Restaurant & Drinking Establishment
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'Country Pub & Fine Dining'. Popular, thatched 13th c. riverside-ish pub with a French twist (as of 2006). Large garden; accessible from Port Meadow as well as by road from west Oxford; very popular in summer. Wheelchair accessibility set to improve over the next few years as planning permission is granted. Non-smoking throughout. |
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Been visiting the Perch for a while now. There are some very good things about it and some very bad. First the good: The building and gardens are beautiful - really well maintained and amazing attention to detail. A good selection of drinks and well priced wine list. The location - a beautiful walk along the river bank. Then the bad: The food gets worse each time I visit. When the current management took the pub over the food was wonderful - one of the best places to eat in Oxford. When they re-opened after the place burnt down the food was OK. Visiting last weekend the food was very poor, simply badly cooked and not in any way worth the high price. The menu is very limited. I had the swordfish (dry, overcooked), my partner had the chicken (no better than supermarket ready meal). I would be happy to return to the Perch but won't eat there again until they make some major changes to the menu or get a better cook. Jamie @ OX2, 22/06/09 We visited (four of us) two weeks ago. Very disappointing as the person serving us was less than good at explaining items on the menu, with two items arriving with the wrong things on the plate, i.e. no ice-cream on one, that should have had, wrong vegetables on another course.The bread on the table was unusual and very hot, not eaten by three of the party. The food was only average, I am afraid, the bill much, much too high. We'll stay at home... 10/06/09 Very disappointing. With such a lovely setting I was hoping that the Perch would rise from the ashes - the Phoenix of French gastronomy so sorely lacking in Oxford - but I felt very let down. Our starters (confit of Beef Wellington and Moules Normandes) were both OK but no more and the chicken main course was lacking in flavour, was slightly dry and overcooked and the portion far too meagre to justify the price. However I must admit the "Toulouse Sausages" with Parsnip mash were first class, juicy, flavoursome and the rich onion jus was quite delicious. Still, one out of four is simply not good enough and we felt it was shame not to have a gastronomic haven in such perfect surroundings. I was left feeling as though I could have cooked better at home which is surely the opposite of what one expects when dining out. All in all, a below par experience. We might try it again at a later date if only to sample the bar food. Maybe Crepes and Croque-Monsieurs will be handled with a bit more dexterity and oomph and sitting in the delightful garden might make up for our previous let down... Pamplemousse, 12/05/09 One word - glorious. I took my family to the Perch on Sunday. We sat in the beautiful garden and had bbq. My wife chatted for some time with a manager, who she thinks was Scottish or French (you know who you are!). He along with the barman outside made us feel so welcome and personally helped my wife chose her drinks and brought them to us. We all sampled the lovely fresh cakes which were a big hit with Chloe and Oliver. As soon as we can get a babysitter we will return to sample the impressive restaurant menu. Well done and we will all be back. Mr Pillars, 21/04/09 I have been to the Perch last Sunday. It was just amazing. I ate outside even if the weather was not so nice. The garden is lovely!! The food was excellent, and the staff were nice, friendly and very efficient!! I recommend this place to anyone!! Besides, if you walk around this area, you can see the well where Alice fell down from "Alice in Wonderland" [in Binsey village at St Margaret's Church - more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binsey,_Oxfordshire - Ed]. Emilie, 13/04/09 We recently visited The Perch for the first time on the recommendation of a friend. The walk to the pub itself is stunning as you approach their beautiful garden filled with walkers, cyclists, children playing, and generally a very happy crowd. The building is amazing - so homely, warm and welcoming. The service was fantastic; the staff knew what they were talking about and offered a great recommendation. You simply MUST try the swordfish! Everything here feels considered and created with love....we'll be back again for certain! Gretchen, London, 09/04/09 I am a lactose intolerant vegetarian. I have recently been to the Perch for a meal after a cold walk through the commons. I had tried their inferior and expensive wine and asked for one of their vegetarian dishes, explicitly inquiring on the ingredients (i.e. lack of cheese). After being assured by the waitress, I was faced with a dish full of melted cheese. I then ordered a dish of aubergines, which was cold and took ages to arrive. When the bill came I had to pay for both dishes. I explained to the waitress that I had not touched the first dish as she herself had noticed. To avoid waiting I just paid for two meals and left. wine lover, 29/03/09 I have been many times with friends to the Perch. It is a bit overpriced for what is on offer but the ambience is amicable and the walk to the Perch through the meadows is stunning - the management however is terrible. I recently tried to book the place for a party, not only it was almost impossible to organize a simple meal (they are so inflexible and unable to take an order over the phone – one has to go personally during working hours which is a hassle) but they surcharge you for bringing them business in. To speed up our future booking for 60 people we decided to go personally once more on the weekend. We were four people, after spending over £80 on a meal and leaving a generous tip we called the management to organize our booking, after 1 failed phone call and two unanswered emails. The woman in charged asked us to wait, she would talk to us after our meal. We waited 40 min and had to ask the staff to let her know we were still waiting. After 40 min a very apologetic waiter came to tell us she was “busy on the phone and asked us to phone her next week” Bottom line, we will never go to the Perch again. disappointed, 29/03/09 Five of us celebrated my son's 31st birthday at The Perch on Saturday night. This is not a stuffy place - it is a seriously good restaurant in a beautifully rebuilt pub. Snow outside; warmth of a log fire and very friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable staff inside ensure you feel immediately comfortable in these surroundings. Good, if limited menu; good, if limited wine list. But every dish we had, including the vegetarian option, was judged to be superb, interesting, beautifully cooked and undeniably French. Big plates make portions appear small, but the quality of both ingredients and cooking compensate for what is, after all, only an impression. We could recommend any of the dishes we ate, but I was particularly impressed with the smoked salmon starter and the magret de canard cooked more rosé than the French do it at home but of a flavour that will remain engraved in my taste-buds for ever! We all agreed the home-made brown bread with rosemary, honey and mustard in the dough was a triumph! The wine, a Chateau de Bel Air Lussac St Emilion 2005 served at exactly the right temperature, having been opened to breath for about half an hour, was exquisite but expensive at just under £40 a bottle, but the over-all price for a top notch three-course dinner for the five of us at £193 seemed to us to offer good value for money. This was a truly pleasurable experience. Chris Bishop, 08/02/09 I recently had a wonderful meal at The Perch. I had duck breast followed by carpaccio of pineapple and must say that it was a very enjoyable meal. The duck was cooked to perfection - tasty and tender - and the pineapple dessert is one of the best I have had in a long time. I agree that some of the menu does seem a little steep but the quality of the meal that my wife and I had was fantastic and we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the place as well, so all in all it was a very worthwhile trip across the meadow. Good luck to them! Bobby, 04/02/09 Just back from the Perch for Sunday lunch. I should have read the reviews here before. As mentioned there, we found the drink and food uninspired and for what it is, heavily overpriced. Will not go back! You can get much nicer French cooking and service only minutes away from the Perch in Jericho for the same price! We had the "Cauliflowers [sic] and stilton soup" for £4.00 each. Creamy but much too strong on the stilton. For main the "Roast Beef Sunday Special for £14.00. Rare meat (as ordered) but not crispy on the outside, huge batons (finger size) of undercooked swede and carrots, a broccoli floret, a single baked potato (suspiciously similar to the ready made frozen variety), a floppy Yorkshire pudding and some watery gravy. Bad food. Bad value. michael, 25/01/09 The Perch is fab, had a great 2 course dinner there recently and the staff were really friendly. I don't know what it was like before the refurb but its got heaps of charm. The dinners air in on the pricey side of pub dining but are superb. I had lemon sea bass and a chocolate mousse. The sea bass was delicious although needed an extra side, and the chocolate mousse lovely. The owner has added some great touches, like offering roasted chestnuts when I went there at Christmas. The staff team are definitely friendly, but the waiters and waitresses do need a rocket up their bums to get their attention! This is a pub that does great food, not a restaurant that offers a great pub. The service reflects this kind of ethos. Great for dropping in to for some nosh after a cold walk but not somewhere to go for a fine dining experience. Dinner for one, 28/12/08 Sunday evening after a tiring weekend we were pleasantly surprised by the quiet interior of this pub and lovely woodsmoke aroma from the open fire. Just what we needed. The welcoming staff soon had us sat down at a cosy table for two with black napkins and maroon flowers (real ones!). But then the menu came. There were only 5 choices of main course, none of which sounded particularly inspiring, yet were decidedly on the expensive side. We asked and there were no specials. I've only once ever got up and left a restaurant after being seated due to the unappealing choice/price combination of the menu, and I was very close again on this occassion. The fish of the day dish at £18 consisted of half a sea bass on lemon herbed mash potatoes with a couple of small pieces of broccoli and sauce. It was well presented and reportedly tasted good but not worthy of that price. I had the Lamb Shank at £17 which, like a previous reviewer said, was overly salty and not nearly tender enough. This was served with beans (like baked beans but firmer and tastier, and in a slightly spicey sauce). That was all I would have got had I not asked for some potato. They didn't charge extra for the portion of mash potato but then I should hope not! For dessert we both had a delicious creme brulee, but to be honest I've never had a bad creme brulee. It's a simple dish to make but cost £6 each. It's a pity. It's a nice pub with decent service and if it had a bigger choice of dishes at a lower average price then we might be tempted to give it another go, but as it stands we both came out saying that we'd never eat there again. Spencer, 09/11/08 We booked for lunch on Saturday (25/10/08). Wonderful to see the place refurbished. Great job on the thatch. The interior is similar to what was there before the fire, but with more tables, as well as some comfy looking sofas near the fire. As a pub, it all looks good. But the food! Oh dear. We had a party of 6. The lamb shank needed another two or three hours in the oven in order to get suitably tender and was terribly, terribly salty. The cabbage roll was tough, and filled with canned tuna. The risotto was adequate, but not terribly tasty. On the plus side, the soup was nice. And the side of vegetables excellent. But most of the prices were, we thought, 25-30% higher than what they should have been - given the quality of the food. We'd love to see the Perch become a real destination (it is such a nice spot) but, sadly... until they sort the kitchen out in a sharpish kind of way, it is likely to be a place that people visit once and then, like us, wait for the reviews to improve. J, 27/10/08 I had eagerly awaited the reopening of the Perch. Three dozen years ago I proposed to my lady friend in that pub and we have often been there together since. On a nice day with the kids in the garden it was a good place to be. About 18 months ago they had music on Wednesdays and we had a fairly regular dinner date. Then, of course, the fire! They reopened last weekend and last night we seized our first opportunity to see what it is like. The car park was almost deserted and very dark and the pub looked gloomy on a rather chilly evening, but we could see they were open as there were a few people inside. The sofas by the fire were as welcoming as ever and the reception from the staff was pretty good too. So we sat with a drink to peruse the menu which looked quite appropriate, nothing too fancy and just enough choice. Before I had finished my nice pint of Hookey we had decided what we would eat. Two waitresses and the manager were close at hand and not at all busy, but nobody came to ask us what we would like. I finished my pint and one of them came and took away the empty glass without asking if I would like a refill! My wife found the wine not to her liking. We were both disappointed – perhaps we had expected too much. We sat for half an hour before I handed back the menu and said we would eat elsewhere. The waitress said she hoped we would return as next week they expected to have “the full menu” available. George Woodward Mathews, 25/09/08 From the website: "The Perch is rising from the ashes. Back in business as normal from Monday Sept 22nd. Charcoal cooking party on Sunday Sept 21st." Can't wait! :) G, 18/09/08 I went to the Perch last week to see if it was open again but they're still repairing the roof. It looks nearing completion now. littlepinkladybird, 15/05/08 Just in case people don't know... the Perch burnt down a couple of weeks ago. No use trying to go there now... tekka, 27/05/07 Really wonderful place to eat drink and enjoy, with friends. Such a contrast. Once one went into the garden to eat to escape the awful dingy ambience, but all changed for the better. The fire was a disaster historically, and gastronomically for Binsey. Just hope that the insurance settlement will mean that the charming French owner will start again, and soon. margs, 26/05/07 I went to the Perch for the fourth or fifth time recently for my Birthday and found it as usual very nice: the food was very tasty and the young lady who tended to us was very efficient. It is always nice to contribute to the local economy and a large portion of the menu hasn't travelled very far. The venue has got better and better everytime I visit and is now the finished article. Keep up the good work!! Adam M, 24/04/07 First visit under new management and what an improvement - very tasteful interior, warm atmosphere, friendly staff, beautiful garden, great french music (!! - ed) and delicious food. We will definitely be going again! hannah, 23/04/07 A group of us went to the Perch for dinner and found it to be one of the worst, and most overpriced, places around. Meals certainly were not of Michelin star level - they were so dreadful I wouldn't even serve them to friends were they to dine at my home. The service was even worse than the food! If you like paying for overpriced food and appalling service, this is the place to go. if not, go elsewhere. JLLH, 08/04/07 I was introduced to The Perch by a friend as a place to meet for a meal and I was astounded. To find this level of quality and price in a genuinely rural setting this close to Oxford was completely unexpected. The French/English restaurant with locally supplied produce (you will probably travel further than the food does to get to the table) is excellent. Recommended without hesitation as one of the best places to eat or drink in Oxford. Richard, 03/04/07 I've been to the Perch two or three times since September when it changed hands. It has improved with each visit and is now one of the best (if not the best) place to eat in Oxford. The landlord has transformed the place from a dingy dark pub in to a characterful and tasteful venue with a wonderful, intimate atmosphere. When so many places are becoming increasingly corporate it is a real joy to see somewhere become a special place under independent management. G-bit, 16/03/07 In addition to the extraordinary setting, the Perch offers great food (nearly Michelin-star level), a charming and welcoming ambience, friendly and attentive staff. Truly a must if you wish to spend about £20 - £25 each. UP, 04/02/07 I'm a bit confused by the mixed reviews on this page. I've been to the Perch four or five times since the new owners have been in charge, eaten there twice, and it's always been fantastic. The food is excellent, the service extremely attentive, friendly and personal, and the attention to detail that the management is clearly putting in to everything from decoration to the range of drinks to events is truly impressive. I guess the complaints of bad service will have to be put down to teething problems from taking over the business in september, but as I say I've only had great experiences at this pub. Also, there's a back room (which you can eat in) where they're running exhibitions of photography from a different country each month. Highly recommended. Julia, 27/01/07 Absolutely super place, one of if not THE best in Oxford. Food, drink, service - fantastic. Try it! Chrissie, 26/01/07 Went to The Perch recently and had an absolutely gorgeous meal, really friendly service by the owner Johnny and loved everything about the place really! Nice French music in the background, crackling fire and big plush Victorian leather sofas. Quality. Eucam4, 17/01/07 Three friends and I visited the Perch last Friday lunchtime. Never again! I'd previously telephoned to check they did sandwiches at lunchtime which they assured me 'would not be a problem'. It clearly was. On arrival at 1.45 the barman looked at his watch - nice welcome - I asked if we were too late and sincerely wish now we had been! We were offered 'sandwich of the day' which was BLT (nothing else on offer), and there seemed to be some difficulty with our apparently unreasonable request to have cheese in place of the bacon. After checking with the kitchen (or maybe he just walked off to do something more interesting) the barman graciously said it would be possible. We then tried to order drinks at the bar but were told we couldn't order there, but had to sit at a table. 10 minutes later I had to almost trip up the one passing (and surprised) waiter to order drinks. They took another 10 minutes to arrive. 'Our' sandwiches arrived about 20 minutes later but were given to the people opposite who, although surprised at the contents, hungrily began to eat them before the waiters removed them, mid-chomp. They looked as fed up as us! We finally got our sandwiches (with unwanted chips and salad) nearly an hour after arrival, by which time we had long finished our drinks. There appeared to be only two staff attending - an unwelcoming, sour-faced barman and a charming but hapless waiter - both of whom clearly need rockets up certain parts of their anatomy. To add insult to injury, when we paid cash to the waiter (£40 for a £33 bill), he asked us if we would like change! I would never ever go there again, not even for a drink! Sandy, 06/11/06 We visited the Perch couple of years back and it had been in a sad state. Went there this evening (on a recommendation) and found it transformed. French restaurant (with French/African music in the background). Food and service excellent. We started with grilled goat's cheese with salad leaves and local honey. I had Boeuf Bourginion to follow, which came with potato cake and fresh baby carrots; excellent. My wife had moules which she was similarly very pleased with. The French staff were friendly and attentive, they explained they had been in business for around eight weeks, having taken over and cleaned up the operation. We had a 50cl pitcher of wine and I asked for (and they happily provided) a free jug of tap water with ice and lemon. Total bill around £40 before service. I'd recommend highly. It wasn't busy on the Friday night, though they reported they can be booked out over the weekends. So high praise, though it was a bit cool in the restaurant as it's at the other end of the room from the fire (it was sub-zero outside). You might take a jumper. Mark, 03/11/06 I recently went to the Perch for food and drinks and it was fantastic! The place looks so much better with the garden and the interior redecorated. I loved the atmosphere - the staff were very friendly and attentive and the food was great. We were very impressed with the overall experience and we will definitely go back. I'm so glad the Perch has finally been re-vamped from its neglected state and wish the new owners the best of luck. Suzanne C, 23/09/06 A 40 minute queue for drinks this Sunday... these people do not have a clue how to run a pub. Either they should turn it into a restaurant with table service, or they should leave. They gave up on serving anyone at 4pm this Sunday. Feeble. Oxford Stone, 11/09/06 Myself and two friends went to The Perch for Sunday Lunch. WE WILL NEVER EAT OR DRINK THERE AGAIN. It was the WORST Sunday lunch experience of our lives. I had to queue for 25 minutes to get my food and drink order placed. The staff seemed totally oblivious to the fact that there were long queues for both food and drink orders. In fact, there seemed to be no sense of urgency in anything they did. When I finally did get to place my order, I was told by the head waiter, that he, "...couldn't wait for winter when it's indoor tables only, and it's all reservations. What am I supposed to do when 150 people suddenly turn up and want feeding?" Hmmm... well given that you're in a SERVICE industry, how about serving us? How about rising to meet the challenge, and thus grow the business, instead of pissing people off, and running the business into the ground, because you'd rather potter about moving cutlery, instead of taking food orders, and delivering meals to tables? Our food then took AN HOUR to reach our table, and even then, they got some of it wrong. The quality of the food was adequate, although the menu was VERY limited. Surely, you would think, the whole point of doing a limited menu is so that you can produce the stuff en massse, and quickly? Apparently not, for the clowns running The Perch. At no point did anyone from The Perch offer any form of compensation in the form of full or partial refund, or even complimentary drinks. Spoken apologies were scant and frankly, I didn't believe for a second that any of the staff were remotely sorry for the abysmal service. In summary, the building and location were great, the food was adequate in quality, nothing special, and the choices were far too limited. But the service, was just about the WORST SERVICE I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. MaxT, 10/09/06 The Perch is in an amazing spot and it has been tidied up with some new decor, great outdoor umbrellas, and tidy bar inside. There is a slight problem with some of the prices....two slices of posh bread, a teaspoon of jam and some hard cheese = £5.00. The prices are not right! But the garden and pub look fab. country pub lover, 28/08/06 The Perch has just been taken over by new management - again - and they have spruced it up no end! Moved the bar to give lots more space, newly decorated keeping the rustic feel with a French twist. The sad, neglected garden has been tidied up at last and has a new decking area. It's looking good. Just hope they can stop ignorant dog owners taking their pooches into the kids' play area!! Didn't try the food, kitchen not fully operational til Sept. I wish them all the best. wine girl, 17/08/06 Me and my sister queued for 30 minutes just to by one drink. If you thought the Trout was bad for queueing do not come here. But on the plus side the staff are very friendly. need booze, 06/07/06 Not too bad, although it would be nice if they put some heating on!! Boozy girl, 08/05/06 I have just made my first return visit to The Perch,after ten years.it does not look like it has been cleaned or redecorated in that time, most disappointing. 12/04/06
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