Singsong voice: Covered Market is AMAAAAAZING!!! So many places to check out. Easily one of the…read morebest places to go for a healthier lunch in Oxford! With that said, if you can manage to keep yourself from going into complete sensory overload, be sure to stop by Alpha Bar! It is even the self-proclaimed "hottest spot in Oxford!" The salad boxes are the greatest inventions ever. Basically it's 3.30 pounds for 3 choices of salad and 1 "main." If you are one of those people that don't like it when their food touches others (believe me, I didn't know there was those kinds of people out there either), then you may be freaked out because all your entrees go into the same container. I like it though because all of the flavors actually go well when mixed together. My salad recommendations: (I guess I haven't been too adventurous, my apologies, chap) FAVA BEANS: never heard of fava beans before but they are a huge meaty bean with huge flavor. The tomato sauce (?) that they use makes these beans irresistable... i can't really describe to you what the sauce is, you'll just have to try it for yourself! WIN COUS COUS: a bit mushy but love this! fine grained cous cous for fine people. Definitely goes well being mixed with everything else. CHICK PEAS: i LOVE CHICK PEAS. the end. For the mains: ROASTED VEGGIES: okay so it's basically just sweet potatoes, butternut squash and onions but THOSE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE "VEGGIES" and they are so soft and tender... delicious TOFU: marinated in a shoyu/ginger sauce. Nothing special but hey it's tofu, which I love. HALUMI: cheeeeeeeese, I love thee. Get it grilled! According to Angela W: Coleslaw, meh Lentils, good. A little bit vinegary but still tasty nonetheless. Definitely come early because one time I got there around 1:45 and there weren't many options left. The line gets CRAZY long at peak hours! So basically, when I stare into the glass window separating me from all these tasties, I want to sample everything. I drool. But I refrain because we're in the UK, Oxford to be exact, and everyone is proper. But Alpha Bar, you're the best! Thanks.

Very well prepared food for those on the go; Alpha Bar is a staple lunch spot for many people…read moreliving in Oxford and working/studying in the area. The salads are value for money, if you are fine with low protein intake. Salad options are fantastic and well marinated. As of July 2018, they go for 5 pounds a small box with one protein option and 2 salad sides, and 7 for a large one with two protein options and 3 salad sides.

The store mainly carries Indian and Middle Eastern foods (frozen, fresh, dried, halal meat…read morecounter), but also has fresh veg and herbs like: okra, Chinese okra, ginger, basil, etc. I've yet to find any one ethnic store that has everything I need in Oxford, so I always make more than one stop when I do my weekly grocery run down Cowley Rd. And this is often one of my stops for fresh veg and Arabic coffee. Minimum £5 for credit card purchases.

Found this place as I was wandering the area during my tour and I decided to have lunch here. The…read moreShroom pie was delicious, I decided to add mash and gravy, it all hit the spot. Reasonably priced pies and the serving size was perfect for my appetite. I would love to try more, not sure when I'll be in Oxford again but do recommend. They have plenty of seating too. Yum!

This is so good. Who knew pie was so savory, satisfying and hearty. This should be a thing in the…read moreUS. Sure wish this was in Atlanta, GA. Stopped in here for lunch during my day trip to Oxford. The ambience feels like a Starbucks, kinda trendy hip, but also very country with brick, chalk boards, tile counter. Service was fast fast fast. Kinda works like a Chipotle... pick your pie, your side, and toppings. 1-2-3.. then move down the line and get your beer and pay for it. There was a TON of variety. There were for of us , so we ordered different stuff. See pics for details. I remember the Deer Stalker was the most savory. You may think the portion is small... and it does kinda look small.. but this pie is packed. Its super loaded. Its a hearty lunch. So.. if you are walking around in Oxford and want something other than burgers or fish and chips.. make sure you come here.

I was walking through Oxford looking for something to eat when I came across this restaurant. I…read morewas craving some Thai and figured why not give it a try. The front door is interesting an has an interesting history with the building dating back to 1637. I was greeted when I walked upstairs and given a menu. I ordered Veggie Spring Rolls (Popia Tod), the Tom Ka with chicken and Pad See-Ew Noodles with chicken. It didn't take long to get my order and it was all still hot when I arrived back at my hotel. They also wrap it all quite tight so nothing spills out. The Spring Rolls weren't what I was expecting. I thought they were going to be fresh spring rolls but they are fried; it does say on the menu but I didn't read that part. It came with a plum sauce but would have been nicer with some hot mustard. Unfortunately, they do not do fresh spring rolls. The Tom Ka soup was quite good. It's a bit heavier than most Tom Ka soups I've had and I would have preferred it to be a bit spicy. The Pad See-Ew was fantastic. They serve a very generous portion and it's just delicious! And like the soup, it would be nice if it was a little spicy. I'm sure they can make it spicy if you ask them and I wish I would have asked. The food is very fresh and delicious and I would absolutely come back here.

food was amazing and reasonably priced. the restaurant is cosy feeling and is a great spot to get…read moresome delish Thai food.

Incredible Thai food in a classic British pub with a great selection of classic British draft…read moredrinks! We got Thai chicken wings, chicken pad Thai, and duck pad kee mau. Everything was delicious! Old Tom was a great break from traditional English food while still giving us the British charm. I'm so happy we stumbled upon this place and I would recommend it to anyone!

Great pub serving some tasty Thai dishes. Great stop after a long day in city center!read more

My brother-in-law, Oli, lives just down the street, and the number of times that I've passed this…read moreplace while closed and been told that it was really hard to get in to, despite being "his" restaurant is somewhat sad. We were thrilled to get the call while visiting that they were open for lunch and we could get in! It was well-known by the current and former residents that this place is all that. As in, two of our party dropped everything and immediately called a car, despite an impressive list of wedding-related errands. It was all we'd hoped and more. The five of us enjoyed the papaya salad to share, and then each got either the duck confit panang or the pork belly stir fry. Believe the hype. The sauces were layered with so many flavors. The ingredients were juicy and perfectly cooked - tender meat, crisp veggies. Every bite was just as good as the next. The space is small, but not crowded (probably why it can be so hard to get seats), the menu is limited (but has everything you could want), and the service is attentive. Go if you ever get the chance! 2019 Reviews #23

Had the Duck Confit Curry and it was just amazing. Imagine eating really good, crispy on the…read moreoutside soft on the inside Duck Confit, but with a well cooked curry sauce around it. Very good, and very popular; make sure to phone in so you don't wait too long. The restaurant has the oddest reservation policy, however. Can only be made by phone 10 AM to 12 PM daily, which is highly inconvenient for most people.

A small canteen style Thai restaurant in the Covered Market…read more Pros: - affordable (7.50 for rice + 1 selection, 9.50 for rice + 2 selection) - quick service - delicious food! i got the spicy squid with vegetables and it was flavorful and truly spicy (shouldn't have gotten the extra sriracha and green chili peppers ahha...) Cons: - small space, often need to share tables with others - things like cutlery and water are "self-service" which i don't mind but some others may - a lottt of rice. i wish they had a greater portion of the dish

I work in Oxford and go here at least once a week for delicious and reasonably priced Thai lunch…read morefood. It is a no-frills place to keep costs down: get your food, grab a fork and a cup of water, find a free spot somewhere and enjoy. There are always veggie and meat options. Duck red curry, green curry chicken and spicy pork are my favorites. Although the place is popular, it's also quick, so I've never had to wait more than a minute or two to find a spot when they are busy. Sharing a table can be fun here. You get everyone from students and tourists to CEOs and professors. A covered market institution!

Fun and festive place, with lots of colors and stuff hanging from the ceiling and walls. One table…read morelet you sit inside a boat. We stopped in since it was just across the street from our hotel. Service was not very good. Waited a long time for our server, and then our food. Our table was right next to the server station. We looked around and it a lot of people were waiting for their food and just nursing their drinks. It wasn't till I signed the bill accepting their service charge that they said anything friendly! The food was sub par for Thai food. Fairly big portions, but the best part was the spice level of my dish was legit! They didn't ask me to specify a spice level when I ordered, and I forgot to ask, so I ended up with their default. It was spicier than most westernized Thai and on the hairy edge of my tolerance, which is not low! The actual food itself I thought was just OK.

Went here without a reservation on a Thursday night and was immediately seated. I ordered the…read moremassaman curry (chicken) and the stir fried vegetables. I didn't exactly expect that the curry wouldn't come with rice but the stir fried vegetables worked well with it. The curry had a good amount of chicken. The stir fried vegetables were the highlight - I thought the curry could have been a little further seasoned.

When I returned to my home city recently, we stayed at The Tree Hotel in Iffley Village, Oxford…read more The bedroom was the biggest hotel room I have ever stayed in; King Size Bed, Corner bath, bedet, huge bay wondow, sofa, dressing table etc and the room was very clean with plenty of towels. The service was excellent and the breakfast delightful (I recommend the Omlette with ham and spices). The hotel itself has a wonderful large bar, restaurant and garden with palm trees and parasoles. I'm so pleased we stayed at The Tree Hotel and for 80GBP per night including breakfast, we shall definately be staying there again!

One of the best places in Oxford for Thai food! The staff are super friendly, and the chef used to…read morecook in Thailand. HOWEVER, make sure you are asking for the "Special Thai Menu" as that unlocks a different menu that is different than the regular menu which I find is curated for more western palettes. If you like it spicy, ask them to increase the spice level.

On my trip to Oxford, I knew I wanted to have a good meal there, debating between Bangkok House and…read moreits rival, i decided on Bangkok House as the reviews seem to sway this way, though, I would be giving up some good thai iced tea I assume. I brought my flatmates here, almost couldn't find it, you can easily pass it as the sign of the restuarant is not that eye-catching. Walking in, I noticed that it was a very authetic place, everything was gorgeous! The tables were made of glass/wood and you can see every little detail, plus the showers of coins inside the table..*I'll include a picture once I do some uploads* It was filled with people, which is ALWAYS a good sign. I think there were one-two servers, which was fine, they attended to us in good timing. I ordered the seafood pad thai, wanting the best of both worlds, well besides the chicken since it is seafood, for 7 pounds. Also, i grabbed a milky iced tea for about 3 pounds, less though. My pad thai was good! It was moisted enough and easy to get through, nevermind the good portion size. I hate it when my pad thai is all dried and overcooked. It was light too, not overly greasey. The milky iced tea tasted just like..thai iced tea, so maybe is it that? Besides the fact it wasn't very orange, it did taste like something I can make at home though, but i throughly enjoyed it. Thank god our food came before that big party's.....cause we'd be waiting FOREVER if theirs came first--theirs came after. It's really warm inside..but the temperature changes when you walk into the loo, haha, unexpected.