Magic Cafe in Oxford

I've been visiting Magic Cafe for years and always loved it, telling everyone I know about it. Home cooked foods, great selection of salads etc but, sadly, portion sizes have reduced so much that the last two times I've been my partner and me both left hungry and at around £12 for a plate of food this should not be happening. I even heard the girl who was dishing up being told that she was putting too much food on someone's plate! We went to the covered market and paid £7.95 for a large plate of hearty Greek vegetarian food that was delicious and satisfying. It really saddens me to say this, but I won't be returning as I really don't think it's value for money any more.

Lovely cafe for plant-based eating. Food is always great but lunch is never available before 12pm and often not until 12.15-12.30pm so not one to go to if you’re starving before then. Only other thing to note is the service is mediocre at best, but the food and atmosphere is lovely with community feel, which keeps me coming back.

Lovely food, portions adequate though the coffee was not served at right temperature for my preference, perhaps milk never got to right temperature ?

Very cosy but not having much options for lunch and dinner. It has lovely paintings and the food is amazing.

This delightful cafe in a Crowley side road does delicious salads, tray bakes, filo pies etc. I didn’t notice any vegetarian promises, but I didn’t notice any meat on offer. No less good for that. Well worth a visit.

I don’t get to go often but make a longer trip to get there when I can because I always really enjoy it. Food & coffee are good but there’s also just a really nice atmosphere. There’s some nice art up & it feels really chilled and causal which makes a big difference & is for sure something I want from a cafe. Would recommend as a space to work or somewhere to get a meal. Also great for veggies and has vegan options!

Delicious healthy veggie lunches. There is always a selection of options from soup to quiches with salad selections.

Always great salad option available as well as a selection of vegetarian hot meal options. Great for a coffee and cake too.

If you're looking for a good value place to get healthy veggie lunch in Cowley then I guess look no further. Big fan of the salad plates & the soup and bread. Helps that is only down the road for me and can always get a seat as it's quite communal.

Walking through the door for the umpteenth time with my friend, I feel the familiar casual and chilled vibes of The Magic Cafe wash over me. The cafe itself is a curious juxtaposition of quirky local art decor and mismatched furniture which somehow works. Onto the food; the array of salads never disappoint with their freshness, variety and vibrancy. On this occasion, we tried the shakshuka (a recent addition to the menu) which was filling, tasty and tailored to the gluten free on request. For high quality, home made vegetarian cooking at reasonable prices this is your best bet in Oxford.

Nice vegetarian & vegan options , good filling food, okay service but not so very happy servers. Spacious so I guess lots of kids and prams

Vegan/ Vegetarian food, original recipes, fresh ingredients, generous portions. Relaxed, informal atmosphere,

This is one of a few cafes off of the main road in Cowley area. It has been here for decades apparently, serves only vegetarian and vegan meals, beverages. The staff is lovely and welcoming. There is a big white board by the entrance (this has been there since the cafe was firstly opened) where you find so many leaflets about what's going on in Oxford. I would call this a family friendly hippie place :). A nice atmosphere.

I was in Oxford on a course, what a treat to have this place and a lovely health food shop right on our doorstep. Very busy, obviously popular.... I had the chickpea soup and my friend had a salad, would have liked some more vegan options. Would definitely return and would recommend.

Entspannte Atmosphäre und sehr kinderfreundlich. Hier gibt es einen der besten Carrot Cakes überhaupt. Besonders gut sehen auch die vegetarischen Gerichte und Salate aus, die immer frisch zubereitet werden. Gerne wieder.

Visited here this week. It’s nice it’s clean and the cake was good. But limited as to what is in offer and bit rigid on what’s being served when could and should stick sweetener. But good carrot cake!

Neighbourhood cafe very friendly to children and breastfeeding mums. Try the cherry cheesecake. Or the homemade toasted teacake. It’s veggie but that’s incidental.

La comida tiene un precio razonable, pero la mía podría haber estado más caliente.

great place to begin your day with a light breakfast, lovely attention and delicious food! the place is very nice decorated with nice soft music, feels like home! thanks

Magic Cafe es refrescantemente relajado y sin tonterías. Comida de gran valor, enormes porciones! Sabrosas ensaladas vego y otra opción vegana de frijol picante que se veía bien. Tomé un buen café.

He sido vegetariano durante mucho tiempo y me gusta visitar cafés vegetarianos cuando estoy en una ciudad nueva. Visité The Magic Cafe en Oxford, que creo que ha existido por mucho tiempo. Hay una clientela realmente mixta: algunos ancianos hoy (¡lo que pensé que era una buena señal!) ¿Problemas de tipeo estéreo cuando supongo que vinieron por la calidad de la comida en lugar del hecho de que es vegetariana? Había un menú con especialidades justo al lado del mostrador. Me alegré de que hubiera una cola, así que tuve tiempo de decidir lo que quería. La mujer asiática que me servía estaba muy helada por alguna razón. . . . . . . Pedí la lasaña, pero me dijo que se había ido (así que, ¡quítenla del menú!). Luego pregunté si el plato que estaba frente a mí era la tarta de queso (lo que me llevó a los ojos a rodar y un fuerte "SÍ"), así que fui por eso. El tipo frente a mí ordenó setas de stroganoff y cuando salió, preguntó qué contenía. La mujer que lo atendió respondió "No sé" (¡!) Y el que me servía rápidamente disparó los ingredientes, ¡como si el hombre le hubiera pedido su número de pin a punta de pistola! ! Señoras GEEZ - CHILL. Es normal que las personas quieran saber qué están comiendo, si es tan estresante, pongan más información acerca de las ofertas especiales en varios tableros para que puedan obtener menos preguntas. Con mi tarta de queso, obtuve 3 ensaladas, cuando pregunté qué había en la ensalada de papas, pensé que iba a golpearme (¡sinceramente!), Me miró de una manera (bastante aterradora) y dijo "patatas y guisantes" ". Le pregunté si la salsa roja solo era tomate y ¡parecía que ardería! Señoras: algunas personas tienen alergias a ciertos ingredientes, ¡o simplemente no les gustan! ¡Luego elegí mis otras 2 ensaladas sin siquiera mirar en un intento de calmar la situación! ¡BUEN SEÑOR! No visitaré de nuevo. Comida mediocre, servicio aterrador; aquellos con enfermedades cardíacas o con una disposición nerviosa deben evitar a toda costa.

Si quieres probar un sitio verdaderamente un poco diferente en Oxford, este es uno de ellos. Es muy pragmático, con un menú muy pequeñas pero siempre sana y interesante - toda la comida que he probado aquí ha sido genial, y hace un gran cambio desde otros lugares de la ciudad.

This is a great cafe especially for vegetarians. The food is always delicious, with massive portions and a really relaxed atmosphere inside. The coffee is great and they have a good selection of cakes available.

Por lo general me gusta el café magic, es un alivio de la Cafetería de moda por la carretera. Hoy tuve un curry para llevar. Todo era bastante normal, con un montón de arroz y no mucho el curry. El personal era realmente de mal humor!

Menú vegetariano/vegano que cambia a diario. Este es uno de mis lugares favoritos para ir con mi bebé y ninguno de nosotros vegetariano/vegano pero la comida es estupenda. Ya que está fresco y en un mostrador no hay espera, perfecto para un niño pequeño y un hambriento le molestasen La momia. Un montón de sillas altas, juguetes y libros.

El Café Magic está en el corazón de lo que hace este Oxford un lugar maravilloso para vivir.

Fui con un amigo a la Magic Café ayer, la comida era básica pero sabroso y con buena relación calidad-precio. Recomiendo este café. Sería bueno saber si la comida es local y orgánica?

The magic cafe has that 'living room' appeal, making you feel comfortable and cared for from the moment you walk in. It's truly local, with a bulletin board of things to do and goings on around the city, and the food is all freshly prepared and always delicious. Go when you need some tlc!

This is one of my favourite cafes in Oxford. The price and quality of food is extremely good and the coffee is ok. It is not pretentious and over the top like other cafes in the area, and provides a very friendly atmosphere

We just called by phone and the person that answered said she could not deal with our question that was 'do you have an electrical outlet if we want to come to work for a couple of hours while we consume coffee and pastries?' She said her boss was not around and the question was too difficult, that we should try to call 'tomorrow'. Useless.

Always keen to find vegan options in Oxford was keen to visit and try what they had to offer. I found the interiors a little scruffy, tables need a clean and overall it was shabby. My friend had the pasta bake, cold and pretty tasteless to be honest. I had the cake and frankly it had no flavour and the consistency of sawdust. Service was indifferent and I was not impressed. Shame as I am keen to support vegan cafes but there is much to work on here.

Loved the soup, salads, and veg lasagna. The myriad of flavors was overwhelming. One downside is they can run out of food fairly quickly so get there early. I'm guessing this is a symptom of the quality and demand for the product they are making. I will accept those consequences.

eXcellent Vegan Cafe - Went to Oxford for a day trip and discovered this place. Loved absolutely everything about it. Great atmosphere, alternatively simplistic and fantastic food. Wish you every success Magic Cafe.

We bought an electric bike from the guy in the shop up the road and visited this place whilst he serviced the bike - he tipped us off to it and it is a great recommendation.It's quite unassuming - big enough to hold plenty of people but also has a cosy charm about it - it's not Costa Coffee glitz (but then I hate Costa Coffee!) but you can meet and chat unhurried - great bohemian feel about the place.The food is just yummy with a good choice of fresh salads. Mrs I & G had the moussaka and declared it delicious; I had the pastry pie which had a really nice spicy/ sweet flavour - plenty of it and very tasty.All washed down with hot drinks and a piece of carrot cake - well worth visiting this little treasure....and it's great value too.

I love it here! Fresh tasty and healthy food made with love everyday, Very reasonably priced and such nice genuine vibes. :) Salad choice especially good.Baby/child friendly with some toys and books and space for buggies.

As an Oxfordshire vegan this is one of my favourite places to go eat. Healthy, filling food mixed in with opportunities to have cakes is always a great place for me. Went on a day they had vegan burgers which were very very popular. In a relaxed atmosphere there is no problem with waiting for the food. The home-cooked chips were fantastic and I will definitely be returning.Very family friendly, there is a nook for children with books and toys. A nice relaxed place where the children are just as important as the adult customers.

Great vegetarian food, and good atmosphereVery reasonable prices Often has art displays , not open in eveningHighly recommended .

This is a local for us & somewhere I regularly take my toddler for lunch. Each days there's a couple of different hot lunch dishes which change daily& are cheaply priced. The food is pretty much always tasty & my son enjoys playing with the toy box at the front of the restaurant. Sometimes the service can be a little slow in the morning if the person serving is also preparing food out back. But other than that it's a nice place to go with a nice friendly atmosphere.

This place is very good. Supreme value, good healthy food that is fresh fresh and filling. It is big and you can chill and read the guardian

I came here with my mum on Saturday lunchtime, it was a bit of a walk outside the city centre but definitely worth it. We were a bit early for lunch so we had a cake each to keep us going! I think it was date and banana, it was vegan and delicious. We had ordered lunch for after 12 and it came quicker than we expected. I had a tofu stir-fry with pak choi and nutty rice, mum had a veggie spinach lasagne. Both of them were delicious and filling. If I come back to oxford then I will definitely come back to this cafe.

Absolutely wonderful food! The portions were very generous and we were shocked at how cheap it was for the quality.

Really nice food friendly staff but was hard to move around due to the number of buggies and prams blocking the way

A quaint little cafe situated off of Cowley road, it serves up beautiful, wholesome dishes. The salads are amazing! The staff are ever so friendly, with the interior exhibiting a sense of homeliness about it. They even have vegan cakes, just fantastic!

I do like this place. The food is lovely. I say this as a veggie in a veggie restaurant. Decor, furnishings etc are sparse but i dont mind it too much. If its for the food, then its decent.

Great fresh vegetarian food. Cafe a little cold though. Had lovely pie and salad. Also beetroot and chocolate cake. Will go again.

Stopped here while waiting for another restaurant to open! Disappointed with the cherry cheesecake ..which was tasteless even though it looked delicious. Busy place with lots of babies and children...nice atmosphere...all vegetarian food ...£8.50 for two teas and cake ...slightly overpriced I feel .

One of my favourite places to eat in Cowley. Visit about once a week. Always great quality food and good service.

Turned up for lunch, the food was ok but I felt there was not a lot of interest in service. I didn't return the next day!

After walking past this cafe for as long as I can remember I finally went in today and I am so annoyed that I did not go in years ago! The Magic Cafe is a wonderful hidden Gem of East Oxford. We went in for lunch today and we were not disappointed. Some may say that the food selection is limited as there appears to only be 2 different cooked dishes, (today was a Spinach and Aubergine Curry or a Mousakka) but as they were both delicious, hearty and healthy it was almost too hard to choose between them! They also boasted the largest and tastiest array of homemade salads that i have seen anywhere in Oxford! I would recommend this cafe to anyone who likes healthy food and a fun quirky atmosphere.A+ can't wait for my next visit!

Food tasty, warm atmosphere and fast service. I would like to go back again during the week ,when maybe the place is less crowed, just to drink a cup of coffe and read a book. I definitely recommend this place.

This is a charming little cafe, with a great atmosphere. The food is terrific and excellent value.Highly recommended!

We visited the Magic Cafe yesterday as a family treat. With 2 vegans and one vegetarian amongst us we were looking forward to some lovely, cruelty free nosh. The meals (green Thai curry) were very tasty and reasonably filling, but there was slight disappointment that they came with white rice instead of wholegrain. The mains came in at £5.70 each, which was just reasonable for the size of portion. The kids selection of meals could have done with some work. The atmosphere was nice and relaxed, with diners sharing tables. It was a nice open space too. This venue could have easily packed more tables in to cater for the lunchtime crowd, but we're glad that they haven't as it would subtract from the airy and relaxed vibes. The plates, cutlery and mugs where a mismatch which was nice and quirky, but also sensible. There was plenty of room for pushchairs for those with babies and toddlers and a large noticeboard for locals to use. One of our party had a lipstick stain on a dirty mug which she was served her tea in, but this was quickly resolved by one of the staff. The toilets were clean and tidy and accessible for those with disabilities. All in all, a lovely place to enjoy a meal with friends, family or colleagues. Will be back!

There are always just a few vegetarian dishes available to choose from but I have been here many times and have always been blown away by everything I've had. Really nice atmosphere as well, wish I lived next door :)

I really like the Magic Cafe - the food is healthy, filling and excellent value. The atmosphere is very relaxed. I've only been there at lunchtimes, and there have always been loads of Mums and babies in there, but they seem pretty chilled too. Definitely worth a visit - the street on which it sits (Magdalen Road) is pretty interesting too in terms of bookshops etc and the legendary 'Goldfish Bowl'!

I have visited The Magic Cafe several times it always feels like a big secret however on arriving especially on a Saturday it is also bustling. The food is also served in large portions which have been cooked with passion, limited menu is made up by the fact that they have a team out back ensuri g the magic cafe crowd are well fed. The magic poured into the food is shared by customers community spirit that is felt on there large tables. If you are lucky you may even get a musical treat with acoustic sets playing.

I have only been here for their occasional Ethiopian Night, which usually takes place on Saturdays and is fantastic. Great food, not that different from what you can find in a good restaurant in London or even Addis Ababa. And great atmosphere, with a bit of dancind at the end (only if you want, you do not have to sign up for that). The perfect place if you want to gather friends you have not seen for some time all around the same table.

I've been going to the magic cafe since I was 10 years old. Over the years i've gone through periods of eating lunch elsewhere but i always return here. The athmosphere is relaxing, the staff are friendly and sweet and food hits the spot everytime if you want a break from fast food and greasy fried breakfasts. The food is always fresh, the portions are good and the prices are fantastic (4.50 for their full salad plate ). Try their homemade cherry cheese cake- its excelent. If you dont mind simple, its the best place in oxford. (but go before 3 because they run out of hot food quickly :) )

We Had tea here, good WiFi connection, friendly staff. I recommend this place for a nice tea and scones.

I came here with my vegetarian girlfriend after lots of recommendations.We found a homely, warm atmosphere, with good hot food, and tremendous salads (I'd be tempted just to have a big plate of them with some bread).I will definitely be coming back here.

Who doesn't love the Magic?! The food is delicious (a bit bland sometimes, maybe) and the people running it are adorable. There are 3 dishes to chose from and plenty of cakes. One accepts the millions of babies at the weekend and indulges in amazing food for as little as a fiver with live music on a Saturday. You help yourself to water and cutlery & can get a take out. I visit the Magic very, very regularly and never get tired of it. The ambience is a special one and so are the people who visit this place. Top tip!

I regularly come to the Magic Cafe because I love the home cooked hot foods and the variety of salads. Although it is a vegetarian cafe, it makes no different because the quality of the veggie food is wonderful. Just a lovely place to relax and take in the chilled "karma"

Good vegetarian and vegan food served by enthousiast girls/ladies. You feel welcome from the moment you pass the treshold. Good music and relaxed atmosphere. Every month there is the so called "Dodo's restaurant" and then you can get a complete vegetarian or vegan menu served on your table with surprsing china from all over the world. Something to look out for. Price/quality of the food is surprising.