Worton Kitchen Garden in West Oxfordshire

Great environment and food, very local and tasty. Just make a reservation too, it’s very popular!

Well they describe it as "madcap" and it certainly is! The approach is unprepossessing, even confusing, but keep going, through a clearly diversifying farm complex, which tested our gastronomic fortitude after the recent storm battering in the middle of December. The greenhouse dining area looked bleak from the outside, but once in, the impact of the warmth was outstanding. Not only from the massive wood burner, but from the staff and the Sunday lunch clientele. The warmth of the welcome carried on with swift attention and the blackboard menu promised great things from its reassuringly limited range (who wants to choose from more than five or six at each course?). This indication of quality and freshness was borne out by the meals that arrived, but my East End origins were tempted by the "East end" cheescake (and I don't eat puddings). It was genuinely the best I have eaten for decades. If it was this good on a dank winter day, what will a spring visit be like? ( I can't stay away that long)

We came across this absolute gem by accident and couldn't be more happy with the find. Both dishes were delicious, so were the deserts and the service was friendly and knowledgeable. Very excited to learn about its hyper local and regenerative practices. Can't wait to come back in the summer.

Great food, nice ambience, very friendly staff. We enjoyed our lunch very much!

What a magical place to celebrate my 40th Birthday! We were a party of 11 with 4 children and 2 dogs and all had an amazing time. The children enjoyed exloring the delightful garden and the dogs were 'entertained' by the roaming guinea foul. The flowers were beautiful and the food delicious, a unique and genuine experience. Thank you.

I really want to like this place more, but the delicious food and beautiful setting is let down by slow, disorganised service.

Well worth a visit, an interesting concept and experience. While the prices seemed higher than I expected when taken as a whole with the experience, I'm more than happy to support the business. Service is excellent, staff were very welcoming and friendly. The menu was quite eclectic and made me curious to try different options. Some were a hit (sausages with beans) and other a miss (the meze) but nice to try dishes I normally wouldn't choose so a fun experience none the less and would recommend trying the desserts as they went down well. It was wonderful to explore the gardens with the kids and see some the chickens running around. The only real negative is the compost toilet. I understand the idea but in practice I found it quite a bit off-putting. Well worth a visit.

A wonderful and unique place, which alone is worth the visit. Expectations for the dinner were high, but unfortunately they were deeply disappointed. We chose two starters and two main courses: the "garden tomatoes" were literally 3, so scarce that it seemed like a mistake or a joke; the "padron pepper" (friggitelli) are so spicy that they take away your appetite. The "vegetarian meze" were almost inedible, while the meat and rice dish (I don't remember the name), pleasant at first, then turned out to be heavy and too spicy. A glass of low quality wine and a 33cl beer, without infamy and without praise, to complete a menu objectively not up to the splendid setting. Last but not least: the obviously very high bill: around £40 each! (But the average prices in England are the same, unfortunately). Sin!

The food was gorgeous, fresh and seasonal. The place felt like such a hidden gem, could have spent hours there!

What a unique and wonderful sensory experience, a hidden gem! Fabulous garden, fresh 3 course late lunch for two on Friday 2nd August. The passion and love for their ingredients was self evident but to be clear this place is big on “character” and “slow food”, the antithesis of modern chain restaurants and more authentic and in stark contrast to the more formulaic and manicured “farmshop/garden centre” restaurants typical of the area. It’s like eating in someone’s private kitchen garden or giant allotment. Talk about field to plate provenance, ingredients don’t get fresher than this! We were fortunate to visit on a warm summer afternoon and our table for two, shaded by parasol and fruit trees, was alfresco rambling kitchen garden summer perfection. Other tables for 2, 4 and 6 are spaced so far apart around the restaurant sheds and out into the abundant gardens that we didn’t notice half of them until we explored later. For seating at other times of year there appeared to be rustic tables in two parts of the shed and one high ceilinged greenhouse. The menu is short and, as advertised, seasonal. To start we shared decadent pork crackling with a mirabelle chutney and beautifully sweet tomatoes in a caprese-like salad. For our mains we chose the house mezze - principally homemade babaganoush (fabulous), hummus, tomatillo salad with crusty white house-baked ciabatta-style bread - and then whole mackerel (bbq chard) and beetroot. It was a crime not to try more than one of the three fabulous looking puddings - something chocolate, an amazing sounding cheesecake and a mixed fruit frangipane. We had the latter - a taste sensation. We made the most of the suggestion to explore the gardens and there appeared to be no limitations to this. There are a number of huge greenhouses bursting with tomato plants, vines and other veg. These are interspersed with combined vegetable and flower beds and fruit trees. We found chickens, geese and turkeys but must have missed the pigs. On our way we came across friendly gardeners and Stacey Gledhill, the artist in residence for the summer. To be clear these are not manicured gardens, they are beautifully wild and at this time of year watering and harvesting might understandably take priority over weeding or meticulous tidying up. Since our visit I’ve read back through reviews on the usual platforms and have noticed occasionally severe criticism of this establishment when it comes to service, speed of service and pricing. We have no such complaints but it is possible to imagine how they might occasionally arise. Staff are surely not drilled to corporate style rulebooks; some tables are hidden and further from the hub; for this quality, prices are understandably at the high-end of gastropub levels; and this is a working kitchen garden. In the end it’s a matter of taste, preferences and expectations. For us this was genuinely a five star / exceeded expectations experience in all respects.

Fabulous, as always. Superb food and the most welcoming atmosphere sitting in the middle of the kitchen garden.

Fabulous atmosphere, lovely gardens, gorgeous animals, friendly staff

Fantastic place! Attended a wedding there which was just perfect!

A lovely place, tucked away. Great food, friendly service. Fun to look around and see the birds as well!

A perfect lunch between Bicester and Bibury. We ate at Worton Kitchen Garden, surrounded by beautiful flowers, in an organic farm that felt like England at its best. Our children visited the chickens and ducks that waddled happily around, and we chatted with Simon, the restaurant’s owner, and his daughter Bea. The food was delicious – fresh salad from the farm and homemade ice-cream. Overall, a lovely experience.

LIFE IS A MIRACLE. The words comes into focus as you approach Worton Kitchen Garden through an exuberant thicket of iridescent artichoke blossoms, rambling roses, rustling seed pods, deep purple plums, and plants in uncountable variety. Worton's extraordinary magic is conjured in this environment saturated with meaning, saturated with life. The miracle isn't your life — at least not specifically. The miracle is what happens between soil and sky, tended with a loving touch: fruits and vegetables with depth of flavour, fowl roaming free to feast on garden pests, blossoms competing for sunlight. And tables where you can slowly take all of this in, not by images on a screen, but by the smells and sounds and, most importantly, the flavours that emerge from the soil beneath your feet. Worton is, in every sense, the opposite of the corporate-chef-chain-restaurants that crowd high streets like weeds. It is not optimised to deliver a uniform experience at the lowest possible cost. It is not the embodiment of a marketing strategy. It is a celebration of life in the arc of its seasons, of English countryside ecology, and of food traditions that enhance the glory of the ingredients. Worton's visionary, Simon Spence, knows that its poetry is only partly in his control. With his daughters and a loyal team of agriculturalists he gently shapes it, while as much as possible leaving its miracles to take form all around. Simon's genius is, happily, between the kitchen and your table. He draws on a life of (culinary) adventures to transport you from his farm across geography and culture, or simply to give you a taste of the here and now. And he tells his stories with similar effect. If you have kids, bring them. Let them explore and play. Visit the pigs and throw them windfall fruit. Taste the happy farm lives of the animals. Try the homemade ice creams and sorbets. Don't be in a rush (the staff aren't). Let your surroundings saturate you before you leave. Be reminded that life is indeed a miracle.

Absolutely magical, other-worldly place, full of surprises - the food is delightful, interesting and very, very tasty!!

I really want to keep the secret but I can’t.

We came at the height of summer when the magnificent garden was in full bloom, and couldn’t believe what a lovely place we had come to. The food is thoughtful and ingredient focused. Standouts for me were the celeriac curry, and Tuscan sausage with borlotti beans, and the chocolate and ginger cake. I also loved the Sloe Gin Fizz cocktail. Proprietor Simon was nice enough to come out and introduce himself, and the other staff are also very kind and accommodating. If you appreciate beautiful plants and flowers, good food and magical places, you will love Worton Garden Kitchen.

Love this place. Hidden away, it is an unpretentious gem, with delightful places to eat both inside and outside. Simon is a wonderful chef and host to his restaurant and loves to come and say hi. The food is delicious and full of flavour but aimed at adults rather than kids. Kids have plenty of space to roam and explore including lots of animals to discover. There’s also a good walk from the venue. Only thing that could be improved is the service which, whilst very friendly, was a little slow and haphazard.

Food was 10/10, it’s a bit quirky and pricey with inconsistent service

I may’ve once had a better sausage in my life, but I can’t remember it if so

Sunday lunch, so the restaurant was very busy. No one to serve in shop. Had to go into restaurant to get served. Bread was excellent, if pricey!

What a disappointment! Been on our list for ages and since completing a long walk from Stanton Harcourt we thought it would be good excuse to visit. We arrived around 3 and it was due to close at 4 but sadly we were met with a member of staff who informed us we couldn't be served as she had to leave soon and still clear up after everyone (still lots of people eating and drinking outside, so really wouldn't have been much more effort!!!) So I requested if we could purchase some cake to take away.....well wish I hadn't bothered...two very mediocre cakes and £13 !!! I'm not in the habit of being ripped off, so still amazed I didn't say anything.... Looked like such a pretty place with promise but we were left feeling very disappointed and ripped off - wish I hadn't bothered with the cake and definitely won't bother returning or recommending!

What a gem. Great seasonal food, cooked with consideration.

Really enjoyed our late lunch here. We’ve been planning a visit since we moved to the area. Wonderful place, delicious food (love locally grown/sourced ingredients. Tastes so much better). Sausages were fantastic. Pistachio/grapefruit cake was outstanding. Service was slow, so expect to relax and take your time, but staff were friendly and knowledgable.

Lovely birthday lunch midwinter.

Fantastic little shop, the produce which was grown and sold here looked top notch, will definitely be back

Not clean. Staff not clean. Area for dining was not clean. Weeds hanging from ceiling of greenhouse. Limited on menu. Served a sourdough croissant and it was the worst pastry I've ever eaten! Although staff were friendly and helpful, they didn't look clean or well put together which made me question the overall hygiene of the place.

Wonderful hidden gem of a cafe/restaurant that is surprisingly close to Oxford. Had some delicious and different cakes. Beautifully warm conservatory that was cozy even on a cold but sunny winter day. Staff were very friendly. Happy to return any time.

We went there for lunch, lovely atmosphere and love the farm vibes with the animals. Waiter and waitress was nice and responsive however didn’t seem to know much about the items on the menu and had to run back to the kitchen in order to get the information. 2 of us had the goose and vegetables and last person had the bacon chop and lentils. All of these arrived 30 or 40 minutes after waiting. The geese and vegetables was somewhat good however given that I had heard amazing things I was abit disappointed. The bacon chop was the most disappointing as it was very tough and chewy when an edible piece could be found that wasn’t just bacon fat however the lentils were nice

Can’t be happier after visiting this place. Amazing atmosphere and the food is just perfect. Great selection of wine for very convenient price. The service cant be better. Our favourite place in the Oxfordshire area so far. Super recommend!!

Heaven on Earth (with interesting fresh vegetables, cakes and an excellent restaurant!)

A cute little cafe / restaurant in a farm just a little bit outside Oxford town area. The food is tasty and shouts healthy. The staff is very friendly. Most tables are in a glass room, where the setting is cosy, rustic and there’s so much fresh plants/vegetables all around. Very relaxing! Highly recommend a visit and will come back to check out lunch and dinner options.

Really enjoyed my meal here and the nice chat with the owner. Service was lovely and the food very tasty. Locally sourced, well-prepared, in a casual setting. Portion sizes good, with plenty of variety on the seasonal menu. I shall be back when it is lighter to enjoy the beautiful garden and some more food next time! Highly recommended.

A gem of a place - an absolutely delicious selection of homegrown food, with fantastic inspiration from international cuisine, in a gorgeous setting! A lovely team! 5/5.

What an amazing, unexpected place - delicious food served by a friendly team in a magical setting. I'll definitely be visiting again.

Cannot recommend enough! A charming place that combines 5-star food with a quintessentially British setting that is comforting, decadent & chaotic all in one! The garden is stunningly beautiful, the food exquisite and the staff are wonderful. Do not miss this hidden gem just outside of Oxford.

The car park wasn't a good start, pallets piled up and wheelie bins and an old shipping container didn't give a goof first impressionFood good but over priced by a good 30%. Gardens need tidying to make it an attractive place to visit. As an example, the outdoor pizza oven was hidden by junk and just looked uncared for. Could be a very nice place with a bit of care and attention to detail.

A fabulous meal here with friends. I loved the relaxed informal atmosphere and sitting out in the garden. The food was simple but very well prepared, with good generous portions. The half crab was huge and the crevettes were plentiful. The staff were helpful and patient explaining the different dishes for us. Definitely try the drinking vinegar! One star off as it got so dark outside that we resorted to using the torches on our phones. Some citronella flares on stakes, lanterns, or some solar powered string lights would make such a difference to the ambience. Definitely pay them a visit and support this lovely local enterprise.

I’d been wanting to visit Worton Kitchen Garden for ages (I was really interested in the concept of hyper local food), so I was very excited to go for lunch today to celebrate my parents anniversary. We all had different dishes and all of them were delicious. The service was great, waitresses were really friendly, happy to answer any questions. They weren’t pushy and just fitted into the tranquil environment. Taking of which, the gardens are wonderful, lots of beautiful plants, herbs and vegetables. Overall a great visit and I will definitely be returning with friends and family.

Loved it. Wholesome well presented seasonal food. A gorgeous day in the countryside. Wonderful farm shop!!

Amazing food, amazing staff. It is worth every penny. I would highly recommend.

The food was completely overpriced for what you get. Sourdough bread was burn and could hardly be eaten. The Meze was £16 and had hardly anything to it. The cordial was £4 and was just a tiny glass. One could hardly read the handwriting on the menu and the waitress knew hardly anything about it and had to constantly go back to check with the kitchen. The venue is lovely but that's about it

A private restaurant operated in conjunction with the farm. The food is well seasoned (it's not easy to do this in the UK), it's freshly cooked with fresh ingredients and brought straight to the table, so it's all delicious. It feels like eating a simple but hearty home-cooked meal.

The food was fantastic, natural, tasty, healthy, delicious! You should definitely try it 🤩

Unfortunately the very poor, unhelpful and incredibly slow service mars this otherwise lovely experience.

Wonderful environment, friendly people and excellent healthy food. What’s not to like.

The food, atmosphere and the music was gorgeous, very pleasant evening spent there. Thank you!!!!

Excellent service, great spot for a fresh and tasty lunch.

Been many times and generally enjoyed it but becoming increasingly disappointed in really poor service. Waitress did not listen to dietary requirements so after a long wait food had to be sent back. We were keen to try some cakes but waited for 30 minutes with our dirty plates on the table before going back to the kitchen to find someone to help and seeing a waitress on her phone.

Taken here for a surprise lunch. What a treat! I loved the monkfish wrapped in pancetta with lentils and the grapefruit and pistaccio cake. It's not easy to find, but once you've driven down the Worton Hall drive, don't give up. It looks like you're going to a small garden centre, but the food is worth the quest.

This is good-for-the-soul-food. The food is outstanding; the service is charming & attentive; and most of all the setting reminds us that in an increasingly busy world we all benefit from sitting in nature and celebrating it. A delightful meal that fed our stomachs and our minds.

What a great place. The food is simply very good and everything is organic and therefore grown or raised without chemical aids such as pesticides. The menu also changes almost every week.

Great food, locally sourced or grown. Very friendly service.

Great place with excellent food

Really beautiful cosy cafe. They didn’t have anything vegan on the breakfast menu that day but the chef offered to make us some porridge and it was the best porridge I’ve ever eaten! With stewed rhubarb on top and he even shared his recipe with us afterwards, thank you!

WHAT A HIDDEN GEM !! This place is absolutely amazing… great menus tgat seem to change daily… unbelievable! Tradition dishes meet French flair Will definitely be back

It all comes down to the experience and that is what you experience at The Kitchen Garden, a pleasant and interesting chat, meeting valuable people and eating delicious food in a different and wonderful place. We got there by chance and it was a blessing.

A unique place to tour the greenhouses, plantations, and finish with a delicious lunch with local products. Super nice and familiar attention. I suggest drinking Longanberry drinking vinegar

Not particularly impressed, that was my second visit and I do not think there will a third, but that's just me.

Loved the monkfish and lentils.

We often go to Worton for our veg and always enjoy the stunning setting and delicious food in the summer. We booked a table in late September, it was pouring with rain, quite chilly and we were wondering if we'd still be able to go. We received a call that afternoon from Worton to confirm our booking and were reassured there would be indoor seating. We were greeted with the usual warm welcome and shown to our table in the glass green house. The green house is adorned with twinkling lights, a huge wood burner which is gentle ticking away and the tables were decorated with the usual beautiful, home grown floral displays. The food was outstanding as always. Worton will surprise you with food combinations you won't have tried before, each dish is a celebration of the produce grown on the farm and fresh fish from cornish day boats. The crackling and tomatillo salsa and roasted lemon sole are my absolute favourites. A true local treasure x

We discovered this gem almost by accident whilst on a short trip away from London. It’s enough to bring us back to the area time and time again. Peaceful. Incredible food and perfect hospitality. Highly recommended.

Amazing food , plus a beautiful settling in a country garden.

Rather expensive local produce. There are other farm shops and ways to buy locally at lower prices. It’s not easy to get to, it’s part of worton hall. The restaurant looked nice and prices more normal.

Wonderful organic food. Peaceful eating in the greenhouse. Speedy friendly service. Beautiful produce in the farmshop. A brilliant organic project.

A very small glass of sparkling water (not very sparkling and no bottle) £3.50!!! The prices of items on the menu vary from prices shown on web. Everything priced higher at the restaurant. A complete rip-off ! No bill either.

Hidden Gem! Amazing surroundings and great food. Never seen anything like it before, definitely visiting again!

Have been a few times and usually had a good experience but today we ordered the nasu dengaku (miso glazed aubergine) and for £18 the plate didn’t match the price! The presentation for £18 and the content of the plate was very underwhelming. It lacked any greens, spring onions perhaps. The rice was haphazardly spooned into the plate and the waitress couldn’t tell us was the pickled veg was. It was sad given we have always enjoyed coffee and cake there but our first experience with food was a let down .

Good food good service in a lovely setting

Amazing organic food, unique flavors and a very nice place!

Beautiful setting. Very relaxed atmosphere. Delicious and nutritious food. Would definitely return, especially on a sunny day like today! The pistachio cake was particularly good!

Delicious food and a beautiful garden, but service became so slow that we didn't order dessert, after waiting over 30 mins to get the waitress' attention. It was very busy so probably just need more staff.

Terrible service. Beautiful place. Such a pity. Waited for nearly an hour with one waitress who served ppl who came after us. After we asked her Plenty of times to serve us, she ignored us completely. We drove all the way to come here to go back hungry and utterly disappointed.

The food and the place is amazing! Such a little Hiden gem

Can’t comment on the food as we did not eat. Booked a table for 2pm, and, having never been before, we weren’t sure how the restaurant worked. Having entered through the shop, we were acknowledged by a waitress in an empty restaurant who then walked off, rather than greeting us or showing us to a table (or informing us about the glass house around the back where all the diners were). Then we were stood expecting her to come back to get us menus/take the name of the booking/show us to a table - instead overheard to a long discussion about bread around the corner. Following which, she seemed surprised we were still waiting - finally telling us about the glass house around the back, which we made our way to on our own, sat down, viewed the over priced menu, and waited for someone to bring a drinks menu/take a drinks order - no one came for a good few minutes. So left. All in all, regretted making the journey, as had been looking forward to trying the place for a while. I would recommend some customer service training at the least.

Great rustic and rural restaurant. Love to dine in their greenhouse..

I purchased a jar of their honey a few weeks back and it is truly the best I have ever tasted. No more supermarket honey for me. As you can see from the photo it's almost gone!

Good food in restaurant and lovely shop

Simon and the team hosted wonderfully for our wedding reception in September. Couldn't have asked for a nicer setting and food! They also decorated the glass house beautifully just for our meal. Always such a friendly and relaxed atmosphere whenever we come. Thank you again!

Lovely place and excellent food. The atmosphere, especially on a sunny day, is unique!

This is a hidden gem. Delicious homemade cakes, magical setting. The service was friendly. However, due to staffing levels on the day we visited, a tad slow. The owner was very apologetic as he had 4 members of staff call in sick that day. I would say book if you would like more than just a coffee and a cake. Go for the experience👍👍

Great place, great food (but puzzled why dishes don't include sides of their home grown veg), and amazing greenhouses. Will visit again.

Charming and abundant gardens. Delicious food in amongst the flowers, fruit and veg

Great place to buy organic vegetable, lovely restaurant. Staff very friendly. Highly recommend.

A very special discovery hidden in the countryside

Unforgettable food, an amazing garden, shop and bakery

Amazing food, great service and we loved walking around the farm after our food

Not sure why this restaurant is so busy. Service was very slow and disorganised, albeit friendly. Food was largely overcooked and overpriced. Soft drinks were weird. Wine list small, but at least one good choice in each colour. Will be a while before we go back. Farm shop is nice though.

Just like sitting in my grandfather’s garde. Very nice!

Beautiful setting, great service and great food.

We arrived quite late on Saturday with 30 mins to go before closing and they had sold out of most items on the menu but the staff very kindly said they could bring us some meze and cakes! The food was delicious and the surroundings so peaceful and pretty! Will definitely come back another day!

Discovered this place today. Turned up at the cafe where they were all booked out for lunch but they found me a space to have coffee and the best almond croissant I have ever tasted

Such a lovely, relaxing and friendly place. Happy time had by us all.

Only cycled pass. And stopped because I had a puncture.

Abundant with great produce, albeit a little pricey for some. Fabulous, cheese, sourdough, plenty of variety and choice Inc fresh cornish fish. Super enthusiastic owner, I'm looking forward to going back for lunch 😊

Fantastic place, food staff,kitchen staff were amazing.

A surreal audio-visual-taste experience - a string quartet playing Vivaldi while I was eating the prettiest and tastiest tomatoes in the UK.

Great setting, with great tasting food,would recommend