Before I did this review, my main experience of The Cape of Good Hope was its excellent pub quiz.

So, I was familiar with the pub’s good vibes, friendly staff and strong chair aesthetic. As a result, I jumped at the kind invitation to try its new menu.

My friend and I arrived on a grey and drizzly morning and were warmly greeted by the bar staff, who were helpful and chatty for our whole visit.

For drinks, I defied the weather and went for a hibiscus and orange blossom spritz, while my friend went for a pink grapefruit radler, which was essentially a cocktail of light beer and flavoured soda. Both were delicious, refreshing and beautifully presented.

The new food menu includes a range of pub classics, including 8 different burgers. Yes, you read that right – EIGHT!

We had a great chat with the manager, who explained that the new menu was a chance for the Cape to properly commit to its food offering, hopefully in a way that would appeal to any punter – whether they are a student, local resident or sports fan (or, indeed, a literal punter from the nearby river). The pub’s aim is that its food becomes more than just an ‘added extra’ to those who have come in for a drink.

We started with some nduja and pecorino croquettes, as well as some avocado tostadas.

The croquettes were the star of the show here – smoky, slightly spicy and pleasingly stodgy on the inside, with a lovely crisp on the outside. I’d happily sit and munch through several platters of them.

The tostada were beautifully presented but, in comparison, less flavourful. I could have done with a richer chilli with a healthier dose of spice. However, they were easily pepped up a bit with a squeeze of lime. If you’re looking for a light (and veggie) bite, this is a good option.

We moved onto chicken schnitzel and poutine fries for our main courses. The fries were definitely loaded; I was presented with a mountain of pulled short rib and beef brisket, crispy onions and Chipotle mayo. Eating it required a Jenga-like strategy to make sure it didn’t all come toppling onto the table.

This was classic comfort food.

The beef was rich and plentiful, while the generous sprinkle of crispy onions helped give a nice texture. It was a heavy dish and by the end I needed a different flavour to cut through the saltiness of my brisket-soaked cheesy chips. A side of slaw gave me a light (and vegetable-based) break, and I particularly enjoyed the scattering of pomegranate seeds. Don’t they always make things look so chic?

Overall, it definitely wasn’t a ‘subtle’ dish, but I wasn’t expecting it to be. I’ve had better briskets, but for £8 it was great value and would definitely hit the spot if you were looking for a carb-hit after some sports – or, of course, a big night out.

The Cape of Good Hope isn’t going to give you the formal cuisine of a gastropub, but it’s offering you much more than a pint and pub snack. Mains range from £10.50 – £15 and burgers range from £15.50 – £17.50 (all served with fries). You can just as easily get a shrimp burger as you can get a classic fish and chips. 

This is a menu of casual, crowd-pleasing food and generous helpings.

If you do just fancy a drink, the atmosphere is very welcoming and there’s a good selection on tap. There are also some fun spirits behind the bar, and the team were kind enough to give me a waft of the peanut butter whisky. Let me tell you – if it hadn’t been midday on a Sunday, I’d have been very tempted, and this could have been a much less coherent review.

Top tip – if you’re a sports fan, keep The Cape of Good Hope on your radar. They’ve got screens both downstairs and upstairs and are happy to play a whole range of sports. We wandered past during the rugby World Cup and it looked like the place to be!

The Cape of Good Hope
Iffley Rd, The Plain, Oxford OX4 1EA