The Gardener's Arms

This place was great. The staff were super friendly and relaxed. They serve great comfort food. My husband had the mixed mushroom pie and i had veggie hotdog (which came with sooooo many chips). Come early as this place is super popular!

Brilliant pub serving vegan and vegetarian versions of "proper" pub food. Have been here many times, sometimes with omni friends and family, and never been disappointed.

Great atmosphere, half-pub half-restaurant. An unusual opportunity to have vegetarian and vegan food in a pub, or pub-food. We had calzone, vegan burgers and chilli.

All fresh and tasty. It gets a bit crowded on the weekends so better com early or get ready to queue.

Sometimes even as a vegan I want to have a meat free chicken sandwich or a really good burger, when that is the case I go to the Gardiners Arms. I also come here when I want to eat out with none vegetarians / vegans, as they are always satisfied with the food, without me having to be around meat consumption.

This is a great place with relaxing atmosphere, good beer, tasty pub-style vegan and vegetarian food. It's not my favourite kind of food (I prefer healthy vegan food) but I really enjoyed to visit this place. I spent there nice few hours with my friend drinking beer, chatting and eating mushroom pie. For beer and fast food lovers perfect :)

A lovely quiet pub atmosphere. Great staff and astounding normal pub food (pies, burgers, hot dogs etc) in addition to some different things (Chilli/Indian). We stopped off here for dinner on our way to Hereford and loved it so much we changed our return plans to come back.

Mostly tables of various sizes and a sofa with a good amount of outdoor seating (including some under cover)

We were passing Oxford on Saturday evening and despite we were not hungry, we decided that we must visit, at least for a drink :)
We were NOT disappointed. This is such a charming, lovely place :) we had a nibble of olives and humus The olives tasted heavenly! and my other half loved the ales!
We will definitely visit again when we are in Oxford :)

been here a couple of times and really liked it. They have really good vegan options - my favourite are the burgers (they have some specials). If you like spicy food try the scotch bonnet chilli sauce on your burger - really spicy! Good vibe and good lagers also. worth a visit when in Oxford. They also have an Indian thali which I've never tried

Just stopped in for the "chicken" burger special, absolutely amazing!!! The vegan cheese was to die for and the vegan mayo was spectacular!

We always look for vegetarian places to eat if possible. In Oxford there are lots of omnivorous cafes with veggie choices but very few real veggie places. So, it was worth coming a little out of the centre to find The Garden.

Outstanding pub-style food - we had the Mushroom Medley Pie and a Veggie Burger. All was plentiful. The side veg with the pie was perfect - not overcooked. Good cider, and no funny looks when one of us just wanted water.The meal would have been perfect if the veggie burger had come with proper chips not thin fries - but that's just our opinion. Midweek lunchtime there was plenty of room to sit - possibly more crowded at peak times.

If you are driving you can park in Leckford Road for 2 hours for free - a bonus in Oxford - or it's about a 20-30 minute walk from the centre.

We will definitely come back next time we are in Oxford - and will recommend to friends.

5.0 star rating
4/15/2016

The bad news: we arrived after the kitchen stopped preparing the full lunch menu, and were forced to order burgers or chili dogs.
So, we got two of each...
The good news: they were great! Two in our group said they were the best chili dogs they've ever had!
The charming part: LP covers are displayed throughout, giving the place a very familiar feel. Many of those albums were staples for me in my younger days. :-)

Loved the pub and the grub. Vegan pie and other tasty veggie pub food in a really nice pub.

We had a nice Sunday vegan meal at this pub, which was delicious and filling. We enjoyed the vegan burgers and the giant portions of chips. Also, the vegan sticky toffee pudding was fabulous. I recommend it to all vegans, and I am planning to try the other vegan dishes next time when I am in Oxford.

GA is the only fully vegetarian pub/restaurant in Oxford, and it caters well to vegans with around half of the (small, unchanging) menu being vegan. I've been here a few times now and while it's nice, it's never quite good enough to justify the price (as another review mentioned, you're looking at £8 for a burger with a bit of tomato/lettuce and a basket of chips). I wouldn't mind paying extra for the benefit of eating at a fully veggie place if they didn't fall short in so many other areas eg they stop serving at 7:30pm (and this is a completely food-centric pub, remember), the food doesn't taste that great and never changes, etc. Lots of people love this pub but personally, I was disappointed.

[Edit]
I've since realised that it's only on Sundays that they stop serving at 7:30pm, most days they stop at 9, which is much more reasonable. Also, I've since been back with other people and they both commented on how cheap and delicious the food was! I guess it's a matter of perspective haha :-)

We were the first customers that Monday and we came there very hungry hoping to have a nice vegan meal. It was a pub with a really nice environment which we really liked and the food was delicious too! They have meals of the day and the curry platter includes the curry of that day. I had it with the mango chutney sauce and my friends wrap was with two vegan burgers and the same sauce but you ban pick others too. There are plenty of options and the portions are huge! The staff is helpful and also you can get tap water for free.
Updated from previous review on Monday November 17, 2014

Loved that this was a vegetarian pub! Very clear on what was vegan and what wasn't. We had chilli hot dogs and they were tasty and plenty of food for £7.50. I would definitely visit this place again if in the area and recommend to others! The choice wasn't vast but if you want a friendly atmosphere, tasty food (especially if you crave vegan junk food), and a vegetarian pub definitely visit this place!

Had a very average vegan burger - burgers straight out of the freezer and shoved in a bun with poor chips. That's it for 8 quid! Good beer though.

Had a vegan burger + vegan wrap + vegan deserts of the day. Amazingly tasty and really good value. Would go back any time. Limited choice but deserts they seem to change more often. Pleasant stay.

What a shame it was afternoon when we got there and thus the time of day when they don't prepare food (Saturdays). We had some beer instead and just enjoyed the atmosphere and general crowd starting to pour in. We shall come back and try out the food one day.

An excellent local with a wonderful range of food - ideal for the vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike. A great location ideal for a meal with a group, as a couple, alone, or with families (also very welcoming of children). A wonderful range of food - the medley mushroom pie, excellent burgers, and calzones are our favourites, and our son loves the chips. Staff are delightful and it's our favourite pub in the area.

I've been a medical student in Oxford now for 6 years and have consistently brought any guests (friends, family, partner etc.) to eat at the Gardener's Arms during that time.

I started with the quiz nights (as part of a St. Hugh's team) and really enjoyed the atmosphere and the novelty - but was also struck by the high quality of the burgers and the calzone in particular.

As a vegetarian, I can honestly say that there are surprisingly few quality options in Oxford [GBK, Gardener's Arms... maybe Solomon's kebab van (v underrated!)]. The menu is constantly updating / rotating, the atmosphere is genuinely delightful and warm (I've also been involved in singing with the cooks!) and it's just a lovely place.

If you haven't been, do check it out!

Been eating here for years. Andy is an amazing chef and I hope to be eating here for many more years to come. The food is superb and its good value for money.

And if you can make it to quiz night or one of the superb Steam Punk evenings then make sure you do, either are not to be missed!

We are lucky enough to have the GA as our local - as veggies it's so nice to have so much choice when we eat there, and the burgers, curry, salad, and calzone have all received the seal of approval. The burger is our go-to option, always hits the spot! Omnivorous friends have also been pleased/relieved with what they ate, including a formerly extremely sceptical steak fan. Another lovely feature is the regularly rotated selection of real ales and interesting other brews. Oh, and check out the Sunday night quiz, it's a scorcher!

just wanted to pop in and say that these are quit possibly the best burgers i have ever taster..was meaty for about 3 years in my teens and was veg before and since and i reckon they are hands down the best i have had.

have been there many times and have never had anything except a double burger so canr comment on rest of menu but i have always come out bursting at the seams with both compliments and burger...

ill be back for another one soon

The Gardeners Arms is as good as it gets for vegetarians and vegans alike - actually I defy even meat-eaters to deny their burgers are the best in town. They're so good I actually find it hard to choose anything else - whenever I have it's been similarly excellent. My vegan friends rave about the mushroom pie.

The staff are very friendly, without being service robots and the atmosphere is very welcoming. A largish garden out back is perfect for Summer evenings. The booze is of a high standard - well-kept ale for those who prefer it, tasty lager for uh, well, me. A good selection of wines too.

Oh, and don't forget the quiz - it's clear an awful lot of effort goes into it. Every Sunday night. All in all, my favourite pub in Oxford!

Best burgers in Oxford and probably the world.
Don't ever change.
(also great pub quiz)

When I placed my order I was warned that it could take 45 minutes as they just had a large group come in. I did not mind waiting, but I really did appreciate the warning which proved to be pretty accurate. I had the mushroom pie, and a pear/ginger crumble for dessert. Nothing fancy, but decent food is a nice pub.

I went to the Gardener's Arms a couple of times in the last few months. The pub is really nice, there is a good atmosphere.

The food is nothing special, but it is good to be able to eat in a pub choosing from a lot of veg options! Prices are not high, but not too low either.

We went there for Sunday lunch over Easter and loved the place. It has a ramshackle 'found furniture' vibe and the decor involves a bunch of old 45 vinyl records displayed around the pub on the surrounding picture rail. Staff friendly and a little bit quirky themselves.

It wasn't that busy at all but I know other reviews have said it can get rammed so it may just be that it was Easter Sunday that found us there.

A bit of a curry theme to a number of dishes. As we only wanted a light lunch we went for the veggie hotdogs (plus cheese and chilli extras) which were tasty and crispy fries. But the menu as a whole was good. Think a collection of all the solid veggie pub food options you might come across but all in one place.

Drinks reasonably priced too and a decent set of real ale options. Close to some nice parts of countryside just outside the main town centre but still only a 15 / 20 minute walk back to the centre.

Recommended.
Updated from previous review on Monday April 22, 2013

Been eating here for years and Andy the chef never lets us down

The mushroom pie is superb and on Sunday there were some really good vegan pudding options too.

Life is much nicer knowing that the kitchen is entirely veggie. Hopefully there will be a vegan frangipane on sale any time now. We tried a delicious prototype.

I've eaten here a few times since coming to Oxford and I always look forward to a meal and a drink at the Gardener's Arms. I usually get the vegan burger with chutney and chili sauce- messy but tasty! The sausage rolls are also pretty good. I've eaten here with other vegetarians and omnivores and everyone's been satisfied. Everything is labeled clearly and some vegetarian dishes can be made vegan. I would not recommend the thali platter, probably best to go to an actual Indian restaurant for that.

When we were last in Oxford, we enjoyed this pleasant pub venue with friendly staff so much we ate there every night! Passing back through at the end of our holiday we were keen to visit again.

It was busy & full of regular repeat diners - we arrived 8.15pm on a Fri eve & were warned it would be a 45 min wait for our meal, which we didn't mind, as we know it's all freshly cooked to order. The chap in front of us described them as having "the best burgers in Oxford".

There appeared to be less vegan options than we remembered but perhaps they usually were on the daily specials board or there are more on in the summer. See their website for the current menu - there are two vegan mains (a mushroom pie or Indian Thali), a selection of burger/burger wrap options & one vegan calzone, in addition to some side orders. There was also at least one vegan dessert of a fruit crumble (pear & ginger).

We both chose the Indian Thali - the curry of the day was supposed to be a korma but tasted more like a jalfrezi to me (perhaps they'd run out at the end of the evening & had to make a substitution). A nice selection, with the curry, aloo saag (potato wedges with spinach - not really very spiced), basmati rice, poppadoms, mango chutney and carrot salad & was just under a tenner, so a tad dear for the size (but we're used to cheaper London prices).

It's tasty fare & a nice welcoming place, so well worth a visit if you're in the area.

It is so hard to find places in Oxford that have completely vegan food on the menu so it was lovely to go somewhere that did. I had the mushroom pie and it was really lovely. My friend has the burger and I'm not convinced it was up to much, the portion looked pretty small but the chips did taste nice. Typical english pub style food, but with vegan options. Next time I'll try the curry it sounded great.

Real ales at the bar, as well as lager and usual pub drinks. Nice intimate pub atmosphere, though quite popular and small, we were just 2 on a saturday early evening and there were luckily a couple of tables going, you order food at the bar.

We wander down to The Gardener's Arms for lunch every few months and have always had a good feed.

Choices include the hearty vegan Medley Mushroom pie and simpler tasty vegan burger wraps and more. Half the menus vegan and all the food is vegetarian (but not the booze).

Furnished in a style that would have made for a comfy town pub 20 years ago with an interesting collection of old rock/punk album covers this pub manages to be both laid back and professional. Also has a pleasant garden for a summer day.

...this is your place. The food is definitely British style. Nice crowd (at least when we went). The garden is gorgeous.

We ate here in March 2010.
The food was good wholesome fare and I would recommend the mushroom pie it's superb and the vegetables were correctly cooked not murdered.
I would not hesitate in recommending this to any one vegie or not

We called into the Gardeners Arms this weekend whilst passing through Oxford. I'm not sure I would have found it myself without having some one with me that roughly knew where they were going, make sure you take a map with you if you're not familiar with the area. The pub its self is really comfortable with a good selection of seating. Do be warned though that the food and drink served at the bar is separate from the kitchens and may not be vegetarian.

I was impressed by the choice of vegan food available, in fact most of the menu was vegan with a few vegetarian dishes. I had the vegan burger with tomatoes, onions, lettuce and mango chutney and my partner had the vegan tapas plate. I really enjoyed my food and the tapas plate looked amazing. It would have been nice to offer vegan mayo for the burger, it's not hard to find and would have completed the vegan options in my opinion.
It's not often that we are in the Oxford area but I would certainly recommend it to anyone visiting and I would go back again if I was in the area.

Fab place to grab a tasty bite whilst in Oxford.
We live in South Oxfordshire but travelling to try the food. Now visit quite regularly.
The kids love the veggie burgers and there is other options for the adults.
The thai curry was a bit heavy on the leongrass though

I had the vegan burger wrap with mango chutney. The burger was good, but the wrap tasted stale and the chutney was too sweet and overwhelmed the sandwich. Next time I would get the burger on the regular bread and get the chutney on the side. It is a comfortable pub away from the downtown area.

The pub is a bit tricky to find without as a map, as it's nestled on a corner amidst a quiet suburban part of Oxford. However, the walk to the pub from the centre of town is very pretty, as you pass a few interesting sights along the way, and is absolutely worth the trek. The pub itself is not particularly glamorous, and initial first impression is that you are entering a regular "local" haunt - complete with typical kitch decor, regular clientele, and of course, the authentic English pub smell. However, while the place could certainly do with a makeover inside, we moved to the quaint garden, nestled amidst the trees, complete with the local pub dog.

The menu itself is not on a par with that of a huge establishment, but the choices are ample and indeed, vast enough to satisfy pretty much most palettes - including fussy children. Here is a quick recap of our meal:
- Veggie burger with mayo and mango chutney, and a basket of fries - the portion was huge but this youngster had no problem gobbling the lot down.
- Tapas platter - portion not huge enough for a really hungry person, but perfect for sharing as a starter or just as a very light meal.
- Sage and red wine mushroom pie - very large portion, served with fresh veg and potatoes, and absolutely delicious - totally recommended.
- Mexican chilli - portion relatively satisfying, very tasty, and served with fresh salad.

Overall, everything was served quickly, and the food itself was fresh, very tasty, and in large enough portions to suit most appetites. Give it a try - you won't regret it.

We visited this pub / vegetarian restaurant on our first night in England. The kitchen was closing at 9pm and we were running late, so we called ahead and they held the kitchen staff for a few extra minutes until we arrived. The service is warm and friendly; the food was outstanding pub comfort food -- vegetarian chili, mushroom pie, veggie burger, chips......and the overall pub environment was great. Highly recommended!

It's been a few years since I was last at the Gardners' Arms (or Oxford), but the food's just as good as last time. Plenty for vegans (delicious pie and garlic bread), reasonable prices - just don't sit in the beer garden in the winter! And note the pub doesn't open until 1700 early in the week (I arrived at 1630...)

We don't come from the Oxford area, but have visited Oxford a couple of times over the past few years and always eat out here, thanks to the Happy Cow listing. The pub itself is a bit rough and grubby looking, but the food is surprisingly up-market both in taste and appearance.

The Gardener's Arms is a great pub to visit. Most of the food served is vegan, although the pub and the kitchen are two different business, so not everything served at the bar, ie drinks and crisps are vegetarian, but everything from the kitchen is. Unfortunately the pub no longer serves the mushroom pie which was absolutely yummy, but lots of nice food anyway and they do a lovely apple pie and vegan ice cream!