The 2024 Oxford Cheap Eats update is here. Finding good food at reasonable prices continues to be a challenge in our expensive city. Can you still get a bargain lunch or a dinner for under £12? Here’s my list of tasty new additions and old favourites, with thanks to the Bitten team for their input.
Market food
Unsurprisingly, Oxford’s markets offer some of the top value meals in town, especially at lunchtime. In the Covered Market, my favourite newcomer is Sartorelli’s, where a Margherita pizza is only £7.50, with extra toppings at 50p each. The charred, pillowy sourdough crust, intensely jammy tomato sauce, and gooey cheese are a real treat. You can even ‘go Calzone’ for the same price.
If pizza isn’t your thing, grab a large veggie salad bowl (£8) at the Alpha Bar, which focuses on local, organic,and ethical ingredients as well as good taste. Another tiny gem is the family-run Taste of China, where you can score an order of Biangbiang noodles for £8.50. I love the dense chew on these wide, ribbon-like noodles, which are served in a simple sauce with shredded veg.
If you can’t get one of their three tiny tables, there’s the central seating area outside Gulp Fiction. After lunch, you can browse their special display of books that come with a free hot drink: one final market bargain.
Perennial favourites
Some Oxford restaurant names pop up again and again when we are talking about fab food for a bargain dinner. Taste Tibet is a Bitten favourite, serving fabulous Tibetan street cuisine in East Oxford. Get a small plate of their famous momo dumplings (£8) or Tibetan dal (£6.50) to eat in or take away.
Near the Oxford train station, Lula’s Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine has superlative home-cooked flavours. You can get two veggie dishes with rice from £12, though don’t hesitate to pay a little more for the injera bread if you can.
Nearby, Dosa Park specialises in South Indian food (dosa, vada, idly) and the vegan/veggie options are especially reasonable. A masala dosapancake is about £10. If you’re really hungry, their new Botley Road branch offers an unlimited weekend buffet for only £19.99 per person.
Mystery savings
You can save money and help fight food waste by using the Too Good To Go app. Pre-purchase a ‘surprise bag’ of surplus food from a local shop or restaurant for pick up at a set time later. You have to be flexible as the contents are a mystery until pick up, but the bargains are impressive.
In the past month, I’ve seen offers from big chains such as Starbucks, Co-op, and M&S, as well as from smaller Oxford vendors like the Barefoot Bakery orthe Lamb & Flag. I recently got my dinner from Momo King in the Gloucester Green market: £10.50 worth of food for only £3.50.
Top notch snacks
When I brought up the subject of cheap eats with the Bitten crew, it became clear that we really enjoy samosas as a quick tasty snack. Faith likes the homemade ones at the Eastern & Continental store on the Cowley Road, and Rob recommends Medina Foods if you are in Headington. My favourites are made by Fatima (of Fatima’s Kitchen).
I go to the North Parade market just for her flavor-packed veggie samosas (£3 each). I relish the crunchy, slightly sweet crust as much as the filling. Her other delicious Ugandan dishes are a big bonus.
And that’s a wrap
A falafel wrap is one of the best Oxford bargains. When you crave a delicious, freshly made falafel wrap for under £5, it’s still hard to beat Najar’s Place on St. Giles: look for the blue hut. Najar’s has been feeding Oxford for 20 years, and the choice and quality are always outstanding. My usual choice is falafel, hummus, feta and salad, but they have an enormous range of fillings.
Aleppo’s just off the Cowley Road is another serious falafel wrap contender (I love that sprinkle of sumac), and they even have a tiny amount of seating. If you are looking for the full-on restaurant experience, Faith (Bitten’s falafel wrap expert) additionally recommends trying a shawarma wrap (£7.50) at Za’atar Grill.
A special treat
Finally, there may be times when you can spend a little more money (but without going overboard) for something special. In these situations, a set menu can help limit the damage to your finances.
Pierre Victoire on Little Clarendon Street offers intimate French bistro dining and a two-course lunch for £19.50 on Saturday and Sunday. Bon appétit! We all deserve a treat now and then.
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