Old Bookbinders, Oxford

Official site of Old Bookbinders - craftybelle.uk

Official site of Old Bookbinders - craftybelle.uk

Good Beer Guide 2023 New Entry. We will come onto the beer :-) I didnt really pick up the restaurant vibes discussed in other reviews here. Admittedly, we got the end table next to the loos and in front of the bar - which was thronged with the right number of customers. Enough to get into a conversation. Not enough to have to fight to get to the bar. A couple of dogs adding to the pubby feel. Along with free Monkey Nuts. Which is a first. Very enjoyable pubby experience. The beer. I'm afraid did not live up to the billing. My son and I started with Black Sheep. It must have been getting to the end of the barrel. Mine was bland, but kept some life. My sons served next,lifeless. We moved onto Deuchars IPA which I couldnt score above average. Would give it the benefit of the doubt and trust Oxford Camra have got it right.

From the outside this looks like a classic Jericho street corner local,but once inside it is obviously much more restaurant than pub.The decor is interesting,with lots of wood and door panels on the ceiling together with an upturned model railway at one point.Lots of beer mats and a huge collection of board games by the front door.Tables and chairs are all wooden and traditional,with candles on each while there is a side room the other side of an unused double fronted fireplace which is a more formal dining area .Tables will be reserved for diners but sensibly for a specific time slot,so you can pitch down to drink at either unreserved tables (there were 3 on my Wednesday evening 6.30pm visit )or occupy a table before the reservation time.However this does mean that you may find all tables being used for dining at peak times.The food smelt good,and the menu is French style cuisine. This is a Greene King tied house but will have as many guests as GK brews.My Purity Mad Goose wasn't on good form however.The balance in this pub has tipped in favour of diners,and there are better real ale options close by,so I'm likely to drift past despite it's quirky interior.

Right off the beaten track this, amid a flange of generally good quality pubs up this end of the city around Jericho and Summertown; largely away from both tourists and students, though attracting prices which are commensurate with the area. This pub seems to be food-led but doesn't shout 'gastropub'. Instead, it's a little bit bohemian, ramshackle and eclectic in terms of both furniture and décor. Furniture is mixed with some stuff looking a bit '70s', a part boarded and part quarry tiled floor; some bric-a-brac dangles from on high. Music played but was muted; I didn't spot a TV. Customers were civilised with some older and more genteel with younger drinkers soaking up the festive cheer; staff were very friendly. Ales: Sadler's Ales Peaky Blinder, Bateman's XB, Morland's Old Speckled Hen, Harviestoun's Bitter & Twisted, another GK ale that I couldn't see, and Bookies Best (GK?) at £3.60 a pint and perfectly drinkable. I'd certainly come here again for the atmosphere and peace and quiet away from the city centre. This also makes for a great stop as part of a local craw. Note: closed all day on Mondays - check their website for other opening oddities.