Meli in Oxford

We asked Agga to prepare food for 50 guests for a birthday party in a nearby pub. On the morning of the party we collected trays of spanakopita (spinach in filo), tiropita (the same with cheese), falafel, gigantes (beans), humous, dolmades (vine leaves) and salads - I think more than we had paid for and all absolutely fresh and smelling wonderful. The food was the hit of the party - great to see people tucking in and talking about the food with enthusiasm and to be able to serve vegetarian food without making a fuss about it. This is a special place - small in size but big in heart. It is not cheap - you pay for the ingredients and the care with which it is made - but it has real value for money. Independent, consistent, wonderfully tasty and served with quiet pride in her work. What Cowley Road at its best is about. Thank you Agga.

Oxford has two vegan eateries, and co-incidentally they're at either end of the Cowley Road shopping precinct, one of the most diverse shopping areas in Britain (It was formerly known as East Avenue but it's grown well beyond that). Meli is at the city end of the road right by the bus stop if you're not planning to walk (Ask for 'The Plain') but the walk from Oxford is a pleasant one, weather permitting. The cafe has just three tables. A two seater, a four seater, and an eight (Or more) seater, but on a good day you might want to buy takeaway and walk back to Magdalen Bridge. The food is what it is with no pretence. It is also totally home made and delicious. The coffee is made with care, the tea... Well I liked it, but if there's anything that people can disagree about it's their tea, I always hesitate to recommend tea! One final point, if you're non-vegan, fear not, neither am I. But I know what I like.

I was absolutely amazed how fantastic tasting cakes can be, without having to be baked, adding sugar and flour..and the price was excellent for such high quality, hand-made sweets. The owner is also delightful. Absolutely loving and recommending!

I love Meli Deli. The vegan treats are amazeballs. Coffee too! Now it is not really ideal for massive groups of people as the place itself is tiny but a couple of tables are outside too, during the milder season. But it fits smaller groups for sure :). I have recommended this place to a few people already. One of them pointed out that there is no music in the background and he felt awkward as the place is small. But I never minded that. You can't please everyone at all times. :) I will be coming back for the lovely americano with soy milk and some vegan cubes of gorgeousness...

Thanks Agata for another great visit. A good combination of informal, but intimate and attentive service. Delicious Greek food, with fresh flavours, and healthy ingredients. My family always feel very welcome.

.. and it was delicious, along with an above average coffee. quite a small place (seats about 10 on a rainy day), lots of variety though, mostly (not all) vegan food

Slightly over priced, big shame about rude and unhelpful staff. Would not recommend and shall not be visiting again.

They serve delicious food here, and seem to specialise in vegan and raw food. It is often quiet, which is surprising given the quality of the good.

My girlfriend and I sometimes go to this little cafe' to have some infusion and vegan snacks. I find it quite enjoyable, even though atmosphere and character lack a bit. Let me suggest you to try their falafels, and coconut treats.

Delicious home-cooked Greek food, ideal for an informal lunch or breakfast stop. Also a deli stop for key Mediterranean ingredients if you want to cook at home. Love it.

I loved the food here. It is tasty but also healthy and reasonably priced. I had rice aubergines, moussaka, feta pastry. Everything was also gluten free...I could not believe how good it was. I can not wait to go back and try more.

Finally some proper food here in UK....enough with the fish & chips and all the fried, oily , meaty stuff covered in heavy sauces.... Clean tastes, good materials, nice recipes and fairly priced! Lovely tastes of Greece. Only "complaint", add some slices of bread in the deliveroo app. You can't have taramosalata or feta stuffed red pepers in oil and not have bread.

We're regular visitors and felt it was time to acknowledge the quality of this lovely cafe and deli. The food is home made and is so tasty and authentic. Try the sweet potato and feta pie and just about any of the cakes - the sugar free muffins and quinoa cookies are wholesome and tasty. The coffee is good and strong. The owner is friendly and welcoming and the prices are reasonable.

Studying for grad degree in Oxford and live down in Cowley. I've been to Meli a handful of times and decided that I had to give recognition where it's due. Their soups are just so humble, hearty, and delicious. Pop in and out quick and get a cheap cup of some of the best soup I've ever had.

A lovely little Deli that make their own food and sell various Greek delicacies. Well worth a visit, if only for their home made hummus.

Went there for lunch and had the vegetarian lunch option and the cake. This is really solid stuff, and for less than ten pounds you could do a lot worse

As its name indicates (Meli means honey in Greek), they have authentic Greek honey. All my honey are bought from them. They are better quality than those from supermarkets and are with similar price, if it is better. Both the wife and the husband are good cook. I like the Greek pastry with pumpkin or spinach. The vegetable stews are also very tasty. They cook different types of stews everyday.

I live in Melbourne, Australia (the third biggest Greek city in the world!) so eat a lot of Greek food. Meli is simply the best... fresh and tasty, delicious well presented food presented with great service and atmosphere, sums it up. The spanakopita and moussaka are to die for and the Greek and Mediterranean salads fantastic. If you can fit it in, try the excellent range of deserts including a mind blowing semolina ravani cake. I've often taken home a selection of beautiful dips, including spicy houmus, red pepper, aubergine etc.The olives are fresh and crunchy and as good as any I've eaten anywhere in Greece - and come in a good range. The Meli roasted organic coffee makes the best coffee in Oxford... and on top of that there are Greek beers and a particularly good red wine.Though small in size Meli punches well above its weight. Sounds like I'm a fan... all can say is that when I'm in Oxford I eat there several times a week, and always look forward to my next visit!

Will have to try again as the other reviews are so good... My experiences were different, however. As a lover of Greek food Meli has intrigued me whenever I go past it in Cowley, but I find the owner quite cold and intimidating, not welcoming at all (so sometimes I have gone in and ended up not having anything). I have had a falafel wrap there once (not that great... If I want a falafel I tend to go to the Cous cous cafe in St Clements where the flavours are interesting and the staff are really nice and welcoming), and a baklava another time (a bit mealy and floury, nothing compared to the baklava in Jacobs and Field), both times I was disappointed.Will try to eat something else there the next time I go past it.

Meli is a great find. The food is delicious and home-made and it is very reasonably priced. It is one our favourite places to have brunch in Oxford. You must try the breakfast and if there's room, a milky lakum.

We live in Cowley area. Visit Meli deli at least twice a week or more. Great place for coffee and food. Now they even got specialty teas. Excellent place to source for Greek produce such as olive oils, honeys and sweets.Quality food and service, excellent value. Highly recommended!

We go to Meli for coffee at least 3-4 times a week. They now roast their own special blend coffee, no longer using UE coffee which was above average but not as good as their current own blend.Useful place to go get great olives and various homemade dips whenever we have guests in the house.I love the fact that it's only well known am

Meli has a good selection of home-made traditional Mediterranean foods. The meat balls are very good and the vegetarian dishes is great value - huge portion for £4.00. The coffee is excellent - the best I have had in Oxford. They use beans from Ue Coffee Roasters and they make it well. A double espresso is only £1.45 and a cappuccino is £1.80 take away or £1.95 to dine in. i regularly have lunch here because it is good value and good food.

There aren't that many good places in Oxford, so whenever I visit here I always go to Meli. The food is really good, the prices are great, and the young couple who run it are very friendly. They're also open conveniently late.