163 Iffley Road, OX4 1EJ
Greene King
🍴 Food ⚽ Sports on TV
This is a pleasant pub on a corner opposite the University Rugby Grounds - an easy walk from the High Street.
The bar is at street-level with a handful of stools and shelves and a TV screen showing sports. More seating is up a few steps on a mezzanine level with two separate rooms. The most is made of Greene Kings guest ale policy, as evidenced by the pump clips decorating the walls.
Food offerings have varied over the years - the recent Feast Without the Beast vegetarian Sunday lunches were great.
Beer comes from the Bedfordshire brewers range including Directors Bitter and Young's ales, plus a couple of craft taps. The pump clip for the Dry Hopped Lager is eye-catching, with a figurine of Mr Wells atop it - apparently he pre-dated todays big-bearded beer hipsters by 140 years. The Wandering Brewer project sounds interesting idea to make up for the lack of guest ales, although sadly this tap was off on our visit.
A sister pub of the Rickety Press in Jericho - the set up here is much the same. Located on a corner in the residential streets half way between Cowley Road and Iffley Road, this was previously known as The Eagle. Arkell's brewery tastefully converted it into a student-friendly spot for pizza and beer. Inside there is one spacious room, whilst there is a heated back garden and a few tables out the front. Quality pizza is on offer, plus decent real ales and craft offerings from the Swindon brewer. Keep an eye out for special events - both the Rusty Bicycle and Rickety Press have held street parties with live music, ale and BBQs in the past couple of years.
The craft ale taps at the rear of the bar are made of donated parts of bicycles.
The Chester Arms
19 Chester Street, OX4 1SN - web
Punch Taverns
🍴 Food 🔆 Outdoor seating
After a number of years closed, this corner local reopened in 2015 with a view to being an asset to the residents in the vicinity. Comfortable, serving some good beers and offering up a quality menu which has made it popular with diners.
A couple of hand-pumps dispense real ale, often including a beer from Loose Cannon, and these are supplemented by several craft offerings on tap.
The Tree Hotel
63 Church Way, OX4 4EY - web
Omshanti Group
🍴 Food, Indian menu 🔆 Garden
Looking little like a pub as you approach through Iffley Village, the Tree is perched above the road looking like a large residential house. The bar is around the back.
🍺 Beer Festival - Several beer festivals are organised utilising the lovely garden, as well as an Oktoberfest party and other events throughout the year.
Hubble and Home
200 Abingdon Road, OX1 4RA - web
2021 - Closed
This remains a troubled pub that has gone through a number of incarnations in recent years.
One of the cities more lively pubs when I first visited it as the Crooked Pot in 2014.
The White House by Tap Social
38 Abingdon Road, OX4 4PD - web
It's a 10-minute stroll from the city centre, past Christ Church College and across the Thames, to reach the White House.
This was previously a Wadworth pub until 2019 when it was taken over by the local Tap Social Brewery.
The bar is at street-level with a handful of stools and shelves and a TV screen showing sports. More seating is up a few steps on a mezzanine level with two separate rooms. The most is made of Greene Kings guest ale policy, as evidenced by the pump clips decorating the walls.
Food offerings have varied over the years - the recent Feast Without the Beast vegetarian Sunday lunches were great.
The Magdalen Arms
243 Iffley Road, OX4 1SU
Star (Heineken)
🍴 Food
A superb choice if you're looking for a pub serving quality meals, this is rated very highly for its food. Apparently before my time in Oxford this was a rough sports bar, so the change has been dramatic (I wonder where all the folks who liked the dodgy sports bar go these days?....) Now it's full of art, mismatched furniture and odd decorations. The front section operates as a bar where it's fine to grab a drink without eating. Beers come from Caledonian brewery.
The Oxford Blue
32 Marston Street, OX4 3JU - web
Charles Wells
🍴 Food 🔆 Outdoor seating
This had a spell as the 'Oxford Blue Smokehouse'- a time when I considered it one of the cities lost pubs, fully dedicated to eating. In 2018 it has been given a new lease of life by Charles Wells, joining their small rank of "Pizza Pots and Pints" outlets.
It's been tastefully refurbished with a range of mismatched furniture, rescued wood making up the front of the bar and breweriana decorating the walls.
243 Iffley Road, OX4 1SU
Star (Heineken)
🍴 Food
A superb choice if you're looking for a pub serving quality meals, this is rated very highly for its food. Apparently before my time in Oxford this was a rough sports bar, so the change has been dramatic (I wonder where all the folks who liked the dodgy sports bar go these days?....) Now it's full of art, mismatched furniture and odd decorations. The front section operates as a bar where it's fine to grab a drink without eating. Beers come from Caledonian brewery.
The Oxford Blue
32 Marston Street, OX4 3JU - web
Charles Wells
🍴 Food 🔆 Outdoor seating
This had a spell as the 'Oxford Blue Smokehouse'- a time when I considered it one of the cities lost pubs, fully dedicated to eating. In 2018 it has been given a new lease of life by Charles Wells, joining their small rank of "Pizza Pots and Pints" outlets.
It's been tastefully refurbished with a range of mismatched furniture, rescued wood making up the front of the bar and breweriana decorating the walls.
 |
| Interior of the Oxford Blue - I visited at a quiet time! |
The Rusty Bicycle
28 Marston Street, OX4 1JU - web
Arkells
🍴 🍔🍕 Food 🔆 Outdoor seating
28 Marston Street, OX4 1JU - web
Arkells
🍴 🍔🍕 Food 🔆 Outdoor seating
A sister pub of the Rickety Press in Jericho - the set up here is much the same. Located on a corner in the residential streets half way between Cowley Road and Iffley Road, this was previously known as The Eagle. Arkell's brewery tastefully converted it into a student-friendly spot for pizza and beer. Inside there is one spacious room, whilst there is a heated back garden and a few tables out the front. Quality pizza is on offer, plus decent real ales and craft offerings from the Swindon brewer. Keep an eye out for special events - both the Rusty Bicycle and Rickety Press have held street parties with live music, ale and BBQs in the past couple of years.The craft ale taps at the rear of the bar are made of donated parts of bicycles.
The Chester Arms
19 Chester Street, OX4 1SN - web
Punch Taverns
🍴 Food 🔆 Outdoor seating
After a number of years closed, this corner local reopened in 2015 with a view to being an asset to the residents in the vicinity. Comfortable, serving some good beers and offering up a quality menu which has made it popular with diners.
A couple of hand-pumps dispense real ale, often including a beer from Loose Cannon, and these are supplemented by several craft offerings on tap.
The Isis Farmhouse
River Tow Path, OX4 0EL
🕒 Limited opening hours - check before visiting
🍴 Food 🔆 Large Garden
One of the most spectacularly located pubs in the city. The Isis is not on a road and can only be reached by the river towpath. Its remoteness is the reason for its restricted opening hours. The pub is split into two rooms and serves as coffee shop, cafe, bar and restaurant. Ale comes straight from the barrel and is usually supplied by Shotover brewery. Popular in good weather when the multitude of tables outside become busy.
River Tow Path, OX4 0EL
🕒 Limited opening hours - check before visiting
🍴 Food 🔆 Large Garden
One of the most spectacularly located pubs in the city. The Isis is not on a road and can only be reached by the river towpath. Its remoteness is the reason for its restricted opening hours. The pub is split into two rooms and serves as coffee shop, cafe, bar and restaurant. Ale comes straight from the barrel and is usually supplied by Shotover brewery. Popular in good weather when the multitude of tables outside become busy.
Iffley Village
The Prince of Wales
73 Church Way, Iffley Village, OX4 4EF - web
Wadworth
🍴 Food 🔆 Outdoor seating
Iffley Village has a rural feel to it, despite the fact that you're within the city limits and the Prince of Wales is very much a relaxed village pub, offering up Wadworth Ales. They have a good food menu, although prices were a little on the higher side (I guess this is a quite a salubrious area). The Sunday roasts are highly spoken of.
To the front is a paved parking area; to the side and rear there is outdoor seating, some covered, and an Aunt Sally is played to the rear.
73 Church Way, Iffley Village, OX4 4EF - web
Wadworth
🍴 Food 🔆 Outdoor seating
Iffley Village has a rural feel to it, despite the fact that you're within the city limits and the Prince of Wales is very much a relaxed village pub, offering up Wadworth Ales. They have a good food menu, although prices were a little on the higher side (I guess this is a quite a salubrious area). The Sunday roasts are highly spoken of.
To the front is a paved parking area; to the side and rear there is outdoor seating, some covered, and an Aunt Sally is played to the rear.
63 Church Way, OX4 4EY - web
Omshanti Group
🍴 Food, Indian menu 🔆 Garden
Looking little like a pub as you approach through Iffley Village, the Tree is perched above the road looking like a large residential house. The bar is around the back.
🍺 Beer Festival - Several beer festivals are organised utilising the lovely garden, as well as an Oktoberfest party and other events throughout the year.
Abingdon Road
The Duke of Monmouth
260 Abingdon Road, OX1 4TA - web
Greene King
🍴 Food ⚽ Sports on TV
🎱 Pool Table 🔆 Outdoor seating
Sprawling pub half way down Abingdon Road which is a winner for the sports fan with TVs everywhere. They stock Greene King seasonal and guest ales and we've also come across some good ciders here on occasion.
260 Abingdon Road, OX1 4TA - web
Greene King
🍴 Food ⚽ Sports on TV
🎱 Pool Table 🔆 Outdoor seating
Sprawling pub half way down Abingdon Road which is a winner for the sports fan with TVs everywhere. They stock Greene King seasonal and guest ales and we've also come across some good ciders here on occasion.
Hubble and Home
200 Abingdon Road, OX1 4RA - web
2021 - Closed
This remains a troubled pub that has gone through a number of incarnations in recent years.
One of the cities more lively pubs when I first visited it as the Crooked Pot in 2014.
The White House by Tap Social
38 Abingdon Road, OX4 4PD - web
It's a 10-minute stroll from the city centre, past Christ Church College and across the Thames, to reach the White House.
This was previously a Wadworth pub until 2019 when it was taken over by the local Tap Social Brewery.
The pub caters for various tastes, serving coffee and cakes, gastro-pub food and craft ales. A couple of handpumps dispense craft ale, always from good breweries such as Oakham and Marble on my visits.
To the side is a good-size garden with plenty of covered seating under a marquee.
Worth the walk out of the town!
To the side is a good-size garden with plenty of covered seating under a marquee.
Worth the walk out of the town!
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