Vegan Oxford??

[Rustic Bohemian]

I'm really excited about my three week trip to Oxford, which I leave for in two weeks. I'm taking a few classes at St. Claire's, but I'll have plenty of time to explore England, specifically Oxford. I was wondering if anyone could suggest some vegan venues in Oxford. Restaurants, places to buy vegan groceries, etc.

Are there many vegans/vegetarians in England?

Thanks for your time.

[tails4wagging]

Hi, Hope you enjoy your trip.

Do visit the demo, organised by SPEAK in oxford, I think it is on a sunday.

I should think someone on here would suggest somewhere to eat etc,. in oxford.

[gertvegan]

I was wondering if anyone could suggest some vegan venues in Oxford. Restaurants, places to buy vegan groceries, etc.
RB, check out the Local contacts / groups / guides (http://veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=721) thread. Theres a couple of Oxford links, amongst others. ;)

[miss_laura]

I think you'll find it relatively easy to find vegan groceries, there's a few of healthfood shops in every town centre which will sell you the extra-special stuff, and for the boring essentials, you'll have no trouble finding them in supermarkets. Sainsburys label all their own brand stuff suitable for vegans or vegetarians, which made life much easier for me when I moved to a new town. I'm pretty sure Waitrose do, too.

For eating out, visit:
The Beat Cafe Clarendon St, Oxford OX1 2HS. Open: every day 12.00-23.00 (Sun 22.30). Tel: 01865-553543. Almost completely vegetarian cafe upstairs with a few vegan dishes, bar downstairs. Food £3.50-4.00 such as curried rice salad, veg couscous, falafel, tortilla, burgers, veggie BLT. Soya dog £2. Fries with skins £2.50. Covent Garden soup with baguette £3.50. Smoothies £2.95, juices £1.50, lots of teas £1.60. Smoking throughout.

Meltz, 8a St Michael's St, Oxford OX1 2DU. Open: every day 10-22.00 or later. Tel: 01865-202016. Omnivorous cafe can be open as late as midnight. Starters £1.50-2.50 are all vegetarian such as hummous. Pasta £6.25. Veg tikka or hummous and pepper sandwich £4.25.

The Nosebag Restaurant 6-8 St Michael's St, Oxford OX1 2DU. Open: Mon-Thu 9.30-22.00, Fri-Sat 9.30-22.30, Sun 9.30-21.00. Tel: 01865-721033. Omnivorous cafe with several veggie and vegan dishes. Main courses and starters upstairs, dessert parlour downstairs. Soup with yummy bread £3.25. Mains such as mushroom and leek pasta bake £6.50 with veg or 3 salads. Lots of cakes, but only one of them vegan usually though they are working on it. Beer £2.50, wine £8.50 bottle, £2.20 glass. Non-smoking upstairs. Downstairs the Saddlebag is more snacky and is a Malaysian restaurant at night.

The Magic Cafe, 10 Magdalen Road, OXFORD, Oxfordshire OX4 1RQ
Tel: 01865794604
Apparently this is the only exclusively veggie cafe in Oxford.

Also, check out this (http://www.myoxford.net/oxford/restaurants-vegetarian.htm) link.

[Jax]

Hi,

Try this link: http://www.ivu.org/oxveg/AboutOV/vegbiz.html
for the Oxford Vegetarians listing of various pubs, restaurants & shops that would be good to visit.

Despite living in Oxfordshire, I don't get into Oxford often so I can't make many recommendations, although the Magic Cafe and the Nosebag do some good food. Uhuru (health food shop) on Cowley Road are apparently very good.

Enjoy your trip!

[Cloudy]

There's also Kate's Oxford page, this lass has been a vegan for ages

http://www.earth.li/~kake/

[griggsy]

I was recently told to visit a chinese restaurant in Oxford by three people, all vegetarians, so i had to try it out. If anyone out there is looking for somewhere to eat here it's amazing. Now I'm not a massive fan of meat replacements that taste too much like meat, but this place is sooooo good. It kinda tastes like meat, but without the horrible fattiness. I could even have 'duck' pancakes - their menu even indicated what dishes were vegan!! The service was outstanding and the meat eaters I went with thoroughly enjoyed their meat - which i guess is good if you're stuck dining with omnis. Doesn't give them the oppurtunity to moan because you've dragged them to yet another vegan restaurant where there's nothing for them to eat!!!
So anyone hungry for some lush chinese in Oxford?
Go to 'The Pink Giraffe' on St. Clements.
Seriously amazing!

[cedarblue]

im off to oxford next week and would like a nice place for evening meal - i've tried happy cow but very little on there, didnt really want to go to a pub.

anyone any ideas or recommendations?

[harpy]

Al Shami is quite a nice Lebanese restaurant off Walton St and I believe there are some other Lebanese ones there. I don't recall going to any vegetarian restaurants there lately apart from one in the covered market which I think is/was only open lunchtime.

[Mr Flibble]

There's also Kate's Oxford page, this lass has been a vegan for ages

http://www.earth.li/~kake/

Commenting on an old post here - 2005, but in 2005 I knew one of her good friends who said she isn't vegan anymore.

[refinnej]

Some of the info at Kate's site is out of date, so be sure to call ahead. I know we've been to at least one place that's closed, for example.

Here's a updated link to the Oxford Vegetarians' restaurant guide too.

cedarblue...we're in Oxfordshire, and I'd definitely recommend The Nosebag on St. Michael's. It's not all vegetarian, but the food is delicious, and there are two veg options at every meal, one vegan (in addition to lots of veggies and salads). It gets a bit crowded at times, but I still like it. :)

The Magic Cafe has been quite disappointing for us so far...very bland main dishes, dry desserts. I don't plan on returning unless I'm very bored one day! :)

There's a very nice Lebanese place on Broad Street, kind of above Waterstone's that has a ton of vegan options. I can't remember the name, but we've been pleased each time we've been there. (ooh...just looked it up "Restaurant du Liban" is the name).

My partner's been to The Pink Giraffe a couple of times and said the food was good, but is was very noisy/crowded.

ETA: If you're coming on Tuesday, there's a veggie dine out meeting at The Gardener's Arms.

[cedarblue]

we went to the gardners arm today for lunch. its a little walk out of the town to the jericho area. food very nice, shame about the pub. i understand that the restaurant is a separate business from the pub, and the pub could really do with a decor freshen up and be a bit cleaner i thought? one man in there when we got there and a dog laying on a settee. they left then it was just us two.

still nice food and a lovely day out wandering round the museum and city.
will try one of the other suggestions next time :)