5th: Al-shami, 25 Walton Crescent
This Lebanese restaurant has a predictably vegetarian-friendly menu. Stick to the mezze for the best-cooked, and largest range of food: tasty dips and imaginative hot and cold salads. It’s also possible to take-away, for the more discerning fast foodie.
4th: The Vault and Gardens, Radcliffe Square
A great place to sit in the summer, (predictably) in the vaults of the University Church backing on to Radcliffe Square, making it a perfect break from the RadCam. Its canteen style lunchtime fare has three reliable, freshly cooked vegetarian options.
3rd: The Gardener’s Arms, 39 Plantation Road
The only entirely vegetarian restaurant on this list, this pub is tucked in the further end of Jericho – but worth the walk even for the laziest! The Garden serves a array of different vegetarian cuisine, from Greek salads and curries, to burgers and Mexican wraps.
2nd: Chutney’s, 36 St Michael’s Street
A classic Indian on Walton Street, which unlike Jamal’s, serves tasty food and is refreshingly devoid of crew-dates. It has a separate menu of vegetarian specials but there are plenty of options on their general menu. Try the South Indian speciality, the Masala Dosa, a rice pancake filled with spicy potato, lentils and chutney.
1st: Manos, 105 Walton Street
This little Greek food delicatessen has a wide selection of salads, hot mezze (the Spanakopita – feta and spinach pastries – are particularly good) as well as traditional Greek oven-cooked dishes like the delicious Iman Bayeldi (garlicky baked aubergine and tomatoes).
There’s space to sit for lunch and dinner, and they even have a garden at the back to help you imagine a possible Mediterranean setting (only advised on a sunny day). You can choose from a great selection of cold salads and dips to takeaway, all accompanied with grilled pitta bread.
