The Alice restaurant in the newly renovated Randolph hotel in Oxford is one of this year’s loveliest new venues. The bright, airy, beautifully decorated dining room and bars are a true delight. The staff are cheerful, welcoming and brilliantly efficient. And the food is superb too, making a daytrip or a weekend break to Oxford even more attractive.
The handsome 19th-century building housing the hotel and restaurant is centrally located near all the city’s main attractions. It’s across the road from the Ashmoleon Museum and very close to some of the University of Oxford’s iconic colleges, including Trinity and St. John’s, as well as the world-famous Radcliffe Camera, the main part of the Bodleian Library.
Chris Emery, Executive Chef at The Alice, has an admirable pedigree, having worked at Jason Atherton’s Pollen Street Social in London and as Head Chef in Atherton’s Michelin-starred The Clocktower in New York, as well as in the kitchens of The Waterside Inn and Cliveden House. The Alice, a nod to Oxford alumnus Lewis Carroll, is an all-day dining restaurant and bar serving classic British dishes with a modern twist, seasonally driven and largely supported by local farmers and suppliers from the nearby counties of Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. There are plenty of other lovely spaces in the hotel to wine and dine including: The Snug, The Morse Bar, The Drawing Room and The Lancaster Room, all ably served by Chef Emery and his team.
Menu highlights include dishes like chalk stream trout, Porthilly oyster and charcoal mayonnaise, roasted Lake District lamb and pan seared brill. The Jerusalem Artichoke dish is a multi-textured, flavorful delight while the sea bass is satisfyingly meaty, sitting on a bed of gnocchi. Desserts are equally appealing with an unusual twist on classic tarte tatin replacing apples with bananas. Everything is beautifully presented and served by the knowledgable and enthusiastic staff. And if you’re lucky, Chef Emery might emerge from the kitchens to serve your final course.
Within The Alice is the chic “Alice Bar” offering inspired cocktails like a Randolph Gimlet with white rum, blanc vermouth and rhubarb and vodka cocktail The Coeur de Lion, named after Richard the Lionheart who was born in Beaumont Place in the 12th century, roughly where the Randolph stands today.
The Snug, an intimate cocktail lounge with the spirit of a bohemian English library, serves a pared down version of drinks and snacks from the main restaurant menu. The Morse Bar, the hotel’s beloved drinking joint, remains an ode to Morse creator Colin Dexter who was a regular and penned some of the Morse books from the bar. The Drawing Room and The Lancaster Room overlook the Ashmolean Museum across the road and serve coffee, snacks and afternoon tea.
Excellent food and drink aside, dining at The Alice is a delightful, whimsical experience thanks to the gorgeous decor. Pale pink leather banquettes, baby blue chairs, twinkling vintage chandeliers, large windows allowing ample natural light throughout the dining room. Start with a cocktail at the Alice Bar, dine in the main restaurant and finish with coffee in the candy colored Lancaster room.
The Alice at The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels, Beaumont Street, Oxford, UK
