Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Oxford/Oxfordshire

OpenTable

Updated January 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Oxford/Oxfordshire? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Orwells

4.8

4.8 (1359)

£41 and over

British

Binfield Heath

About the restaurant

Located in Binfield Heath, Henley on Thames. Orwells' Kitchen is headed up by Michelin starred chef Ryan Simpson & Liam Trotman. The aim is to source the best produce available locally and beyond to prepare delicious dishes with no fuss to let the quality of the produce shine. The kitchen takes a rural approach combined with modern cooking. The restaurants' been recognised in all the major guides and have continued to hold 4AA rosettes consecutively for 8 years. We have a nice relaxing lounge area and the atmosphere is cosy and classy. The garden area has great views and is open on warm days for dining. We are also dog friendly.

Orwells offers a choice of Al a carte, Wednesday - Sunday alongside a Tasting menu.
The Lunch menu runs from Wednesday to Sunday, its £45 for 2 courses and £55 for three courses. Sunday has a roast offering which in £55 2 courses & £65 3 courses, alongside the tasting menu and A la carte

We look forward to seeing you very soon, Ryan, Liam & The Orwells Team x

Top review

AlisonVIP

Dined on Dec 19, 2024

Great dinner in this lovely restaurant. Fabulous service and absolutely exquisite food in a beautiful restaurant. Highly recommended.

The Cygnet at the Swan Inn

4.8

4.8 (103)

£41 and over

English

Kidlington

About the restaurant

"The Cygnet at The Swan" is an award winning restaurant led by Paul Welburn (previously awarded Michelin star at The Oxford Kitchen 2018). We have currently been awarded "3AA Rosettes" since being open, as well as both local awards "Ox in a Box" and "Muddy Stilettos Best Restaurant" awards.

We are open from Wednesday to Saturday, bookings are encouraged but not necessary. Our style is a "relaxed fine dining" always looking out for our guests comfort and experience.

Our food is a fusion of British cuisine with Paul's personal twists.
We offer our signature 4 course tasting menu for the evening (or lunch, just ask us) using seasonal ingredients.
Our menu can be enjoyed with matching wines handpicked by the restaurant staff.
Our menu is everchanging with the seasons, so there is always a reason to visit again!
We also offer our grazing menu for all lunchtimes and some evenings, with a selection of smaller and larger plates, ordered and served as and when for a more relaxing style.

Top review

Kerri

Dined on Dec 18, 2024

I had lunch at The Cygnet with a friend for a significant birthday and it did not disappoint. Food was superb and the staff went to great effort to ensure the meal felt special for her.

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Experience

4 Course Tasting Menu - With Bread and Snacks

Experience

Semi Private Room - Tasting Menu

Burnout BBQ

4.8

4.8 (333)

£25 and under

Barbecue

Oxford

About the restaurant

Home of the Hot Rod BBQ! American BBQ street food served up in a warm and inviting atmosphere. With traditional slow smoked BBQ, home made sides, cocktails, Ice cream Sundays and Cold Beers!

Top review

Rochelle Elizabeth

Dined 4 days ago

The food was lovely. The portions were actually really big so we over ordered probably more than we needed to between two of us two lots of chicken wings, two lots of ribs, boneless chicken bites, fries ,onion rings and gravy. I would’ve said we could probably have ordered two less dishes. It was good value for money we spent less than I thought we were going to and we thought it was going to be way more expensive than it actually was there was an offer to save 10% off the bill by locking your phone in a cage but then they’ve obviously asked if I’d like to include a photo . But my phone was locked in the cage, I couldn’t include a photo so perhaps it might be a better idea to offer 10% off the bill if you take photos and post them on social media rather than not using your phones at all because I haven’t been able to upload any photos to social media . I would like to point out. I only found out about this restaurant through somebody posting their photos on social media so from an advertising point of view it doesn’t make sense to lock your phones away to save money.

The Kitchen at Feldon Valley

4.7

4.7 (199)

£26 to £40

British

Banbury

About the restaurant

We are open for our full a la carte restaurant service from Monday to Saturday each week with tables from 18:00 until 20:30. We are closed for dinner on Sunday, but the bar is open. We offer lunches daily and our wonderful Sunday lunch has tables from 12:00 until 16:00. Set in beautiful Cotswold landscape our balconies and floor to ceiling glass provide the perfect setting to enjoy Victoria Hamilton's superb dishes inspired by the seasonality of local produce.

If you have any questions, please give us a call on 01608 685633 and ask for Martina or Hellen or drop us an email at thekitchen@feldonvalley.co.uk

We look forward to sharing a great experience with you

Top review

Kerstin

Dined on Dec 26, 2024

Reasonably priced food for the portion size and quality. Mains are quite big, especially burgers and fish and chips (if on their menu). All good is seasonal and fresh and you definitely can taste it! A great range of drinks using local suppliers

Sticks'n'Sushi - Oxford

4.7

4.7 (149)

£26 to £40

Sushi

Oxford

About the restaurant

Located on the Roof Terrace in Westgate Shopping Centre, enjoy classic and creative sushi, sticks and Japanese-inspired cocktails with stunning views of Oxford’s historic spires. Perfect for quick lunches, leisurely dinners, celebrations and graduations. A sushi restaurant - even for those who don't like fish.

Top review

Alexandra

Dined on Jan 1, 2025

Amazing meal on New Years Day - food was fantastic and staff were great. Shoutout to Prachi who was wonderful - so attentive and lovely. Will be returning.

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Experience

Lunch & Early Evening Sticks Set Menu £19.50

The Yurt at Nicholsons

4.7

4.7 (512)

£25 and under

British

Bicester

About the restaurant

The Yurt at Nicholsons offers a unique dining experience with exquisite, locally sourced and simple menus.

Our menus are curated by our head chef, who takes pride in fabulous flavours. All menus offer a variety of dishes using seasonal ingredients and cater for all dietary requirements.

Looking for somewhere to celebrate a special occasion? Our private dining huts offer a unique dining experience. What a wonderful excuse to relax with friends and family in our beautiful surroundings and indulge in delicious food cooked with style.

If you are looking for an informal venue for business meetings, our huts take up to 6 people, giving you a great spot to meet over brunch or lunch.

View our menus and book via our website here: https://www.nicholsonsgb.com/yurt/yurt-menu/

Top review

Phil

Dined on Jan 7, 2025

Superb food, well crafted menu with beautifully prepared, cooked and presented dishes. Lovely calm atmosphere with friendly attentive service. After this first visit we plan to return.

Five Little Pigs

4.6

4.6 (1210)

£26 to £40

Modern European

Wallingford

About the restaurant

Welcome to Five Little Pigs.

The newest restaurant in the historic riverside town of Wallingford, Five Little Pigs serves local, seasonally changing food and drink that reflects the incredible produce from our area in the style of executive chef Aimee Hunt. From farmers to distillers, we love to showcase the best on offer in our very own style.

Our lovingly and carefully designed restaurant and bar spaces inside and out can cater for you whatever you want to do; brunch, lunch, dinner or even just a coffee, glass of wine or a beer – you are very welcome!

Top review

Rowena

Dined 4 days ago

Very pleasant and helpful waiting staff which is really important. I enjoyed the vegetable tempura which I have had before but would have preferred a higher ratio of vegetable to batter. Kohlrabi croquettes were good as was the gin cured trout.

The Folly

4.5

4.5 (1477)

£26 to £40

British

Oxford

About the restaurant

The Folly, Oxford's unique riverside restaurant.
Join us for elegant food, superb drinks, a charming atmosphere, and a unique location perched on the banks of the River Thames in the heart of historic Oxford.

Book your table online and visit us to indulge in some fantastic modern British food.

Top review

Scott

Dined 5 days ago

We had the tasting menu last Friday, from first course to last it was amazing. Service from the staff was awesome, attentive and professional. Will 100% be back.

Côte Brasserie - Oxford

4.4

4.4 (122)

£25 and under

French

Oxford

About the restaurant

Cote is inspired by the brasseries of Paris, serving authentic French dishes all day in our classically designed restaurants. We are committed to producing authentic French classics, freshly cooked to order, from the highest quality sourced ingredients.

Top review

JENNIFER

Dined on Dec 29, 2024

The Sunday roast wasn’t too much to brag about. Flavors of sides didn’t harmonize with traditional Sunday Roast tastes. Broccolini had Asian flavor and everything else was British taste. Plus NO takeaway containers?!

The Cotswold Guy, Gagingwell

4.4

4.4 (81)

£25 and under

British

Great Tew

About the restaurant

The Cotswold Guy, born out of bespoke private cheffing using the finest British ingredients, offers heart-warming hospitality and high-quality food and beverage produce across its farm shops, restaurant, café, online shop and catering & events service. Based across the length and breadth of the Cotswolds, we provide quality, locally-sourced ingredients and dishes, inspired by elevating the much-loved British Classics, to our ever-growing base of loyal and repeat clients.

The Cotswold Guy, Gagingwell (near Chipping Norton), is our latest opening, giving guests the opportunity to eat in or takeaway. We have all of the old TCG favourites, as well as some outstanding new additions!

Serving breakfast and lunch everyday, we are also pleased to offer Friday Pizza Day & Saturday Steak & Lobster Nights

Top review

ALI

Dined on Jan 3, 2025

Perfect. Incredible, tasty food that has been so well prepared. Generous portions. Friendly and efficient folk running the place. Always an absolute pleasure.

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