Is there a fully vegetarian pub in Oxford?

There is. The Gardeners Arms on Plantation Road has served only vegetarian and vegan food since 2003. It is my first suggestion in this city, and it is a proper pub rather than a health cafe pretending to be one.

Where can I eat healthily in Oxford city centre?

Georgina's in the Covered Market off Turl Street for vegan Greek mezze, The Handle Bar on St Michael's Street for breakfast and lunch, and Namaste Village by the castle for meat free Indian. All within a few minutes of each other.

Are there vegan options in Jericho?

Common Ground on Little Clarendon Street. It is a social enterprise, the food is plant-forward and unfussy, and the coffee is better than the average student haunt.

Do I need to be vegan to use this Oxford guide?

No. This guide is plant-forward, not plant-only. Some kitchens here are entirely meat free, others simply treat vegetables with respect and source honestly. Come as you are.

How are Oxford restaurants chosen for this list?

By me, on the same standard I have used for thirty years: purity, wholesomeness, organic sourcing where possible and an abundance of fresh vegetables, pulses, grains and seeds. Nobody pays, and nobody ever will.

Oxford · England

Gillian McKeith's guide to healthy restaurants in Oxford.

Written by Gillian McKeith

Oxford has fed students stodge for centuries and I have never been impressed by that tradition. What has changed is the number of kitchens here now cooking vegetables as the point of the meal rather than the garnish beside it.

The Gardeners Arms on Plantation Road is the one I admire most. A pub with no meat on the menu since 2003, long before it was profitable to be sensible. Namaste Village by the castle is entirely meat free, and Indian vegetarian cooking gives you pulses and spice instead of butter and cream. Common Ground in Jericho is a social enterprise doing plant-forward food and decent coffee, Georgina's in the Covered Market labels its vegan Greek mezze clearly, imam bayildi included, and The Handle Bar above the bike shop on St Michael's Street will give you a breakfast worth eating before a long walk.

I have added Vaults & Garden on King Edward Street, and it deserved a place here long ago. The sourcing is organic and local, the menu changes with what the growers actually have, and the vegetable and pulse dishes are cooked with more care than most city centre cafes bother with. It is not meat free, so order accordingly, but the plant plates are the best of it.

I judge Oxford as I judge everywhere: purity on the plate, organic where the chef can manage it, fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses, grains and seeds in real quantity. No listing here has been bought, and none is for sale.

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6 restaurants in Oxford

Open in full directory

Cafe

Common Ground Cafe

Oxford, England

Sustainable social enterprise cafe in Jericho serving plant-forward snacks and specialty coffee.

Greek and cafe

Georgina's Cafe.

Oxford

Greek and cafe

Georgina's Cafe

Oxford, England

Covered Market cafe with clearly labelled vegan Greek mezze, imam bayildi and salads.

Indian

Namaste Village Oxford

Oxford, England

Entirely meat free Indian restaurant group offering vegetarian and vegan curries near Oxford Castle.

British pub

The Gardeners Arms

Oxford, England

Long-running Oxford pub serving only vegetarian and vegan food since 2003.

Cafe

The Handle Bar Cafe and Kitchen.

Oxford

Cafe

The Handle Bar Cafe and Kitchen

Oxford, England

Independent Oxford cafe above a bike shop with vegan and vegetarian breakfast and lunch options.

Organic seasonal cafe

Vaults & Garden

Oxford, England

Organic, locally sourced seasonal cafe in central Oxford with a daily changing menu and generous vegetable and pulse dishes.

Been here? Write a review

If you have eaten at any of these Oxford kitchens, click through to the restaurant page and leave a review. I read every submission before it goes live.

Eating well in Oxford: your questions

Is there a fully vegetarian pub in Oxford?: There is. The Gardeners Arms on Plantation Road has served only vegetarian and vegan food since 2003. It is my first suggestion in this city, and it is a proper pub rather than a health cafe pretending to be one.
Where can I eat healthily in Oxford city centre?: Georgina's in the Covered Market off Turl Street for vegan Greek mezze, The Handle Bar on St Michael's Street for breakfast and lunch, and Namaste Village by the castle for meat free Indian. All within a few minutes of each other.
Are there vegan options in Jericho?: Common Ground on Little Clarendon Street. It is a social enterprise, the food is plant-forward and unfussy, and the coffee is better than the average student haunt.
Do I need to be vegan to use this Oxford guide?: No. This guide is plant-forward, not plant-only. Some kitchens here are entirely meat free, others simply treat vegetables with respect and source honestly. Come as you are.
How are Oxford restaurants chosen for this list?: By me, on the same standard I have used for thirty years: purity, wholesomeness, organic sourcing where possible and an abundance of fresh vegetables, pulses, grains and seeds. Nobody pays, and nobody ever will.

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Gillian McKeith, author of the Gillian McKeith Restaurant Guide

About the author

Written by Gillian McKeith

I'm Gillian McKeith: television presenter, creator of the global hit show You Are What You Eat, writer, nutritionist, and the editor behind this guide. Every Oxford entry here is chosen and written by me. I judge kitchens on the things that actually matter: real ingredients, honest sourcing, vegetables cooked with care, and food you feel better for eating.

Nothing on this page is a paid placement. Restaurants cannot buy a recommendation, and any listing marked as sponsored is labelled as such. If a kitchen slips, it comes out of the guide.

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