Must-see nightlife in Oxford & the Cotswolds

  • The pub beer garden

    Turf Tavern

    Oxford

    Squeezed down an alleyway and subdivided into endless nooks and crannies, this medieval rabbit warren dates from around 1381. The definitive Oxford pub,…

  • Head of the River

    Oxford

    For a summer-evening riverside drink, central Oxford holds no finer setting than the Thames-facing terrace of this imposing former warehouse – hence the…

  • Lamb & Flag

    Oxford

    This relaxed 17th-century tavern remains one of Oxford’s nicest pubs for a sturdy pint or glass of wine. Thomas Hardy wrote (and set) parts of Jude the…

  • The Perch

    Oxford

    This thatched and wonderfully rural 800-year-old inn can be reached by road, but it’s more enjoyable to walk half an hour upstream along the Thames Path,…

  • Crown & Trumpet

    The Cotswolds

    Much the nicest of Broadway’s pubs, its cosy bar and front garden filled at the weekend with lively locals, the Crown & Trumpet has been honoured by CAMRA…

  • Raoul’s

    Oxford

    A long-established local favourite, Jericho’s finest retro-look bar is renowned for its expertly mixed cocktails – typically priced at around £7.50, and…

  • Outside Thirsty Meeples

    Thirsty Meeples

    Oxford

    In the UK’s original, and still Oxford’s only, board-game cafe, paying £5 (£7 if you don’t eat or drink) lets you play as many games as you like for three…

  • Sandford Park Ale House

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    Usually featuring 10 hand-pulled ales and ciders, and host to an annual cider-and-cheese festival, this relaxed, unassuming place is Cheltenham's premier…

  • John Gordons

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    This elegantly low-key wine-and-spirits bar, in a handsome stone arcade, delivers a wonderful globetrotting selection of whiskies, gins and wines, all…

  • Bear Inn

    Oxford

    Oxford’s oldest pub – there’s been a pub here since 1242 – the creaky old Bear requires almost everyone to stoop while passing from room to room. An ever…

  • King’s Arms

    Oxford

    A mere 400 years old, the ‘King’ in question being James I, the self-styled ‘brainiest pub’ in Oxford is owned by Wadham College and run by Fullers…

  • Jericho Coffee Traders

    Oxford

    Usually busy with students enjoying fine coffee and slabs of home-made cake, central Oxford’s friendliest independent coffee house is an intimate, wood…

  • Isis Farmhouse

    Oxford

    Half the fun of this isolated pub – yes, it really is a farmhouse – is the half-hour walk to get there, south along the Thames footpath from Folly Bridge…

  • Varsity Club

    Oxford

    At this sleekly minimalist rooftop cocktail bar, spectacularly located in the town centre, you can sip fruity cocktails (£7 to £10) while soaking up…

  • Windsor & Eton Brewery

    Windsor & Eton

    In the taproom of this boutique brewery, half a mile west of the central station, you can sample hoppy delights like the award-winning Knight of the…

  • Café Tarifa

    Oxford

    Inspired by the eponymous Spanish kitesurfing centre, this low-key lounge spot is big on neo-Moorish style, with cushioned booths, low-slung tables, tile…

  • Plush Lounge

    Oxford

    Oxford’s one and only gay club has an all-inclusive vibe. In action for just a few nights each week – Tuesday’s especially for students – it stays open…

  • Inside The Missing Bean cafe

    Missing Bean

    Oxford

    Usually packed with students hunched over their laptops, this busy central coffee bar was inspired by Australia’s independent cafe scene, and benefits…

  • 'The Trout' Pub.

    The Trout

    Oxford

    Three miles northwest along the Thames from Oxford – a wonderful walk– this old-world pub has been drawing drinkers for around four centuries, and was…

  • Exterior of the pub

    Eagle & Child

    Oxford

    Affectionately nicknamed the ‘Bird & Baby’, and a favourite haunt of JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and their fellow Inklings, this quirky, rambling pub dates from…

  • Three Goats Heads

    Oxford

    For some of the best (and cheapest!) real ale in town, head to this old-fashioned split-level pub, which exclusively serves beer from Sam Smith’s brewery…

  • Oxford Wine Café

    Oxford

    This fresh, sophisticated wine bar is popular with laptop-toting students and the after-work crowd. Choose from a fantastic array of world-spanning wines…

  • The Grapes

    Oxford

    You’ve got to laugh! This gloriously authentic century-old pub stripped out its lovely old fittings a few years ago, reinvented itself as a hip modern bar…

  • George Street Social

    Oxford

    This sprawling central bar-restaurant offers a full food menu that centres on an all-day brunch, but the key to its essential identity lies in the latter…

  • White Horse

    Oxford

    Every inch the quintessential old English pub, this tiny 16th-century inn was a favourite retreat for TV detective Inspector Morse, and attracts Morse…

  • Big Society

    Oxford

    Revamped to meet the needs of students – table football, table tennis, cheap food, hand-pumped ales and the latest craft beers – rather than the car…

  • Jericho Tavern

    Oxford

    A sturdy four-square fixture on Jericho’s main street, this veteran pub has benefitted from an appealing modern makeover, and now places a strong emphasis…

  • Carpenters Arms

    Windsor & Eton

    This bright, bubbly 16th-century pub is tucked into a cobbled lane opposite the castle; sit at its street-side tables and admire the fortifications. Chain…

  • Peloton Espresso

    Oxford

    Celebrating cycling culture in all its forms, this cool modern coffee shop pulls in caffeine fiends with its stripped-back, bare-white decor, easygoing…

  • Outside The Missing Bean

    Missing Bean

    Oxford

    Check out the artisanal roastery that’s responsible for one of Oxford’s favourite cafes, then pause over a flat white before grabbing a bag of the house…