Nestled near the village of Swerford, Oxfordshire, near Chipping Norton, The Boxing Hare pub offers convivial country dining.

From the moment you step through the doors you’re met with a warmth and ambience that merges rustic charm with modern comfort.

Tables and chairs are kept simple and wooden, but quirky touches give it a slightly bohemian brasserie look – garlands of dried hops hang from the ceiling beams interspersed with twinkly lights. There’s flamingo lampshades, classy artwork & photography on the walls, plenty of kitsch ephemera and a giant white hare that greets you outside the front door.

Owner Antony Griffith Harris has been here since 2017 drawing on a lifetime’s experience gained during an award-winning, thirty-year London restaurant career. Anthony opened his first venue The Canal Brasserie in 1987 in Little Venice, West London, followed by a 20-year stint at his renowned and eclectic First Floor Restaurant in fashionable Notting Hill.

Antony has worked with The Boxing Hare’s Head Chef Nicholas Anderson before and initially almost thirty years previously. Antony gave Nick his first Head Chefship as a young and upcoming developing Sous Chef. In time, Nick went on to own and run two successful restaurants in North Norfolk, amassing 3 AA Rosettes and two Michelin Stars. 

Sous Chef Kate Anderson (and Nick’s partner) has true expertise in patisserie making and brings an impressive track record from the Oxford dining scene, making delicious homemade bread and puddings daily. Kate started at The Old Parsonage and moved through the ranks to eventually find herself at the Michelin-starred The Nut Tree, Murcott, out in the middle of Otmoor.

Nick’s cooking philosophy is local and seasonal. Nearby suppliers include Paddock Farm located just 6 miles away in Lower Brailes where he sources rare breed Tamworth Pork, Beef and Cotswolds Lamb. New Wave Seafood provides the day boat, caught fish from Cornwall but is based out of its local operation in Fairford. Peter Durham provides the vegetables, an Oxford-based local family greengrocer who has been in business for more than 100 years. 

Peter provides all the fruit, veg and herbs at many of the High Tables of the Oxford Colleges. By chance, I was lucky enough to bump into him and chat one Saturday morning whilst having cake and coffee at The White House on Abingdon Rd. In his brown overcoat and neatly polished brogues, he has quite some reputation and is an absolute master at what he does. His family has traded in and around the Oxford area since 1882, focusing on quality, taste, service and value for money. You won’t get any of the insipid lifeless tomatoes that you see in today’s big supermarkets from Peter. 

The Boxing Hare team certainly delivered the goods on our visit, with Anthony very much in attendance and his young, engaging staff totally on their game. 

Drinkwise you’re spoilt for choice. There’s a range of expertly crafted ales, meticulously curated wines, and a novel array of spirits. Local Hooky is the mainstay ale and Mahou lager – with its iconic chrome font imported from Spain – stands proudly on the bar. The wine list sourced from Liberty Wines is one of the most interesting I’ve seen anywhere in the Cotswolds. Anthony’s house Pinot Grigio is to behold! 

If you’re a lover of aged steak, the Boxing Hare is your “go-to” destination.

There’s a meat ageing fridge in the dining room on display and two in the kitchen. Beef ageing in salt-curing fridges drastically improves the meat’s texture and flavour. 

Applying salt to the meat’s surface draws out moisture, reducing the water content and inhibiting microbial growth. It helps enhance taste and concentrate flavours. During the allotted 70-day ageing time, natural enzymes will slowly break down connective tissues and fats, altering the protein structure and making the meat so much more tender.

Padron peppers as a sharing plate kicked off this country feast. Salty, small and vibrant green, with a tantalizing mix of sweetness and smokiness, they were sautéed to perfection, each bite unveiling a dance of flavours. 

Now to the “proper starters” – the twice-baked cave-aged Cheddar Soufflé, spinach and Parmesan was a bold flavour and texture combination. The richness of cave-aged cheddar unfolded in velvety layers, while the light soufflé mingled with the verdant spinach and the robust notes of Parmesan. Equatorial white prawn fritters accompanied by saffron aioli and pickled cucumber was a dish that sounded a lot better than the reality. It had too much of a deep-fried taste and was just a bit heavy. 

My dining partner opted to try the 70-day aged 8oz Fillet Steak. The meat, served medium rare, offered a succulent and buttery texture that effortlessly melted in the mouth. The complex, nuanced undertones, from earthy and nutty to a subtle sweetness, unfolded with each indulgent bite. Definitely to be savoured slowly and accompanied by a peppercorn sauce, monster triple-cooked chips and the crisp house green salad. 

Fish was Cornish day boat cod with Cornish new potatoes, sprouting broccoli and vierge. “Vierge” is a French term meaning “virgin” and typically includes ingredients like diced tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, and sometimes capers or olives. This fresh sauce is designed to enhance the flavours of the fish dish it accompanies. The cod dish was light and delicious and a worthy alternative if you’re not mad about red meat.

Desserts were top drawer.

The sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream was laced with richness. With the moist, date-infused sponge, generously draped in a heavenly velvety sauce, this really was as fine an example of the pub classic as you’ll find. 

I’m a sucker for chocolate in any shape or form when it comes to dessert. Predictably I plumped for the warm chocolate fondant with a perfect salted caramel sauce, a delicate chocolate & almond crumb and vanilla ice cream. The molten, velvety chocolate core was elevated by an utterly flawless salted caramel sauce, offering a blissful blend of sweetness and savoury. 

Service is at the very centre of everything at the Boxing Hare.

Local Soho Farmhouse guests will get picked up in Anthony’s classic Bentley, which sits out at the front of the pub. If you’re coming via train to Kingham or Ascott-under- Wychwood then give Anthony a bell and he’ll happily play chauffeur. 

If you fancy exploring the area, the Boxing Hare is not too far from Diddly Squat Farm Shop, The Hook Norton Brewery and Daylesford Organic Farm in Kingham. This is proper rolling Cotswolds country with fine walks to be had around Chadlington, Enstone and the Tews. The pub is dog-friendly. The pub is easy to find, sat on the main A361 Chipping Norton to Banbury road. There’s plenty of parking and a huge pub garden. 

Anthony and his staff will welcome you with charm and generosity and there’s plenty of choice if you’re not a devoted meat eater. Weekends get busy as the second-homers and weekenders descend on this corner of the Cotswolds. You might even bump into local resident David Beckham who enjoys the Boxing Hare. Plenty of foodies have dropped in too including the likes of Prue Leith, Antony Worrall Thompson and John Torode. Maybe go midweek and you stand a good chance of being treated like an A-lister and getting picked up in Anthony’s vintage Bentley! 

The Boxing Hare
Banbury Rd, Swerford, Chipping Norton, OX7 4AP

Bitten were invited as guests, all views are our own