Kosher restaurants in Oxford

[visitorhelp]

I am meeting a friend who follows a kosher diet and need to book somewhere for lunch. Does anyone have any specific ideas, please?

It depends how strict your friend is, some Jews would be happy with a vegan or even vegetarian restaurant but if she wants strict kosher, Chabad are normally quite helpful and it looks like Chabad Oxford have a kosher cafe

www.oxfordchabad.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/307951/jewish/Kosher-Food-in-Oxford.htm

Thanks! He's pretty strict but will ask him about vegetarian. I don't think Oxford has a specifically vegan or vegetarian restaurant either. That cafe isn't there any more.

Ah, shame it's closed. If you tried just now it's probably just closed for Shabbat, in which case they might be open again Sunday.

He might be OK with vegan food, especially if its cold, otherwise it's very difficult. Is he visiting from somewhere where it is a lot easier to get kosher food?

Most kosher places are in NW London, outside of that it is difficult.
I used to keep strict kosher and travelling to anywhere almost always involved either having to make concessions (and everyone will have a different level of concessions they are prepared to make) or take my own food with me.

No, I meant it's closed down!

I don't think there is anywhere specifically vegan in Oxford. It certainly is tricky, I had no idea! He is from the US, yes, so very easy for him usually.

How interesting - that's what's tricky, I think. I'm not sure what level of concession I can expect him to make or that he would be willing to make. He's pretty strict so I imagine not much!

Thanks for help - it is useful to know what other people do. Yes, would be different if we were in NW London or Manchester.

I learned the hard way that water is always kosher. And kitkats are too

There will be kosher food available in Oxford.

https://www.oxfordchabad.org

There is a cafe for students. If you contact and explain, I would be very, very surprised if they left a fellow Jew to go hungry

From the site

WELCOME TO THE
OXFORD KOSHER CAFE
@ Slager Jewish Student Centre, 61 George St, Oxford, OX1 2BQ
OPEN 12pm until 2pm Mon-Thurs (during Oxford term times)
Please call ahead 07772 079 940 if visiting outside Oxford university term time
MENU
MEAL DEAL
Schnitzel, chips & soup..£5.00
SOUP

Served with bread and hummus
Soup of the day………..£3.00
Soup alone.............. £2.00

DELUXE BAGELS

Smoked salmon…..……..£3.50
Tuna………………….......…£2.50
Salt beef....................£4.50
Chicken schnitzel…..…..£2.80
Avocado…………….…......£2.50
Hot dog (in bun)..........£2.50

CHIPS………………….......£2.00

SCHNITZEL & CHIPS...............£4.00

FALAFEL...................£4.00
Served with salad, pita and hummous

SALAD
Israeli salad…………...…..£2.00

DESSERTS

Pecan pie..£2.50
Apple icrumble....£2.50
Rugelach…..….…£2.50

DRINKS

Soft drinks………£1
Coffee........... £1.50
Tea.................£1.50
Herbal tea........£1.50

Looking forward to seeing you!

Enjoy the cafe with our spacious lounge with free wireless, current Jewish newspapers, in addition to a well stocked & diverse Judaica library of over 2,000 interesting titles, and pub-size pool table.
Feel free to come by to do some work in the study hall, adjacent to the cafe and lounge.
If you would like to book a table at the cafe outside open hours, please email [email protected]g
Prepared catered meals for college hall, hotel or conference venue or any other occasion, please visit: www.oxfordchabad.org/kosher or email [email protected] or / 07772 079 9400_ for more info.
For more info email [email protected]g / 01865 204 7577 / 07772 079 9400 / 07788 4377544.
Under the Rabbinical Supervision of Rabbi Eli Brackman

Good luck.

Thanks! That cafe has closed down.
I just need somewhere nice to take my visitor!

There must be a vegetarian restaurant in Oxford. Most Jews unless they are super strict will be OK with vegetarian food, not specifically kosher.

Also, you've picked the worst possible time to ask this on mumsnet 😁

It's shabbat, all observant Jews who might actually know somewhere (rather than crap Jews like me) won't be online until after sunset tomorrow eve.

There is no specific vegetarian restaurant. I usually go with vegan friends to a local Turkish place but they are not kosher.

Yes I know it’s not the best timing, but I couldn’t choose when to ask. The dilemma has arisen now.

Maybe someone else in Oxford has had the same problem as I have.

I would just say to him that you’d like to take him to lunch and ask if he could choose a place that would work (even from the US, that shouldn’t be too tricky). It’s a bit of a minefield but even if you strictly keep kosher, not all Jews would be comfortable at a Chabad run cafe as they are politically quite right wing (I personally give them a bit swerve).

To add: my visitor is strict, yes!

When is the lunch happening? I guarantee you will get more useful responses if you repost tomorrow eve or Sunday.

Thanks. Yes I did wonder about that, too.
I might have to resort to asking him to research it.

It’s Sunday.

P.S. My brief google suggests that the Chabad cafe listed above is indeed the only kosher restaurant in oxford. If there are genuinely no vegetarian places either, then you either have to go there, or make lunch yourself. Or come to London. It's only an hour or so to NW London and you'll have loads of choices.

I cross-posted with you. I really wouldn't worry about Chabad being 'right wing' - yes, they are fairly strict and observant, but they are not going to be pushing political propaganda down your throat while you have a bagel.

Otherwise, if you don't want to make lunch at home, I would seriously consider getting the 'Oxford tube' or the train or driving to London - you wouldn't need to come into the centre of town, there are many options out in the suburbs in that direction.

I can’t make lunch at home because I don’t live in Oxford. I have explored these possibilities already. Thanks for suggestions!

There is a vegan restaurant on Cowley Road called, I think, "Happy Friday" I also think the Gardeners Arms in Jericho is a fully vegetarian and vegan restaurant

Happy Friday closed down but I will see if the Gardeners Arms is ok. Thanks!

The Gardener's Arms is vegetarian

www.thegardenersarms.com/

(And very nice)

I've heard good things about The Punter but never been.

www.thepunteroxford.co.uk/

Thank you! This is so helpful. I will prob go for The Gardeners Arms, always lovely in there. The Punter also looks great, thank you!

A quick google search provided this:

www.delhish.com/

www.lulasethiopiancuisine.co.uk/

www.dailyinfo.co.uk/places/food-and-drink/cafes/t1-p319/the-magic-cafe

www.dailyinfo.co.uk/places/food-and-drink/pubs/t4-p92/the-fir-tree

www.thegardenersarms.com/

www.happyfridaykitchen.co.uk/

www.dailyinfo.co.uk/places/food-and-drink/restaurants/t2-p3092/ricks-vegetarian

Hopefully something will work, depending on your friend's level of observance.

This is racist nonsense. I have been to Chabad throughout the world and politics is never even mentioned.

I agree, but don't bite. I looked through that poster's history yesterday and while they say they are Jewish, they went to Christian schools all their life, send their children to church schools, mentions arranging their dad's funeral with the 'vicar', and was posting pro-Corbyn in Dec 2019, saying that all the AS in the Labour Party was a smear.

Didn't want to derail the thread but don't get into this discussion with them, you won't get anywhere. X

Thank you for balanced views everyone.
it has been great to have this education. My friend & I had a chat and I booked somewhere that will work whilst hopefully being a treat for us both.

Glad you got it sorted. I came back on to say that one option might be a restaurant that would agree to cook him some salmon wrapped separately in foil and brought to the table in foil, and serve it with a salad.