Lockdown relaxation - Our local drinking and dining recommendations - Part 1
The welcome confirmation earlier this week that indoor hospitality venues can reopen their doors from Monday 17 May has turned our minds to our favourite local pubs and restaurants.
Supporting local hospitality has never been more important so over the coming weeks we plan to share some of our best recommendations, many of which are hidden gems, from across the areas in which we operate. Starting this week within Oxford we will then look at South Oxfordshire followed by the Cotswolds.
Here are our top three city hot spots:
QUOD AT THE OLD BANK HOTEL
Slap bang in the heart of Oxford’s historic High Street sits the Old Bank Hotel. Their light and spacious ground floor is home to QUOD, a bustling and lofty brasserie style restaurant serving delicious modern European cuisine. It’s worth asking for a table close to the enormous front windows to enjoy fantastic views of the High Street, St Mary’s Church and the iconic Radcliffe Camera. Otherwise in warmer months there is charming heated Italian rear courtyard for alfresco city dining. The best secret of all is the car park, if you are able to find it!
01865 202505 / www.quod.co.uk / @quodrestaurant
ARBEQUINA TAPAS
Arbequina opened in 2016 to offer tasty sharing tapas inspired dishes. Their take on tapas is a modern one, and with a focus on high quality well sourced ingredients. The premises have been recently been expanded into a neighbouring space but a cosy and busy atmosphere remains, pleasantly resembling hubbub of their Cowley Road location. This buzzy vibe pairs brilliantly with an informal dining style. On arrival just don’t look for Arbequina signage as the owners have quite rightly retained their wonderful discovery of historic signage from a former Victorian dispensing chemist.
01865 790223 / www.arbequina.co.uk / @arbequinaoxford
CHERWELL BOAT HOUSE
The combination of punting then dinner on the river ranks highly in the list of quintessential Oxford experiences, and Cherwell Boat House have this experience sown. Established in 1904 this family run restaurant sits on the river's edge and is discreetly nestled into prestigious residential Central North Oxford. Punts are available for hire from the neighbouring boat house and for a Summer aperitif the rural feeling Victoria Arms is a short paddle upstream. On returning to Cherwell Boathouse there are doors which open wide to ensure even indoor diners still feel close to the water, and a warm welcome with fine seasonal dining awaits.
01865 552746 / www.cherwellboathouse.co.uk / @cherwellboathouse
Coming up next week we will take a look at some of our South Oxfordshire best picks.