Where to eat in Oxford

29 independent restaurants, bakeries and food spots in Oxford. Chains are left out.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Eat
Alpha Bar
One of the healthier options inside the Covered Market, Alpha Bar serves up organic, fair-trade food. Sandwiches are reasonably priced, at around £3.50, and you can choose from their many interesting fillings, including baked tofu, seaweed and roasted vegetables. Their salads are priced by the pound and you can fill your recyclable container with good-for-you grains. A favourite among students for lunch, but make sure you get there early — they tend to run out of the more popular ingredients by around 3:30PM.
9AM–5PM(ish)
Eat
Angrid Thai
An inexpensive Thai fast-food establishment right in the centre of Oxford that offers great value dishes and a casual atmosphere. Recommended to try are the panang curries and the prawn crackers with a helping of sweet chilli sauce. A 15% student discount is available.
11:30AM-11PM
Eat
Ben's Cookies
Great little shop right in the centre of Oxford, and much better quality than some of the other, over-priced coffee shops. Also notable for being the first store in what would later become an international chain. Popular with Oxford University students!
Mon-Sat 9:15AM-5:30PM; Sun 10AM-4PM
Eat
Brasserie Blanc
Raymond Blanc’s French brasserie is intimate and full of charm. Considering the quality of the food, prices are extremely reasonable – a rack of lamb, potatoes and cabbage will set you back £17.50, and for vegetarians the grilled Crottin goats’ cheese and beetroot tart is an exquisite choice. A great place for a date or to bring your mother.
11AM – 11PM
Eat
Brothers and Georgina's
Georgina’s is tucked away on the upper floor of the Covered Market, and this small café has a fairly groovy, hippy-ish décor and atmosphere. You’ll pay more for your sandwiches and wraps here than you would at other places, but portions are huge and, for the most part, healthy. An exception to the latter is their loaded potato skins, which are slightly spiced and come with a heaping of sour cream. Delicious!
Mon–Fri 8:30AM–5PM£
Eat
Byron's
Part of a chain. An upmarket diner experience offering burgers, fries and milkshakes. Recommended to try are the "hard shakes" which add a shot of liquor (such as rum or Bailey's) to any milkshake.
Eat
Dosa Park
Tiny South Indian restaurant/café/takeaway next to City Centre bus stands and train station, whose appearance belies its quality — some of the most mouth-watering authentic South Indian food out there, and dirt cheap too! Well worth a stop if travelling through Oxford Station and needing a snack or meal.
Mon-Sat 11AM-10:30PM, Sun noon-10PM£
Eat
G&D’s (George and Davis)
The original G&D’s was opened in Little Clarendon Street by an Oxford University student and soon became an Oxford institution. No other ice-cream themed shop has survived long in Oxford due to the fierce loyalty of G&D’s customers. Popular flavours include ‘Oxford Blue’ (blueberry), Crunchie bar, Turkish delight and InLight Delight (white chocolate with chocolate chip cookie dough). G&D’s also offers bagels, salads and baked goods, all extremely reasonably priced and extremely tasty. Has a minimum of £5 spending for debit and credit cards.
8AM–midnight£
Eat
Gees Restaurant
Gees
Gee's is an Oxford restaurant serving traditional British food with an emphasis on seasonal food, simple, good cooking and value for money
Eat
Majliss
Contemporary designed authentic restaurant specialising primarily in Indian cuisine but also caters to other Asian delicacies. Food is delicious regardless of the diner's spice preference and the service is excellent.
Sun-Thu noon-2:30PM, 5:30-11:30PM; Fri Sat noon-2:30PM, 5:30PM-midnight££
Eat
New Dancing Dragon
Contemporary restaurant specialising in primarily Cantonese cuisine, but has other Asian dishes too.
Eat
Pilgrims Pizza
Very good pizza within a relaxed atmosphere. The place has several arcade games set up to keep busy while the pizza is being prepared.
Mon-Thu 11:30AM-10PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM-10:30PM, Sun noon-9:30PM£8.50-12
Eat
Pizzeria Trattoria Mario
Rustic Italian restaurant with typical cuisine. Offers a selection of pizzas, pastas and a specials menu. Has plenty of vegetarian dishes and some vegan dishes as well.
Mon-Sat 6-11PM, Sun 6-10:30PM
Eat
Quod Brasserie
Quod Brasserie & Bar on the famous High Street in Oxford, with its terrace and bar forms the hub of the Old Bank Hotel
Eat
Spice Lounge
Oxford Spice Lounge has a delicious Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine with a very friendly staff. They offer a lunchtime buffet on Sundays from noon to 3PM. At the Spice Lounge the emphasis is on organic and creative dishes. Ethnic recipes are used to provide a diverse, unusual menu, while focusing on healthy eating.
Eat
Taberu
Authentic Japanese restaurant with a superb atmosphere and menu to boot. Start your meal with some delicious takoyaki, a snack dish originating from Osaka that involves frying octopus in dough and garnishing with sauces. Enjoy traditionally made sushi or go for katsu curry or a bento dish instead. While alongside having a sake beer or instead a Ramune which is a Japanese-made soft drink.
Mon-Thu noon-3PM, 5:30PM-10:30PM; Fri-Sun noon-10:30PM
Eat
Taste Tibet
Authentic Tibetan food, good curries and momo dumplings with a delicious chilli sauce they make at home. Foods for all tastes.
£
Eat
The Alternative Tuck Shop
One of the best sandwich shops in Oxford. Cheap, lightning-fast service, high-quality food. Offers a great selection of sandwiches (warm and cold), panini, pasties and cakes. Friendly and efficient staff. Queues during term time are longest in the lunch rush 12-2pm, but don't be put off by this. Minimum £5 spend when paying by card.
Mon-Fri 8:15AM-6PM
Eat
The Grand Cafe
Lunch options include Waldorf salads, oak smoked salmon and varied sandwiches, but the real draw here is the afternoon tea. For £16.50 you get a couple of sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, handmade chocolate truffles, tea or coffee and a glass of champagne. True extravagance!
9AM – 8PM££
Eat
The Mission (King Edward St)
The King Edward St. location of the Mission chain. Delicious burritos at a low price.
Eat
The Mitre
One of the oldest and biggest pubs in the city centre, it has been serving the public since 1261. It is a listed building with a pub and restaurant on three levels with lot of nooks and crannies which allow guests to have some privacy if they wish. Main courses are predominantly meat (succulent steaks, mixed grill, ribs), but the menu has something for seafood lovers, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. A fantastic deal - £5.99 on some meals before 6:30PM (including famous and popular rump steak with chips and salad).
Su–Th 10AM–11PM, F Sa 10AM–midnight
Eat
The Randolph Hotel
Afternoon tea at the Randolph is world-renowned, but a sit-down dinner in the beautiful dining room is an experience. Mains include roast loin of Highland venison, served with chestnuts and sprouts at £26.50, and fillet of wild seabass, fennel puree and langoustine sauce at £25.50. Their cheese trolley is an indulgent way to end the meal.
£££
Eat
Wilding
Opened in 2021, is a wine shop-cum-restaurant on Little Clarendon St.
Open daily 10AM-11PM
Eat Not mapped
The Mission
Chain of Mexican-inspired sandwich bars offering delicious California-style burritos for about £5. Also sells imported Jarrito's soft drinks and Corona beer to provide a true Tex-Mex experience.
Eat
El Mexicana
92 Gloucester Green, OX1 2BU
11AM-9PM
Eat
G&D’s (George and Danver)
94 St. Aldates, OX1 1BT
8AM–midnight£
Eat
G&D’s (George and Delila)
104 Cowley Road, OX4 1JE
8AM–midnight£
Eat
Thaikun
An extensively decorated Thai restaurant.
noon-10:30PM
Eat
The Mission (St Michael's Street)
8 St Michael's Street, OX1 2DU
Sun-Wed 11AM-10PM, Thu-Sat 11AM-11PM

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Oxford (CC BY-SA 4.0).