restaurant, not far from the river, is Eton’s best dining option. Terracotta tiling, deep-green decor and a sunny courtyard lend the feel of a…

  • Campden Coffee Company

    The Cotswolds

    It’s a shame about the generic-sounding name, because this is actually a very pleasant cafe, peacefully located in the historic Old Silk Mill, with nice…

  • King’s Arms

    Oxfordshire

    This large central gastropub, divided into several distinct parlours and dining rooms, succeeds admirably in catering to different tastes. Pub-grub…

  • Coconut Tree

    Oxford

    Just supposing ‘Sri Lankan tapas’ was actually a thing, this wildly popular bar-restaurant would be the best place to get it. What it really serves is…