Where to eat & drink in Oxford
Hello! It’s the 1st of November and it’s been 4 months since my last post ‘The Traveling Psychiatrist is ready to travel again’ (published on 26 June). So, what have I been up to in these last 4 months? First, I flew to my home country, Greece, where I stayed until the beginning of October, combining holidays with work (it’s so great that I can work from anywhere in the world as long as I have a computer and internet access). Whilst in Greece, I did a bit of island-hopping (keep an eye on my blog for tips for all these beautiful Greek islands I visited), but I also spent some quality time with my family in my hometown, Thessaloniki. Then, I came back to England and visited Oxford for a few days, before my return to London.
This was not my first visit to Oxford. In fact, it was the third time I stayed in this beautiful city overnight (but the first I did not stay in a College). Whilst there, I had the opportunity to explore Oxford, working from cosy cafes during the day, then having dinner and drinks in pubs around the city.
Where to eat & drink in Oxford city centre
One of my favourite cafes in the city centre is the Missing Bean, located on Turl Street, behind Brasenose College (where I stayed the first time I stayed in Oxford).
On the opposite side of Brasenose College, there’s the iconic domed library Radcliffe Camera.
Opposite Radcliffe Camera, there’s Vaults & Garden, a cafe located in a 14th-century University building.
Not far from there, there’s the Grand Cafe, the first coffee house in England (according to Samuel Pepys’ Diary), and Jericho Coffee Traders, both on High Street.
Also in the city centre, there’s St Michael’s Street, home to several cafes/restaurants, such as the Handle Bar, Nosebag and Society Cafe.
If you’d rather combine your coffee with browsing books, then head to either Waterstones or Blackwell’s on Broad Street. Both these multi-storey bookshops have a cafe.
Not far from Blackwell’s, there’s the Turf Tavern, a pub dating to the 13th century.
Where to eat & drink within walking distance from Oxford city centre
If you fancy a bit of a walk and go somewhere out off the beaten track, head north to Observatory Street with the multicoloured houses, and then turn to Walton Street, in the bohemian neighbourhood Jericho.
Branca is a spacious cafe, restaurant and deli. For drinks, there are plenty of options, including the cosy pub Victoria, the Oxford Wine Cafe, and Freud, a cocktail bar located in a converted church.
A bit further up the road, there’s the Anchor, a gastropub recommended to me (which I did not have the chance to visit).
On the other side of the Port Meadow, however, there’s the Perch, another gastropub (which I did visit). To get there, you have to walk through the Port Meadow and cross over the River Thames.
The river continues south, and so should you. In fact, not far from Christ Church, the famous College founded by Wolsey, there’s the riverside Paper Boat Cafe, right before the Folly Bridge, and opposite the Head of the River, a riverside pub as well as a hotel. On the other side of the river, there’s the Folly, another riverside cafe/restaurant.
What else to do in Oxford
Whilst in Oxford, I saw adverts for many classical music concerts, a great opportunity to get inside a College, such as the Exeter College on Turl Street.
The city is also home to many museums, including the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford’s museum of art and archaeology, founded in 1683. It is home to a permanent collection but also temporary exhibitions.
You can also combine your visit to Oxford with a few days in the Cotswolds. To read more about the Cotswolds, check out my post ‘7 places in the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire‘.
How to get to Oxford
The easiest and fastest way to get from London to Oxford is to take the train from Paddington Station. The journey takes somewhat less than an hour.
Have a great trip!
Alex
(the Traveling-again-Psychiatrist)