Fancy a night of tacos, cake and cocktails accompanied by a big DJ set? Then get down to Silvie’s on Iffley Road on June 10 to celebrate their six year anniversary. Count Skylark will be on the decks to get the party started
Jess McHugh took over the family guest house back in 2016 and decided to convert the ground floor into a cafe.
“I grew up here. It was our family home as well as a guest house so when my parents decided to retire I couldn’t bear to let it go,” she explains, “because Silvie’s isn’t just mine it’s everybody’s.”
An instant hit with the local who loved Jess’s cakes, pasties, brunches, lunches and sustainable, seasonal, local ethos, the business took off straight away.
But Jess soon realised that running the guest house and a cafe was too much, alongside bringing up her own family, so split the two and turned the rooms into short terms lets.
Then came Covid and closed everything down, with Silvie’s only reopening in June last year.
Using the time to to reconfigure the layout, knock out some walls, install the extended gleaming kitchen into the back, concentrate on the allotment and add a shop selling local produce. It still has a real vintage feel, but that’s its charm but the kitchen is much more professional now
“We have got a really good reputation now and are well known in the area, but perhaps now is the time to shout a bit louder about who we are and celebrate that because until now Silvie’s has been a bit of a lovely secret place. Because while we like Silvie’s being a bit different and embrace that, it’s time for some recognition for Silvie’s.
“It’s still a lot of fun and uses up a lot of energy but I still get to be creativeSome days I feel pioneering and empowered and others less so, but I still love it.
“So come and join the party and celebrate with us.”
Silvie’s Neighbourhood Party runs on Friday June 10. . No need to book. Kitchen 7pm-9pm, bar until 11pm.
Silvie’s is at 281 Iffley Road. For more information go to: https://www.silvie.co.uk
