Oxford - dos and don’t.

[Riverlee]

i have a couple of days in Oxford in May. Can anyone suggest any must-sees, good (reasonably priced) restaurants, anything that’s over-rated?

Thank you.

I would echo lots of pp suggestions.

You also asked for over priced. Entrance into christ church college is so so so not worth it. Loads of people do it for the "Harry Potter dining hall", which us rubbish irl. So many other colleges have much nicer halls and much more access when open to visit. (ChCh meadows are free through and we'll worth the visit)

There is a website so you can check which colleges are open and accepting visitors (and if they charge). But May is coming up to exam time for students so there may be restrictions

Mn has come up trumps again. I was honestly not expecting so many replies. Thank you everyone.

The big don't is don't try to bring a car inside the ring road. Park & Ride or leave it at your accommodation.

Otherwise, everyone has mentioned all the good places. Blackwells especially the huge underground room, some colleges, some quiet streets... I've also just discovered the Handlebar Cafe on St Michael St: great brunches.

Port Meadow and The Trout for lunch :)

Book things you really want in advance. In particular, the Labyrinth exhibition on at the Ashmolean is supposed to be great. The best tapas in the city is at Arbequina on the Cowley Road, they do accept walk-ins apparently but I wouldn't risk it. If you don't get in just keep walking out on the Cowley road, there's lots of places to eat.

For eating more centrally, Edamame, No 1 Ship Street and Tse on Ship Street are all enjoyable.

Go up something to look at the rooves - good options are St Michael's Church or St Mary's the University Church - if you do the latter you can then go for cake at the Vaults and Gardens in the crypt which a pp mentioned. Another option is to book cocktails on the roof terrace at The Varsity Club just over the Covered Market.

Make sure you walk up to Broad Street and stop and gaze at the churchyard full of flowers on Magdalen Street, next to the Martyr's Memorial.

Be aware that Oxford is currently cut off from the world by train, the viaduct on Oxford to Reading route is closed and there is so much alternative load that the Chiltern Line are appealing to people not to travel unless ‘essential’. It’s unlikely that the viaduct will be repaired in less than two months.

The main route into the City from the West , Botley Road, is completely closed to through traffic until October, only push bikes allowed. This is because they are rebuilding the railway bridge at the station. All the traffic has to go via the ring road, Woodstock road is estimated to be 66% busier ( that is pretty much at a standstill) than usual. The ring road is ….very busy.

I don’t know what it is like if you manage to get into the centre, there are a lot of closed shops and restaurants because of the lack of footfall.

@PermanentTemporary
I could quite happily only eat Arbequina's food for the rest of my days.

These replies have made me want to go back!

The Trout that people keep mentioning: is that the one at Wolvercote?

Yes that’s the one! We used to cycle to Port Meadow as students when the weather was good and laze about then have a pint at The Trout. I’m not sure if they still have the peacocks?

It’s also the home of Malcolm in La Belle Sauvage, by Philip Pullman.

And I gather the Perch at Binsey, which was a grubby old boozer in my Oxford days, is now a gastropub that does good food, and that there’s some kind of newer pub nearby on the river closer to town?

Is Bossom’s boatyard still there?

I love Tse Noodle which is down Ship Street. Somehow charmingly brusque and chaotic.

We only went for a day but did the hop on hop off bus which provides commentary (recorded but also live in the afternoon) and a 45 minute walking tour. The walking tour was brilliant and the bus stops at all the main locations. Brownes seems like a lovely place for lunch. We had the kids so inevitably headed to a pizza restaurant.

Treat yourself to afternoon tea at the Randolph Hotel, across the street from the Ashmolean.

The Botanic Gardens, Christchurch Meadow, Ashmolean, Pitt Rivers museum, punting at Magdalen bridge boathouse, Modern Art Oxford - there’s so much to do! Walk down the High St for amazing buildings and take a right for lots of pretty side streets… The Bear Pub, Bridge of Sighs, The Radcliffe Observatory, The Sheldonian. Afternoon tea at The Parsonage or lunch at Branca in Jericho.

There aren’t lots of closed shops, that’s nonsense. The Covered Market is a must. Westgate Centre for a shopping centre - go to the rooftop for some good views.

@Riverlee
Is Bossom’s boatyard still there?
Yes!

@Tayegete
Browns pretty good at moment. Buzzy atmosphere.

Even if you are not staying there the bar in the Malmaison Hotel is good for a visit as the hotel is the old prison. You can channel your inner Norman Stanley Fletcher.

You can channel your inner Norman Stanley Fletcher.
😆

Definitely the Pitt Rivers museum
Have a drink at The Turf, if you can find the right alleyway.
For a casual lunch, The Nosebag on St Michaels Street or Georginas in the covered market
Get a punt, some pimms, and take a tour via the river. Punting isn't too hard to get the hang of.

If you like Chinese/Malaysian food, zhengs was amazing. It's quite small though so probably best to book. It looks awful from the outside but the food was great

The Covered Market for sure. Blackwells bookshops are great. Restaurants up Cowley Road can be a trek from the centre of town if on foot, Jericho is closer (especially if you’re coming into Gloucester Green bus station which is very centrally located).

@squashyhat @BigUpTheOxfordComma

Just to sidetrack, apparently the outside of the prison was filmed in St Albans

most of my suggestions have already been mentioned, they were… pint at the turf tavern, cocktails at the Duke of Cambridge (happy hour is 4-7 I think), Pitt rivers museum and a wander through university parks back to the centre.
the white rabbit does excellent pizza, vaults and garden is a great lunch spot near the Radcliffe camera. I’ve recently moved away from Oxford now I’m longing for a sunny day walking round! Enjoy

@Wiennetta
We used to cycle to Port Meadow as students when the weather was good and laze about then have a pint at The Trout. I’m not sure if they still have the peacocks?

Alas, dear old Krug (the only one left) died in March. RIP Krug. Will miss the cheeky devil pecking at our leftovers.

Afternoon tea at The Alice in the Randolph Hotel is nice. Long lunch at Quod - fab food and cocktails, lovely staff who don't mind how long you stay.
I was in Oxford last week and didn't notice any closures of shops. It was just as busy as usual. I came in by train from Marylebone. It look longer than usual but was fine.

My parents go to Oxford regularly to go to hospital appointments and recommend the veggie Moussaka at The Brothers Cafe in the covered market. I'm a flesh eater, and endorse their burgers (with generous sides).