Jeremy Clarkson’s pub was so packed in the run-up to Christmas that pagers were being handed out to diners to alert them with beeps, vibrations and flashing lights when a table became available.
Meanwhile, last weekend, revised festive menus were handed out without the star attraction: the turkey main course with pigs in blankets and roast potatoes. While lunchtime walk-ins are still available at The Farmer’s Dog for those willing to brave the queues, evening tables have been booked up for the rest of the year.
Yet even if Clarkson’s pub is full, there are hotspots not far from his premises that share the same farm-to-fork, local-produce-only vibe, but without the huge crowds. As someone who loves visiting Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds, here are my top picks for a Christmas meal to remember.
The Perch is technically in Oxford, but its surroundings couldn’t be more different to the bustling city centre. Accessed via a pleasant riverside stroll along the Thames Path, it prides itself on serving up “proper British food” sourced from local producers wherever possible – and the effort has paid off.
The traditional thatched cottage appearance of the pub makes it look like a building from a fairytale, and it’s surrounded by picturesque countryside. The meals taste like they’ve been plucked straight from Michelin menus, but don’t come with astronomical prices.
The melt-in-the-mouth quail eggs are scrumptious when paired with tangy celery salt, while a special of the day I sampled in the run-up at Christmas – pan-fried fillet of coley with rainbow chard – was just as fresh as you’d expect local produce to be.
The bonuses include pints of quality ale to revive diners after bracing winter walks on Port Meadow, and dark chocolate dessert cakes accented by juicy cherries.
Closer to the city centre, The White Rabbit is tucked away down a surprise alleyway and serves up a pizza menu boasting fresh dough created on the premises every single day.
It might be the best pizza you’ll get in the city, and for very reasonable prices considering how fresh it is.
The independent pub also serves award-winning ales and craft beers, having built up a name for itself since 1830.
Its name is a nod to the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland (its author Lewis Carroll is famous in Oxford) and consequently everything from the wallpaper to the bar stools and even the plates are decorated with rabbits.
The gorgonzola and pear pizza there is absolutely scrumptious – but I also recently discovered a surprising twist on the Pizza Express festive menu.
Many of us hate brussels sprouts – they are at the very least an acquired taste – but while it’s usually the one thing on a Christmas dinner plate that invites grimaces of displeasure, Pizza Express found a way to make them taste edible.
I was amazed when I tried them out as a side, roasted with garlic butter, topped with Gran Milano cheese and accented by crunchy breadcrumbs.
I never thought brussels sprouts could ever be described as moreish, but on this occasion, I was proven wrong; it’s well worth a visit to see how a Christmas classic with a once bad reputation has been impressively reinvented.
Close to the Oxford Summertown branch of the eatery (three minutes by car on the same street) is the Cotswold Lodge, a four-star family-run Victorian mansion with a welcoming vibe and bedroom decor like the Chateau of Versailles.
Although it’s within walking distance of various city attractions, including Oxford’s famous free museums, it’s set in a residential area away from the hustle and bustle of the city so is a good way to avoid noise and crowds for a peaceful night’s sleep – and it fits the Clarkson countryside vibe.
Meanwhile, a little further out of town lies a personal recommendation from Clarkson’s sidekick himself, Kaleb Cooper – Blenheim Palace.
Located in the Cotswolds market town of Woodstock, the birthplace of Winston Churchill transforms itself every Christmas for a festive lights trail – and Kaleb has revealed that it’s a family tradition for himself and his family to go every year.
This year, the palace’s interior has been transformed into Neverland as an ode to Peter Pan – and Kaleb has admitted his fears for his young son.
“On the website, it looks like a brochure for the most magical Christmas imaginable – but you try taking a two-and-a-half year-old feral farm kid into a place. It gives me nightmares!” he exclaimed in his new book, It’s A Farming Thing.
He joked that he tries to “pull everything off the walls” and even to reach the palace’s sparkly chandeliers.
The best place in town to lay your head after an evening at the lights trail has to be the MacDonald Bear hotel.
Within easy walking distance of the legendary palace, it’s a favourite with celebs, and Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton once stayed there.
The 13th century coaching inn is rumoured to be haunted, but don’t let that deter you – Inspector Morse scenes were filmed there too.
All of the above would make great festive locations to visit – and in the new year, once the crowds have died down, Jeremy Clarkson’s pub might have room for a visit too.
