Left it a bit late? Can’t decide where to book? Don’t know what’s on offer? Here’s our quick guide to taking your mum somewhere special whether it be breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea, roast or dinner, getting a takeaway with a difference, combining it with a trip to a gallery, or booking a foodie experience from gin concoctions to pizza making.
BREAKFAST
1) Mangetout – start as you mean to go on by having a full range of French pastries and breads delivered piping hot to your doorstep care of local French baker Jean Pierre. Or opt for the afternoon tea options. Based in Woodstock Jean Pierre bakes all night and delivers around Oxfordshire from the early hours. https://www.mangetoutchef.co.uk
BRUNCH–
2) Handlebar Cafe, Oxford – fab place to sneak in for a really relaxed, fun brunch. Sit in the fun whitewashed space, bicycles aloft, for some seriously funky food from stacked pancakes to homemade granola, full English, veggie and vegan breakfasts from 9am-3pm. https://www.handlebaroxford.co.uk
3) Go waterside at Wandering Kitchen, Berinsfield, try the walk around the lake (2.5km) and the animal hunt (purchase a pass for the walk before heading off around the lake) to work up an appetite for breakfast, lunch or cake and a coffee. https://thewanderingkitchen.co.uk
4) Cocos, Cowley Road – Sit outside on Dawson Street and eat Eggs Benedict, the eggy bread, all day breakfasts or the famous Omelette Benedict with fresh juices or a fine Bloody Mary, in the sunshine. http://www.cafecoco.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/coco-food_1.pdf
5) Green Routes Cafe, Magdalen Road – a surprise and delight. The hash browns are a must, the pancake stacks renowned and the Sloppy Joes infamous. Light-hearted, plant based, fun and contemporary, plus the coffee is to die for! https://www.greenroutes.co.uk
DAY OUT
6) Ashmolean, Oxford: Book in to see Pissarro: Father Of Impressionism at The Ashmolean followed by a rooftop lunch or afternoon tea https://www.ashmolean.org/cafe-and-restauran
7) Cherwell Boathouse, North Oxford – punting and lunch. Not only can you enjoy one of the most picturesque scenes in Oxfordshire on the River Cherwell, but you can dine in splendour and then go putting for the afternoon. https://cherwellboathouse.co.uk/restaurant/
8) Modern Art Oxford – Go see new free exhibition Jesse Darling: No Medals No Ribbons and enjoy the cafe before or after – open on Sundays from 12-5pm. https://www.modernartoxford.org.uk/
9) Jam Factory – is offering a special Mother’s Day set menu plus their lovely Sunday roasts, while you enjoy their popular Art Market where various stall holders sell their paintings, drawings, ceramics and plants on site. There will be a portrait artist ready to draw Mum or your family for free! Serving Breakfast 10am to 11.30am and lunch from noon. https://www.thejamfactoryoxford.com/mother-s-day
LUNCH –
10) go scenic at The Perch, Binsey. Walk there along the river or enjoy one of Oxford’s historic pubs and its fantastic food in the lofty conservatory or outside in the picturesque pub garden. https://the-perch.co.uk
11) Mamma Mia, Summertown and Jericho – family friendly so everyone can enjoy it, enjoy pizza and pasta for tall the family in a fun, no fuss Italian eatery. https://www.mammamiapizzeria.co.uk
12) Magdalen Arms, East Oxford – proper communal dining. Sunday 12-3.30pm and 6-8pm. Think Hereford rib of beef, chips, salad and bearnaise for two to three £80.00 or the Slow cooked lamb, gratin dauphinoise and pickled red cabbage neck for three £60.00, shoulder for four to five £86.00. http://www.magdalenarms.co.uk/page/lunch-menu/
13) The Horseshoes, Witney – Does a cracking roast in wonderfully traditional surroundings. https://www.thehorseshoeswitney.co.uk
HIGH TEA
14) The Randolph – recently taken over and newly refurbed tea here is a fantastic affair – http://551.326.mywebsitetransfer.com/review-tea-for-three-can-afternoon-tea-at-oxfords-randolph-be-any-more-quintessential-we-think-not/ Go all out and have the champagne offering. We heartily recommend it. Read our review here: https://www.graduatehotels.com/oxford-uk/restaurant/afternoon-tea/
15) The Old Parsonage – Such an institution it has three teas on offer – champagne celebration, savoury or very high tea on Sundays in the most opulent of surroundings from 3pm until 6pm. Luxury indeed. https://www.parsonagegrill.co.uk/food-and-drink/afternoon-tea/
16) Feathers, Woodstock Combine high tea in this revered Woodstock hotel with a potter around Blenheim palace. https://www.feathers.co.uk/kitchen/afternoon-tea/
17) Vaults and Garden Cafe, Oxford – Set right next to St Mary’s Church on the High Street, take in Oxford’s greatest landmarks while eating your own DIY cream tea – pick your own cakes and sandwiches and sit indoors or out. https://www.thevaultsandgarden.com/cream-tea
ALL DAY
18) Quod, Oxford – stylish to its back teeth, choose from breakfast, lunch or tea. Open every day 7am – 11pm, including Sundays, with breakfast served from 7am – 11am. https://www.quod.co.uk
19) The Chester, East Oxford – You can’t book the popular legendary roasts here but the good news is the kitchen is open at lunchtime, and then again from 6pm-8.30pm on Sunday nights. https://www.facebook.com/TheChesterOxford
20) Dosa Park – something a bit different. The dosas and thalis here are unbeatable and its open all day. 12noon-10pm. https://www.dosapark.com
21) Brasserie Blanc, Jericho – Dine in style on Sundays from 9am to 5pm. Breakfast 9am-11am, then lunch until 5pm. Lunch two courses for £22.50 three for £27.50. https://brasserieblanc.com/restaurants/oxford/
Delivery –
22) Fallow and Fields do a Mothers Day Box for for 4,6 or 8 people. A lovely three course meal with minimal fuss includes a grazing starter then a pork, chicken or vegetarian main and an indulgent chocolate dessert to finish. Boxes are available to be collected March 25-27 or get them to cook in your home instead. https://www.fallowandfields.com
EXPERIENCES:
23) Scenic Supper – Book in for this fabulous glasshouse dining experience on Todenham Manor Farm from April 1. https://thescenicsupper.co.uk/todenham/
24) Mariella Bliss/Forge House Bakery Book in for this brilliant Pizza and Focaccia class at the Forge House Bakery in Lower Heyford where Mariella Bliss is teaming up with refined sourdough baker Sue Brown. Learn to mix, knead and shape your dough as well as cooking pizza on our outside wood burning pizza oven. Next classes on May 15 and June 17. Book here
25) Gin experience – our friends at Ox Gins have devised two gin tours where you can taste or make your own gin at this award winning local distillery run by Chalgrove Artisan Distillery. https://oxhospitality.co.uk/ox-gin-experience/
