Food brings a sense of comfort that’s hard to beat and that’s why we’ve compiled a list of some of our personal favourites for you to try! Hopefully some serve familiar flavours that remind you of home or otherwise, take this opportunity to explore new cuisines!
** Disclaimer: This is by no means an extensive list of all the restaurants in Oxford, if you have any recommendations, do let us know and we’ll make up a part 2!
Dinner
Mainly a pizza restaurant - with very good pizza! Not too expensive either. The restaurant has plenty of good vegetarian and vegan options too.
A pub/restaurant with good burgers and pizzas. It has a really chilled vibe, although is a bit more expensive and slightly out of the town center (in Jericho).
Lovely british pub with a great outdoor space - long benches and pretty fairy lights. Lots of rave reviews about their burgers too! Worth the walk out of the city centre for the vibes.
Tiny place that serves ramen and a few curries and sides. The portions are huge, and very tasty!
Little Japanese restaurant just opposite New College that’s easily recognisable by the long queue outside. The opening times vary each day so do check before you go!
One of the more central chinese restaurants in Oxford. It’s definitely a place to go and eat with a bunch of friends when craving some chinese food.
Sri Lankan street food restaurant, with loads of different options for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters. Best thing is that on Mondays-Wednesdays up till Jan 2022, food is 50% off!
An Arabic Restaurant located on Cowley Road with a pretty extensive menu! The service is great and the owners are super friendly too! It’s a fun dining experience and you’ll definitely leave with a smile on your face.
Very delicious burritos - and they offer student discounts every Wednesday too!
Brunch and Lunch
Good value brunch, with lots of different options. The staff are super friendly too, and if you go on a thursday, they sell AMAZING doughnuts!!
Cool cafe, with really good brunch options, although slightly more expensive. Can get really busy though, so maybe book if you’re going with a bigger group.
Gloucester green market
Located fairly centrally in Oxford and open from Wednesday to Saturdays, this international food market has lots of stalls selling a variety of cuisines (Nepalese, Greek, Spanish, Japanese, Sri Lankan, etc!) . It’s definitely worth a few trips - and go with friends so that you can all try different things!
There’s also an amazing fruit and vegetable market on Wednesday, you’ll be missing out if you don’t visit!
Najar’s place
A small food stall on St Giles serving HUGE Lebanese wraps. There’s loads of different options for the filling and the wraps are only priced at £3.50 too! (Such a bargain) This place is a super popular one and a lunchtime queue is almost always guaranteed.
Alternative Tuck Shop
Another favourite among Oxford students - a testament to their cheap prices and fast service. Their menu features tons of sandwiches, ciabattas, paninis and baguettes!
Sasi’s Thai
Little Thai restaurant and takeaway in the Covered Market. Excellent menu and service - great for a hearty and filling lunch.
Desserts, Cafes and Drinks
A gelato and chocolate shop tucked inside the Covered Market. The gelato is so delicious - my favourite’s the chocolate with salt. They also have several sorbets for anyone who is vegan or dairy free (passionfruit and peach are great). Highly recommended!
An Oxford institution - G&Ds also does delicious ice cream, with loads of different flavours that they change regularly. (some fun ones are uniquely Oxford too!) Again, they also serve sorbets (I love the lemon one). Their menu also includes sundaes, waffles and bagels.
V. authentic bubble tea bar between the high street and blue boar street. One of the few milk tea shops in Oxford to offer alternative milk options too.
Amazing bakery and cafe. Particularly love their cupcakes, donuts and brownies. Their flavour combinations are always spot on! Their current shop at North Parade might be a little far off from the city centre but their goodies are definitely worth it!
If you’re after good coffee, you will find it here. It’s also a good workspace if you want to take your laptop and work there for the afternoon.
Another cafe known for great coffee! They also serve sandwiches, homemade cakes and pastries. It’s located at a super central location so it’s perfect for a takeaway too.