Perched on the riverside in the heart of Oxford, The Folly is a truly unique location. The restaurant has a floating terrace out front, while inside you’ll find a buzzy atmosphere and a sumptuous selection of seasonal fare. As one of Oxford’s few independent, family-owned establishments, the restaurant oozes charm. The offering is pretty expansive too, with cruise and dine packages, afternoon tea and year-round outdoor dining all to be enjoyed here. The interiors are laid-back but stylish, with pastel grey walls and a vaulted skylight to flood the space with natural light throughout the day.
Diners here are spoilt for choice, with a la carte, tasting, afternoon tea and kid’s menus to be enjoyed. You might start your meal with the salt cod mousse accompanied by pickled cucumber, curried cauliflower and a batter wafer, or a brulee of chicken liver parfait with chicken fat brioche and quince chutney. The mains are just as elegant, but with an added dash of heartiness, such as slow-cooked pork belly with smoked buttermilk mash, hispi cabbage and cider jus, beef sirloin with marrow dumplings, fondant potatoes, spring greens, beetroot ketchip and red wine jus or salt-baked cauliflower with spiced Parmentier potatoes, truffle and cauliflower veloute, coconut espuma and mango ketchup. Finish off your three-course feast with a decadent dessert such as the baked lime cheesecake, vegan snickers, red velvet fondant, or a show stopping praline chocolate bomb with rum sponge cake with, apricot compote, and orange and cinnamon sorbet.
The tasting menu, however, starts off with a board of amuse bouche and bread, along with pea, mint and feta arancini accompanied by aioli, frisee salad, balsamic gel, tapioca and a parmesan crisp. After that, you might receive an orange and cinnamon sorbet palate cleanser, followed by more delicious courses. Wine pairings are available too, for a supplementary fee. To book a table, simply select a group size and time using the widget on the right.