10-12 Friars Entry,
OXFORD,
OX1 2BY
(01865) 240900
The ViewOxford Review
Manna from heaven for real ale drinkers, Far From The Madding Crowd is a perfect refuge.
The Venue
As the name suggests, Far From The Madding Crowd is a little way down an alleyway parallel to the main drag of George Street. It has hanging flower baskets on the outside as well as Victorian lamps and black and gold signage. Through big swing doors you enter an open plan rectangular pub with lots of tables and chairs.
The floor is dark unpolished wood and there are spotlights and angled lights in the ceiling. The bar is quite small but, for its size, serves a veritable cornucopia of real ales - undoubtedly the best selection in central Oxford. There’s a more comfy seating area at the far end with sofas and modern and classic art on the walls. It’s an independently family-run pub and they do quiz nights and hold regular beer festivals.
The People
The CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale for the uninitiated) crowd love this place and it’s not hard to see why with so many real ales on draught and in bottles. Otherwise it’s fairly mixed crowd although it’s fair to say that it’s a bit more reasoned and mature than other, more racy, bars in the area.
The Food and Drink
A beer lover’s paradise with Guinness, San Miguel, Kronenbourg and Foster’s as well as Swan Gold (Vale Brewery), Ribble Gold (Grindleton Brewhouse), Knight’s Templar (Buntingford Brewery), Banks and Taylor’s Stewartby Ale and Dragon Slayer, Brakspear Bitter (Wychwood), Propaganda (Rebellion Beers) and West Country Cider too.
And that’s just on tap. In bottles there’s Beck’s, Corona, Duvel, Tiger and Leffe as well as bottled ales from the local Wychwood Brewery plus lots of ciders including Green Goblin and the whole of the Thatcher’s range. They’ve got four bottles of white and four red wines for around £3.50 for a small glass and £11 to £12 a bottle. A brie and mango wrap is £5.25 (hey, this is still central Oxford) and a lamb shank is £6.95.
The Last Word
Every city centre needs a pub where you can relax, drink good beer and flee from the masses. In Oxford, this is it.
Far From the Madding Crowd has been reviewed by 1 users