It’s officially that time of year when we come out with the Bitten Christmas Guide 😊
We have some brilliant venues to showcase this year, whether you’re looking for where to have a real festive feast or just needing some gift ideas. This year we’ve also added some ‘Bitten Crew’ favourites – spots the team are eyeing up to visit or buy from over the festive season.
The Folly
This Christmas, immerse yourself in a magical dining experience at our restaurant on the River Thames. With exclusive private spaces and breathtaking views, The Folly offer unforgettable ways to celebrate this season.
For an intimate gathering, their two smaller private dining domes are ideal for up to 6 guests. These heated, enclosed domes provide a cosy yet scenic outdoor experience, perfect for couples, families, or small groups wanting to enjoy the festive spirit in a unique setting. Available from October through March, the domes combine winter charm with comfort, allowing you to dine al fresco while staying warm and sheltered.
The large White Dome offers an impressive space for larger celebrations, comfortably accommodating up to 35 guests. This heated riverside dome captures the enchantment of winter while ensuring a snug, welcoming atmosphere. With views of the river and surrounding winter landscape, it’s the ideal venue for private Christmas parties or corporate gatherings.
For an even more exclusive experience, The Gallery, their private dining room perched above the Thames and Folly Bridge in Oxford, is perfect for up to 16 guests. Whether you’re planning a festive lunch, an elegant afternoon tea, or an evening reception, The Gallery offers a refined setting for your celebration. Overlooking historic views, this space combines sophistication with seasonal warmth, making it a memorable choice for intimate holiday gatherings or corporate events.
Join The Folly this Christmas and make your holiday season truly special with a unique riverside dining experience that will leave you and your guests with lasting memories.
Book your party here.
The White Hart, Fyfield
Dedicated to making Christmas festivities extra special, this multi award winning pub restaurant nestled in the Oxfordshire village of Fyfield, welcomes guests with its seasonally relevant and delicious, bespoke cocktails made using locally foraged and home-grown produce, warming spiced mulled wine and local ales in its cosy bar with crackling log fire.
Head to the pub’s stunning 15th century triple height vaulted ceiling dining room with minstrel’s gallery, to feast on its indulgent Festive Menus blending nostalgic favourites with imaginative gastronomic delights. Available at lunch or dinner, excluding Sundays, from 26th November to 24th December, the Festive Menus showcase the best fresh produce of the season, much of it locally sourced or harvested from the pub’s own kitchen garden.
Dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan menus are available and pre-booking is essential.
Whether an intimate table for two under the beams of the main hall, or a family gathering or office party for 30 in the pub’s private dining room, the White Hart has the perfect space for your celebrations.
Whatever the occasion, dining within the walls of this ancient hostelry with its crackling fires, twinkling candlelight and enchanting decorations, the dining experience will be one of the highlights of the Christmas season! Plus, for an extra special touch, there is the gift of a £10 White Hart gift voucher for every Festive Menu diner.
Alternatively, gift a loved one or foodie friend the joy of White Hart dining with a personalised gift voucher or gift experience – available online or in-house.
Little Ox Brewery
Discover Little Ox Brewery This Christmas – The Perfect Gift for Beer Lovers!
Nestled in the heart of Oxfordshire, just a short drive from Witney, Little Ox Brewery is the ultimate destination for craft beer fans. Founded in 2016, this passionate microbrewery has a dedicated team who take pride in experimenting with unique flavours and twists that keep each sip fresh, exciting, and memorable. From the zesty, award-winning “Yabba Dabba Doo” IPA to the rich and velvety “Dark & Seedy” stout, there’s something here for every palate.
For this festive season, Little Ox Brewery presents a range of gifts designed to bring friends and family together over exceptional craft beers. Choose from their carefully curated gift boxes, mixed cases, merchandise and gift cards – perfect as gifts or for your own holiday celebrations.
What sets Little Ox Brewery apart is their commitment to quality and inclusivity. Every beer in their range is both gluten-free and vegan, making them accessible to a wide audience without compromising on flavour or craftsmanship. Whether you’re a craft beer enthusiast or shopping for one, Little Ox offers a unique selection that will make any gathering extra special.
This Christmas, surprise loved ones with a gift from Little Ox Brewery. Order now to make your holiday season a little brighter, one pint at a time!
You can order online for brewery collection or get free local delivery on orders over £30 or go and see the team at the brewery shop in Freeland on Monday – Friday 9-5.30pm and on Saturday 12-2pm.
Mowgli
Celebrate the festive season with the Mowgli Oxford Christmas Feasting Menu.
For £35 per person, Mowgli serve bubbles or beer upon arrival, and your table of flavours includes the iconic Mowgli Chat Bombs. Street Chat & Meats includes their heady Fenugreek Kissed Fries, punchy Gunpowder Chicken, and crowd-pleaser Himalayan Cheese on Toast with the wintry spiced ooze of strong cheddar.
For the main event, there’s a selection of towering tiffins of meat and veg curries with rice to share. These recipes are family heirlooms, freshly cooked each morning. To give you that real Indian home kitchen thrill, the dishes are chosen and curated by the chef – tiffin roulette is total pot-luck, as it is in India.
Bookending the feast is indulgence or pallet cleansing – choose from the Mowgli Chocolate Brownies, served warm with ice cream, or refreshing Mango Sorbet ice cream cones. The team will gladly adapt the menu for our vegan and gluten-free guests.
The Christmas Feasting Menu runs 4th November 2024 – 5th January 2025 for tables of 6+. You can find Mowgli at Unit 309, Westgate, Oxford, OX1 1PG.
Please book directly with their friendly bookings team at bookings@mowglistreetfood.com or call 01865 240 662 and let us take care of the rest.
Mowgli Oxford is fully accessible.
Tap Social
Give the gift of Tap Social Movement this festive season — with the added bonus of social responsibility. Every purchase supports Tap’s mission of providing training and employment for people in prison and prison leavers.
Named ‘Business of the Year’ at the 2024 Oxfordshire Business Awards and short-listed for ‘Consumer-Facing Social Enterprise of the Year’ at the nation-wide Social Enterprise UK Awards, Tap Social is an independent social enterprise, brewery, and bakery that to date has created more than 90,000 hours of paid employment for leavers.
Gift Vouchers: Available in £10 to £100 denominations, Tap’s venue vouchers can be redeemed for food, drinks, and merch at any of its four vibrant Oxfordshire community venues. They’re valid for a year from the purchase date, and feature colourful artwork by Oxford artist Lisa Made It.
Beer Gift Packs: The perfect gift for beer lovers! Choose from three different options, including an Award Winners pack that includes one can of each of Tap’s three medal-winning beers. All options are presented in a Tap Social gift box.
Tap Social Core Packs: From hoppy and hazy ales to crisp and clean lagers, this pack includes all six of Tap Social’s year-round core beers. There’s something for everyone!
Dishoom – Permit Room
The Permit Room is a new addition to the food scene in Oxford, bringing tasty Bombay bites to you for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fluffy, soft naan roles give a fantastic start to the day with a varierty of fillings, then the all day menu brings you a brilliant selection of salads, Ruby Murrays and tasty side dishes. Their Christmas feast menu at £37 pp is a deal not to be missed – it’s where the Bitten crew are having their Christmas do!
Tiny Teahouse
Tinyteahouse offers guided tea tastings, tea ceremonies and tea workshops at their Oxford tea studio. The classic experience has you trying a white tea, a green tea, an oolong tea, and a black tea. You are talked through each tea, the types of tea leaves, the difference the preparation can make to the flavour, and how to correctly pour and re-pour the teas. This experience would be a really good gift idea for a tea lover, or someone who just loves trying something a bit different.
ProSmoke
If you have an aspiring BBQ chef to buy for or you are looking for a new temperature probe for ensuring that Christmas turkey is perfectly cooked, ProSmoke up in Banbury have you covered! They have an extensive range of BBQs, rubs, sauces and equipment available. They offer country wide shipping and have extended opening times on the run up to Christmas. Check out their website for more details!
Happy Cakes
Do you need an excuse for getting in some amazing cakes? No is the answer, but no matter the occasion Julia has the cake for you! We’ve been huge fans of Happy Cakes even before our Bitten Street markets, and fondly remeber the amazing cupcakes on offer. If you want a cake to celebrate an occasion, want to gift some cupcakes or browies over the festive season, get in touch with Julia who will be able to help wth your requirments. Check out some of the amazing examples on the website.
What are the Bitten crew up to this year?
Check out our own personal recommendations for places to go and foodie bits to buy…
James – party meals and a trip to the local…
James has a team Christmas meal booked in at Pierre Victoire this year.
You can’t go wrong with their 3 course set menu at £39.95 which includes familiar favourites of gravlax, Camembert, pork and duck and many more. Definitely one to check out! Another favourite Christmas outing is up to The Masons Arms in Quarry on Boxing Day to see the Headington Quarry Morris Dancers, as well as having a couple of pints, of course.
Nicola – checking out the festive menus…
Nicola is lucky enough to be having a break overseas this Christmas, but that still hasn’t stopped one of her favourite things about this time of the year, which is exploring the various festive menus that restaurants have available.
This year, the menu that has caught her attention is The Cherwell Boathouse.
As soon as she saw ‘Salt Beef Brisket’ and ‘Chocolate Orange Mielle Feuille’ on the menu, she was sold. The Cherwell Boathouse is also a quaint venue with a very wholesome feel from the great service, perfect for a Christmas treat.
Liz – stocking up on local treats…
Liz is looking forward to picking up some delicious Christmas treats at the Branca Deli in Jericho.
In the festive season, this foodie heaven is brimming with so many good things, though their choice of panettone is particularly outstanding. Her other favourite destination is the Jericho Cheese Company for some Stichelton blue and Montgomery’s cheddar, as well as a large loaf of Sourdough Revolution bread.
Holly & Rachel – Christmas treats and stocking fillers…
For Holly & Rachel, the festive season kicks off with The Plough’s Christmas Eve in Witney.
This year it’s on November 28th (5–8 pm), featuring craft stalls, mulled wine, an outdoor bar and kitchen, and carols with the fantastic Township Waits. Closer to Christmas, they head to Burford to stock up on artisan cheeses from The Cotswold Cheese Company and indulge in a luxurious hot chocolate at Hunters—easily the best they’ve ever had. While you’re there, pick up last-minute foodie stocking gifts at Nutmeg and Thyme.
Chiara – switching up traditions
For Chiara, it’s all about the treats to take back home to her family. She’s eyeing up a cheesecake from CloudCake.
Yu Li’s cheesecakes are real crowd-pleasers, and a good alternative to Christmas pudding if your Christmas Day gang don’t like the traditional desserts. Chiara will also be grabbing a few cheeses from Jericho Cheese Company (Ticklemore is her current fave), and as many cardomom buns from Hamblin Bakery as she can fit in her suitcase so all the family can become as obsessed as she is.
We hope our recommendations and trips give you some inspiration for places to visit over the festive season and provide some gift ideas! Let us know your recommendations and ideas in the comments of what you will be doing.
Enjoy the festive season, and don’t eat all the mince pies, or do we are not here to judge!
Team Bitten 👊🎄
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