The Vegan Guide to Oxford

Kake, 18 May 2005

The kitchen at the Gardener's Arms will be closed for the next few weeks due to the chef's having broken his hand. I'll update here when he's back in action. The pub itself will stay open; there just won't be any food.

Kerry, 15 May 2003

I've been here a couple of times recently and have plans to go back soon to work my way through more of the menu. The service is fine but the food seems a little overpriced. I've tried the Garlic mushrooms (£3.85) which were lovely but I was a bit disappointed by the tiny portion. The vegan Veggie burger served with chips (£4.75) didn't really taste of anything, not veg, nuts or beans which seem to be the normal main components. The garlic bread (£1.95) is great and a very filling snack.

Stephen Gower, 5 Nov 2002

The feel of the Gardener's Arms has not changed from the past — still a pub of many sofas, but the menu has had a radical overhaul. Every dish on the menu is suitable for vegetarians, and most of the dishes are marked as suitable for a vegan diet. Also the chef is happy, for example, to serve the English Breakfast without egg if asked. About half the dishes use meat-substitutes, but even if you don't like this there's still more lovely vegetable dishes than in a typical omnivorous establishment. When your correspondent visited, the pub was suffering from a powercut, so the choice was more limited than normal. We had the Chilli ‘Non-carne’ and the Spaghetti Bolognese — both were delicious although this chilli eater would have put more heat into the former. Other patrons seemed delighted with the Sunday Roast.

A really good choice for those with a vegetarian diet, and equally highly recommended for those who normally would eat meat.

Press release, 9 Aug 2002

“The Gardeners Arms is scheduled to start serving a strictly vegetarian and vegan menu from early October. Provisionally food will be served from 12 to 8 Wednesday to Sunday. Main meals will all be priced around £5, with the emphasis on tasty, hearty food. The menu is set to include, amongst other dishes, veggie sausage and mash, deep filled mixed mushroom pie and a full English breakfast as well as Thai curry, chilli non-carne, roasted vegetable lasagne and a daily specials board.

“The menu is predominantly vegan and cooked by a chef who knows that this means more than just lentils and chick peas, which we hope will make a refreshing change from the vegetarian fare on offer in most establishments. All the meals will be home cooked and no ‘ready meals’ will be served. The menu has been carefully compiled by the chef and food is independent from the brewery so we can serve the food we want to.”