Tagged: Independent

Family-run Shaanxi/Xi'an noodle bar in the Covered Market — the bilingual sign reads 三秦百味 ('Three Qin Hundred Flavours'), the kitchen runs hand-cut biang biang noodles and rou jia mo.

One of England's oldest schools — strong academics and sport in a less intense setting than the Oxford schools.

The original Ben's Cookies — baked fresh in the Covered Market since 1984, famous far beyond Oxford.

An Oxford institution since 1879 — Broad Street bookshop with the cavernous Norrington Room below.

Independent café-deli on Avenue 3 of the Covered Market — Greek and Mediterranean home cooking alongside English breakfasts, sandwiches and cakes.

Jacket potato counter at stall 16A in the Covered Market — gluten-free and halal labelled, eight fillings on the warmer.

Oxford's own ice cream since 1992 — handmade, inventive, and open past midnight.

Greek and Mediterranean café tucked upstairs in the Covered Market, with vintage cinema posters covering the walls and ceiling.

Café-and-cocktail bar in the Covered Market with a Tarantino-tinged name, a chequerboard floor and a rainbow flag at the door.

Stoneground-sourdough bakery in the Covered Market — Kate and Hugo Hamblin's second site, after the original on Iffley Road.

Headington Rye Oxford — co-ed prep (3–11) and girls' senior (11–18), boarding and day.

Neapolitan panuozzo bar in the Covered Market, named for the southern Italian good-luck horn.

Traditional Ethiopian dishes on injera, with a Thursday evening coffee ceremony.

Oxford's choir school — tiny, musical, and tucked behind New College's medieval walls.

Rye St Antony merged with Headington School in 2024 to form Headington Rye Oxford.

Wood-fired sourdough pizza in the Covered Market — a sister business of Church Hanbrewery, with a long communal counter and a separate 'Pizza in the market' takeaway hatch.

Known as 'Teddies' — a proper boarding school with a surprisingly warm, unpretentious culture.

A day school for girls in Abingdon — strong academics, partnership with Abingdon School.

A country prep school with a loyal following — rural setting, strong boarding tradition.

A traditional boys' prep school with a strong record of scholarships to Eton and Winchester.

Handmade-fresh sushi counter in the Covered Market — paper lanterns over the door, photo menus in the window, takeaway boxes from the cabinet.

Oxford's beating heart since 1774 — over 50 independent stalls under one historic roof.

A well-known co-ed prep school in North Oxford — large campus, broad curriculum, strong alumni network.

Wine-focused bottle shop and tasting bar in the Covered Market — a joint venture between Eynsham Cellars and the adjacent Teardrop Bar, with around 250 bottles and six wines on tap.

Café, bar and bottleshop in the Covered Market's central courtyard, run by Oxfordshire social enterprise Tap Social Movement — fresh pastries and coffee, eight craft beers on draught, and a curated wine and cocktail list.

Tiny, nurturing, and deliberately different — Oxford's smallest senior girls' school.

Authentic Italian gelato in the Covered Market.

Specialty coffee and pour-overs on Banbury Road — Oxford's serious coffee destination since 2013.

Broad Street's independent art supplies shop — paints, papers, and materials for working artists and students.

Loose-leaf teas and freshly roasted coffees in the Covered Market — the smell alone is worth the detour.

Specialty coffee in a medieval courtyard.

Social enterprise cafe and co-working space in Jericho.

Oxford's alternative independent — first names, no uniform, strong sixth form.

A proper traditional butcher in the Covered Market — locally sourced meat, hand-cut to order.

Independent coffee from a horsebox outside the Natural History Museum.

Oxford's academic powerhouse — consistently one of the top-performing schools in the country.

Mid-century furniture, vintage homeware, and salvaged curiosities on the Cowley Road.

The GDST's Oxford flagship — academically rigorous, no-nonsense, and proudly day school.

Independent clothing and gifts in the Covered Market — Oxford-made where possible.

Antique maps, prints, and engravings on the High Street — established 1967.

Fine pens, handmade papers, and writing instruments on Turl Street.

Oxford's International Baccalaureate specialist — global student body, liberal ethos.

The Covered Market's organic grocer — wholefood staples, fresh produce, and zero-waste refills before it was fashionable.

Every type of brush imaginable — a Covered Market institution.

An independent bakery in the Covered Market — honest cakes, pastries, and bakes without the artisan price tag.

A serious cheese counter in the Covered Market — British and European artisan cheeses, cut to order.

Vintage clothing on the Cowley Road — rammed rails at student-friendly prices.