With Christmas looming, here’s the lowdown on some fabulous feasting ideas for Christmas in Oxford, so you can celebrate the season in style.
1. Skogen Kitchen
* UPDATE – this event is no longer happening, but do follow Skogen Kitchen on Facebook for more delicious events in the New Year *
Skogen Kitchen on King Edward Street is hosting a wonderful Julbord Supper on Saturday 14th December at 7pm. The Julbord, or Christmas Table, is near and dear to every Swede’s heart and is the traditional feast served on the run up to Christmas and always on Christmas Eve.
Dozens of hot and cold dishes served buffet style, pickled and cured fish, cheeses, salads and breads, comforting potato dishes and a centrepiece of a baked ham. You certainly won’t leave the table hungry!
Join Claire and the team for a very special evening to celebrate Christmas the Swedish way, with a fantastic smorgasbord buffet of hot and cold savoury dishes, balancing flavours of sweet and sour, comforting winter dishes alongside healthy fish, meats and salads. You can enjoy helping yourself to over twenty different savoury dishes finishing with a trio of traditional Swedish desserts. Swedish beer and a round of aquavit (with singing!) are included, tickets cost £40pp. Tickets in advance only by emailing info@skogen.kitchen.
If you don’t get a chance to stop by, there’s still time to place an order for food. You can also create a Scandi gift hamper at any time from the items in store. Simply pop in and ask a member of staff for an order form or email info@skogen.kitchen.
2. Dirty Bones
This Holiday Season at Dirty Bones, find exclusive menus, festive feasts, comfort bites, Christmas cocktails and old school beats. Whatever your group size, their events crew will work with you to put on a Christmas party for everyone. £34pp for 3 courses + sides, or £28pp for 2 courses + sides.
Pick of the bunch: crispy squid; buffalo cauliflower popcorn; vegan Mac Daddy; braised lamb shoulder; truffled tater tots; and a Dirty Alexander dessert cocktail.
View the Dirty Bones Christmas Party Menu.
3. Festivities at The Jam Factory
The unique, city centre venue is offering a cracker of a Christmas menu, with two-courses for £23pp or three for £29pp. The light and bright Jam Factory is able to cater for small gatherings, large groups and private functions. To make things easy, they’re using a simple online pre-order system – which party organisers will love! Santa hats for every guest and giant Pictionary as optional post-dinner entertainment.
Menu highlights: smoked ham hock terrine with Mum’s chutney; traditional Turkey; braised blade of beef; mushroom & chestnut pie; Christmas pudding with brandy sauce; and crème Catalan.
Full details: thejamfactoryoxf
4. Let it Pho
Pho at the Westgate Oxford is once again offering an excellent alternative Christmas menu, with the benefit of an additional fully vegan Christmas menu. A mixture of starters, soups, curries – loads of hearty, filling dishes. Nearly everything on offer is gluten-free, too. 2 courses £14.95pp / 3 courses £18.95pp from the classic menu, or 2 courses for £14.50pp / 3 courses £18.50pp from the vegan menu.
Top picks: the classic pho, obviously, as well as the hot and spicy versions, plus the delicious spring rolls and fruit sorbets.
View Pho’s Christmas & Vegan Christmas menus.
5. Good Food Oxford Party Experiences
How sustainable is your office festive party?! Make sure it has environmental and social benefit by booking a ‘Good Food’ party experience from Good Food Oxford – truly a ‘party with a conscience’. Options for teams include chocolate-making, bread-baking, cooking up a party menu from surplus food or brewing your own team beer.
Full details: https://www.
6. South African Christmas Party with Durban Spice
Would you like to experience a unique meal experience? Tired of the same places for your Christmas dinner? Why not try Durban Spice supper club for an authentic home-cooked meal and warm and friendly service. Private bookings from 10 to 16 people. A true taste of South Africa.
Details: www.durbanspice.co.uk.
7. Vive la France at Cafe Rouge
Café Rouge has created a special festive menu featuring classic French fifteen dishes. Two courses are available from just £20.95pp, three courses for £22.95, and there’s a “Build Your Own Drinks Packages”.
Catching my eye on the menu: breaded camembert, vegan wellington and classic crème brûllée; plus they have prawn cocktail and turkey if you’re yearning for the traditional.
Check out the Cafe Rouge Christmas Party Menu.
8. The Plough at 38
The new lease of life pub and micro-brewery has seating for 60+ in its Malting Store restaurant, with room for more standing. The Plough at 38 also has a large bar on the ground floor serving craft beers, lagers and real ales. When Hannah and Lucy visited to review The Plough at 38 they were blissfully happy with their meal. Their Christmas menu offers 2 courses for £27pp and three for £34.50pp.
Eye spy: cured pork and apple croquette; whipped goats curd honeycomb; braised ox cheeks; loin of wild venison; buttermilk and tonka bean panna cotta; bergamot and clementine parfait; plus the usual traditional options.
Check out the Christmas menu for The Plough at 38.
9. Cinnamon Kitchen
Located at the top of Westgate Oxford, Cinnamon Kitchen is a destination restaurant that is perfect for hosting stylish Christmas soiées. Enjoy exquisite modern-Indian cuisine – courtesy of renowned Executive Chef Vivek Singh-alongside festive cocktails and an extensive choice of wines and champagnes.
Redefining the Christmas dining experience, three-course party menus start from £35pp and invite diners to embark on a journey of flavour discovery. Dishes include starters like haddock and Jerusalem artichoke cake with green chilli mayo and mains such as chargrilled rump of lamb with keema karela, spinach and nutmeg. Not forgetting dessert, indulge in a suitably sweet and warming ginger toffee pudding with garam masala ice cream for something a little different this festive season.
Bitten is drooling over: cinnamon bellinis; lassi panna cotta; Bombay street food; chargrilled rump of lamb; and sticky ginger toffee pudding.
To book, call 018 6595 1670 or email info@cinnamon-kitchenoxford.com
10. Pompette
During the festive season, Pompette is offering two types of menu, in addition to their A La Carte. The Christmas Prix Fixe Menu is available between 12-3pm and 6-7pm Monday to Friday, with 2 courses for £25pp and 3 courses for £30pp. The Christmas Feasting Menu has been created for guests using the stunning Pompette private Dining Room, but can be requested in the main dining room if confirmed in advance. The Christmas Feasting menu offers 3 courses £49pp per person.
Top menu picks: duck terrine with prune and pistachio; roast Hereford beef with all the trimming – carved at the table; and almond & mincemeat tart with brandy butter.
11. Giggling Squid
If you fancy something a bit different from your usual Christmas dinner, why not add a touch of Thai to the proceedings. Enjoy 3 courses for£29.95 at Giggling Squid in Jericho between 25th November and 29th December.
We’ve got our eye on: juicy beef skewers with papaya salad; Thai green curry mussels; crispy Christmas duck; festive sticky chicken; hearty off-the-bone beef; and pineapple & coconut mini fingers with Mekhong rum & pineapple sorbet.
Read the Giggling Squid festive season menu for yourself.
12. Christmas at Carluccio’s
Carluccio’s is offering a 2-course Christmas menu from £24.50, 3-courses from £29.00, you can also pre-order drinks bundles ready for arrival: three bottles of Prosecco Valentina for £50; three bottles of red, white or rosé for £40; four bottles of Peroni Nastro Azzuro, Peroni or Peroni Libera for £12. A choice of 6 starters, 7 mains and 5 puds will make feeding a crowd easy.
Top picks: fritto misto or truffled chicken liver pate, followed by lobster risotto or duck ragu, wrapped up with panettone festivo – Italian panettone layered with Vin Santo laced chestnut ricotta-cream and chocolate & hazelnut sauce, topped with pistachios, hazelnuts & walnuts.
View the Carluccio’s Christmas Menu.
13. Party at The Pointer
If you feel like escaping the city, take a trip pit to The Pointer in Brill for some fresh air and beautiful countryside, accompanied by damn good food – it has great accommodation options also, in case you don’t fancy being a designated driver for the occasion. They have a whole host of festive treats planned, including a festive set menu, a Christmas Day set menu, Boxing Day brunch AND festive cocktails from British-distilled spirits and vineyards.
We fancy: ham hock and cornish cider terrine; dressed Cornish crab; braised short rib of beef bourguignon; chocolate torte with almond and Ameretto; and brown bread & butter Christmas pudding.
Read all about Christmas at The Pointer.
14. The Baskerville Festivities
I visited The Baskerville just outside of Henly back in October, for a Christmas dinner preview, and it was excellent. Great food, nice setting warm hosts and accommodation to save a trip back straight away. The Baskerville Christmas menu includes 2 courses for £32pp or three for £38pp, available until 24th December, with the ability to cater for parties of up to 45 people.
Hot menu picks include: the brilliant nut roast I enjoyed, locally produced sparkling wine, delicious beetroot gravlax with salmon mouse, chunky fruit crumble, and the cranberry crème brûlée.
15. Christmas at The Perch, Binsey
Escape to a quiet corner of Oxford at The Perch in Binsey, after a long walk along the river to build up that appetite. The Perch Christmas menu offers 2 courses for £27pp or three for £32pp, with a gastro twist to a traditional Christmas.
Menu highlights include: potted Barbary duck leg with smoked bacon; Dorset chalk stream trout gravadlax; Cotswold wood pigeon breast; Holly Farm Worcestershire turkey ballotine; roast pumpkin wellington, date and wild rice wellington; warm gingerbread pudding; and raspberry, vanilla & Drambuie trifle (I LOVE a good boozy trifle!).
16. The White Hart, Wytham
The excellent White Hart in Wytham is always a good choice for a celebration meal, and I’m sure they won’t disappoint for Christmas either. Get 2 courses for £29.50pp or three for £35pp, but if you can’t make it for Christmas, this regular entry in the Bitten Top 10 is worth a trip at any time of year!
Menu picks: pine needle cured Loch Duart salmon; baked Camembert; traditional roast turkey (the White Hart roast dinners are sublime); local partridge; Christmas pudding crème brûlée; tiramisu parfait.
Review The White Hart Wytham Christmas menu for yourself.
17. The Ivy Oxford Brasserie
I have a full review of The Ivy Oxford Brasserie about to publish (sorry, this Christmas Guide had to come first), but I’ll tell you now it will be a popular celebration venue this Christmas, and so it should. The retro glamour dining room and well-designed menu will appeal to the many, and the price points won’t break the bank either. They also have a range of carefully crafted Christmas cocktails like Mulled Cider with cinnamon, sugar and a chocolate bitters twist; a roast chestnut julep that brings a bourbon-led Christmas kick to a cocktail classic; an indulgent winter bellini.
The restaurant’s beautiful private dining suite – The Botanical Room – is offering three-course festive feats until 31st dinner, at a cost of £58pp, with optional extras of cheese board and mini chocolate truffles at an additional cost.
Menu highlights: Laverstoke Park Farm buffalo mozzarella (I’ve tried it, it’s excellent); The Ivy Cure smoked salmon and crab; Traditional roast turkey with black truffle stuffing; warm chocolate cake with milk mousse and coffee sauce.
Read the Christmas Brochure for The Oxford Ivy Brasserie.
18. Thaikhun
The Christmas menu at Thaikhun is an absolutely cracking deal – with two courses for £16.95pp and three for just £19.95. Or, you can enjoy one of three set menus for £28 – £34pp. Quite frankly, sometimes we want a change from traditional turkey, even if pigs in blankets are flipping aaaaaaamazing, so this is a brilliant value for money alternative. There’s even a £40 voucher for the party organiser if the party booking is for 10 people or more (T&C apply, obviously)!
Eye spy with my little eye: crispy papaya; spicy chicken wings; spicy seafood udon noodles; steamed seabass; five spice roast duck; vegetable tempura; clementine tart.
View the full Thaikhun Christmas Menu.
19. Festive Afternoon Tea at Coworth Park
Katy has just recently enjoyed a trip to Ascot for an invitation to Festive Afternoon Tea at Coworth Park. The hotel restaurant has plenty to offer this Christmas, including a three-night break with festive dining events, games and foodie activities to get the whole family into the spirit of the season.
Find out all about Christmas at Coworth Park.
20. Michelin Star Feasting at Oxford Kitchen
If you want to go all out this Christmas, sprinkle it with some Michelin stardust. The Oxford Kitchen in Summertown is offering a Christmas Classic Party Menu at £59pp, a Christmas Gourmet Party Menu at £69pp, a New Year’s Eve Menu for £115pp (with vegetarian alternative menu for the same price).
Catching my eye: bubble & squeak soup; gin & tonic cured trout; tonka bean crème brûlée; espresso & mascarpone mousse; hay smoked beef fillet; Cotswold game on toast.
View all the Festive menu options at Oxford Kitchen.
21. Party Pizza Pilgrims Style
One of my favourite pizza places in Oxford (I definitely need to do a ‘best pizza in Oxford’ article soon!), Pizza Pilgrims at Westgate Oxford have their ‘party shad’ at the back of the restaurant that’s perfect for a group gathering, AND they have a special CHRUSTMAS menu this year, see below…
Book by emailing oxford@pizzapilgims.co.uk.
22. Victors
The very pretty Victor’s, also at Westgate Oxford, have a three-course Christmas Lunch menu available for £24.95pp available until 4pm, and a three-course Christmas Dinner menu at £35pp.
Looking hot on the menus: beef fillet carpaccio; vegan cauliflower cheese bake; spiced apple strudel; caramel banana cake.
23. The Thatch
The Thatch in Thame is all set for Christmas, with bronze free-range turkeys from Worcester, Cornish free-range lamb and responsibly-sourced Sea Bream on their Christmas menus. There’s a delicious vegan Spiced Sweet Potato & Kale Pie too, and make sure you save room for pudding!
The menu costs £29.75pp for three courses. They’ll have Santa hats on the table for every guest, and a donation from each guest will be donated to Shelter, to help those affected by homelessness. They’ve got lots of festive events planned to get you into the Christmas spirit too.
On fleek on the menu: venison & pheasant terrine; turkey with all the trimming (another place that knows how to cook a great roast!); slow-cooked leg of lamb; chocolate truffle cheesecake; Christmas pudding tart with brandy custard.
Check out The Thatch’s Christmas menu.
Happy feasting! x
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