Oxford Pubs

A pub and bistro on North Parade serving sweet and savoury crêpes alongside the regular drinks list.

A proper Oxford local — ancient, unpretentious, and owned by St John's College.

Said by tradition to be Oxford's oldest pub — famous for its tie collection and recently expanded into a larger space.

Where the Inklings met — Tolkien and Lewis's local on St Giles'.

The pub where Radiohead played their first gig — Oxford's main small live music venue.

Oxford's quintessential student pub — Young's ales on Holywell Street, opposite the Bodleian.

A thatched riverside pub reached via a walk across Port Meadow.

Pub, bar and restaurant tucked behind George Street between the Oxford Playhouse and the New Theatre — one of the city's larger pub gardens for a sunny afternoon.

Jericho's brunch-to-cocktails pub — a Cranham Street all-day spot with craft beer and a courtyard.

North Parade's anchor pub — a proper local where the landlord knows every regular by name.

Inspector Morse's local, perched over a weir on the Thames at Wolvercote — come for the view, stay for the atmosphere.

A well-hidden pub, tucked down a medieval alleyway behind the Bodleian.

A civilised wine bar hidden down Friars Entry — the name is accurate, the escape from the crowds is real.

Formerly the Angel & Greyhound — relaunched under Morgan Pub Collective with craft beer and a strong beer garden.

A friendly local perched on The Plain roundabout — the gateway pub to east Oxford.

A proper pub hiding in plain sight on the High Street — the 15th-century beams are the real deal.

A warm-hearted backstreet local between Cowley and Iffley Roads — the garden alone is worth the detour.

A fully vegetarian pub on a Jericho backstreet — with a garden that lives up to the name.

A no-frills St Clement's local where the quiz is taken seriously and the prices aren't.

A big riverside pub at Folly Bridge — the terrace over the Thames is the whole point.

Reachable only on foot or by boat — a riverside pub at Iffley Lock that feels like a secret.

Cowley Road's late-night cocktail favourite — open into the small hours and unpretentious with it.

A proper village pub in Headington Quarry — the kind of place C.S. Lewis would have walked to, because he did.

A tiny Jericho backstreet pub serving French-inflected bistro food in an intimate setting.

A village green pub in Wolvercote — proper ale, proper food, properly relaxed.

A down-to-earth real ale pub just off the beaten track in St Ebbes.

A Cowley Road all-rounder — good burgers, craft beer, and a garden that earns its keep.

A fiercely loved backstreet local off Cowley Road — the kind of pub communities fight to save.

A solid Jericho local — unpretentious, reliable, and always good for a quiet pint.

A tiny Broad Street pub squeezed between Blackwell's and the Bodleian — smaller than some college rooms.

Oxford's board game cafe — over 2,500 games, a bar, and someone on hand to explain the rules.