The Handle Bar Cafe & Kitchen
30-32 St Michael's St, Oxford OX1 2EB
Rating: 4.4 ★ (1553 ratings)
Details
The Handle Bar Cafe & Kitchen offers a vibrant and inviting atmosphere, nestled on St Michael's Street in Oxford's city centre, above one of the city's oldest bike shops. This two-story establishment boasts a distinctive bike-centric aesthetic, featuring antique bicycles adorning the walls and ceilings amidst a setting of large windows, lush plants, and comfortable, lived-in furnishings. The space cultivates a warm, quirky, and laid-back vibe, designed as a social hub for conversation and interaction, creating a charming escape from the urban bustle. Its authentic character and independent spirit truly set it apart.
The culinary offerings showcase an eclectic, fresh, and healthy menu with an international flair, consistently changing with the seasons to introduce new flavours. A strong commitment to sustainability means ingredients are often locally sourced, with everything prepared fresh on-site. Diners can enjoy an array of options catering to meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans, alongside numerous gluten-free choices. Popular selections include their homemade focaccia, a variety of creative brunch dishes such as shakshouka and French toast, and excellent artisan coffee from Missing Bean Roasters.
This welcoming spot suits a wide array of visitors, from locals and students to friends and families. It provides an ideal setting for relaxed brunches, informal meetings, or even romantic dates, offering a delightful place to catch up over delicious food. The Handle Bar also lends itself well to special occasions, with options for hiring the space for private events like sit-down meals or buffets, accommodating around 30 guests.
Location
Opening Hours
Monday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Thursday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Contact
+44 7386 251961 | http://www.handlebaroxford.com/
Comments
Firstly, we got our coffees. We are both oat milk drinkers, and the coffees were perfect even with the oat milk. A great taste and a great temperature straight of the batt, no signs of burning the coffee whatsoever which is such a relief!
I decided myself to go for the full breakfast option, my girlfriend went for the Turkish eggs.
To begin, the service from the staff was excellent, quick and easy. Very nice to be in this environment.
The food all came out nice and hot with amazing flavours, it was such a breath of fresh air having a place do great vegetarian food, especially leaning more towards breakfast and lunch menus and not having it be the usual “beyond meat” branding, it was genuine hearty food.
All the food was clearly sourced well. It makes you feel great eating proper stuff!
As we’re in the city on holiday, we decided that we’d ask the staff members what we could do today in the city. They were very excited and happy to answer for us, which was lovely!
Thanks again Handlebar Cafe. If we’re ever back in Oxford we’ll certainly be back here too!
Service was good! The food and drinks came out quickly and were warm. They were yummy! Tad oily but definitely good:)
Atmosphere was nice especially upstairs where there’s a lot of natural light coming through. We stayed for about an hour and a half, and there was no rush for us to leave.
The tables we sat on were sticky? I had to pry my coffee from it 😆
The food was delicious and beautifully prepared, making it a great spot for a relaxed brunch. The cozy setting and welcoming staff created a warm and inviting vibe that we really appreciated.
The only small downside was that the smell of the food lingered a bit, leaving a slight odour on our clothes and hair after we left. It didn’t spoil the experience, but it’s worth noting.
All in all, a wonderful place with great food and excellent service — we’d definitely come back again!
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Staff were also lovely and passionate about their work/art of their dishes, which was refreshing to see.
Saw the focaccias as we were heading out which also looked and smelled absolutely mouth watering. Would definitely recommend and love to come back again