Lunch in Oxford - suggestions please

[Wyfee]

In a few weeks' time I'm meeting a friend in Oxford. We're en route to somewhere else so I'm looking for somewhere central, with lovely food, suitable for a toddler and very close to a park where we can go for a play afterwards. Any suggestions gratefully received. And if you can throw in instructions about the best park and ride for the meeting point then that would be super helpful.
Thanks

1- Park on Polstead Lane or St Magarets road for free, eat at Mamma Mia (in Jericho a 5 minute walk) and go to the park off Aristotle Lane nr the car (not Central Oxford)

2- The Fishes, New Hinksey . Nice posh pub, massive garden with play area if weather is good.

3- jacob's inn in wolvercote (check they do kids meals) then drive to nearby cuttleslowe park

Central Oxford doesn't really have a play park & is tricky to park

If you really want to be in Oxford, go to the University Parks (duck pond, nice walk, no playground) and eat on little Clarendon street - strada, Pierre victoire )

Sorry re- read and you said you wanted to park and ride!

Still no play areas in middle though....

Weekend or weekday? What time are you meeting?

TBH central Oxford is not relaxing with toddlers and I'd follow the suggestions above, or better still think about meeting in Woodstock (free parking in the town car park), eating in town and then going to Blenheim Palace. If you are determined on the centre, I would park at the Pear Tree P&R for the University Parks.

If it has to be Central Oxford ... I have taken my toddlers to eat at Quod and then we have played in the University Parks or Christ Church Meadows. Quod has yummy food, a good kids menu, is nice and noisy so no one minds slightly over-excited children and it's central. No play areas in central Oxford though - just lots of grass in the parks and meadows. Thornhill Park and Ride would be best for Quod.

Cutteslowe park is good for toddlers and is on the way back to Pear Tree park and ride from the city centre. A possible restaurant near the Pear Tree bus stops in Central Oxford would be Browns, maybe a few cafés in Summertown.

Meeting at Blenheim Palace near Woodstock would be a great idea if it works on your route - for about £11 you can get access to the Pleasure Gardens for a whole year, it's great for kids and has a good cafe close to the fab play area and butterfly house.

Thank you for the suggestions. The friends we're meeting don't have a car so it has to be central Oxford. My toddler is happy with any open space so the university parks will probably work out quite well. Just have to choose somewhere to eat based on your recommendations now. Thanks again.