Wow, last week was something, wasn’t it? If you spent any part of it sitting directly in front of a fan eating ice lollies and pretending to be productive, you’re in good company. Oxford in a heatwave is beautiful; the golden stone, the punters on the river, the smell of someone else’s barbecue, right up until the point where your flat becomes a radiator and your laptop starts making concerning noises.
The good news is that another one is on its way. The better news is that you don’t have to suffer through it at home.
We’ve pulled together some of our favourite indie businesses across Oxford that will actually keep you cool; whether you’re looking for somewhere to eat, drink, browse, work, or simply exist at a civilised temperature for a few hours. All of them are independent, all of them are brilliant, and all of them are a significantly better option than your living room at 32 degrees.
Grape Minds
35 South Parade, Oxford, OX2 7JN
If you’ve never been into Grape Minds, a heatwave is a perfectly reasonable excuse to fix that. Oxfordshire’s award-winning independent wine specialists sit on South Parade in Summertown, and they are exactly the kind of place that makes you feel better about the world. The team genuinely know their wine, this isn’t a stack-it-high-and-hope-for-the-best situation, and there’s real pleasure in browsing somewhere that’s been curated with care. Pick up something cold and interesting for the evening, or just enjoy the air con and a conversation with people who are passionate about what they do.
Oxtwo
267 Prama House, Banbury Road, OX2 7HT
Oxtwo at Prama House is one of those places that makes you feel like you’ve made a good decision the moment you walk through the door. Velvet armchairs, crystal chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the Banbury Road; it’s relaxed, welcoming, and genuinely lovely. If you’re working from home and your home is currently a slow cooker, this is where you come. Get a coffee, settle in, and let someone else worry about the temperature for a while.
Spiced Roots
64 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1JB
The Cowley Road has no shortage of places to eat, but Spiced Roots stands out. This Caribbean-inspired restaurant has picked up multiple awards, including Overall Winner at the Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards, and the food is the kind that makes you want to stay at the table long after you’ve finished. Which, during a heatwave, is exactly what you want. A long, unhurried lunch somewhere cool and full of flavour beats an afternoon at home trying to decide whether to open a window or close it.
Every Body Studio
Magdalen Road and West Way, Botley
We know what you’re thinking — exercise? In this heat? Stay with us. Every Body Studio runs inclusive, welcoming classes across two Oxford locations, and there’s something genuinely restorative about being in a cool, calm space doing something good for yourself when the world outside feels relentless. The studio is a proper antidote to heatwave lethargy and you’ll feel considerably better afterwards than you would having spent the afternoon horizontal in front of a fan. Worth considering.
These are just four of the hundreds of brilliant independent businesses worth exploring across Oxfordshire this summer. Air con not always guaranteed, but quality very much is!
Browse the full directory at independentoxford.com
