Oxfordshire's foodie news

There is so much exciting news food-wise in Oxford that I don’t know where to begin.

* Perhaps first up is news of a new gastro pub opening in Deddington. The Unicorn has been refurbished, revamped and taken over by two young enthusastic landlords Chris Brewster and his friend and head chef Johhny Parke, whose father Jeremy used to run Studley Priory in Stanton-St-John, and then The Bell in Ramsbury.

It will boast seven rooms, as well as a restaurant, bar, beer garden and snug, and if their pedigree is anything to go by should be fantastic.

The bar is already open, the restaurant being trialled this weekend and The Unicorn set to open properly on Monday. So get down there before there’s a scrum.

The Unicorn is at Market Place, Deddington. Call 01869 338838

* You might also have noticed that Fire & Stone has closed on George Street and I can’t say I’m going to lose any sleep over it.

The good news is that it’s re-opening as a Cleaver restaurant, one of four in this new American style restaurant chain, mid-December. It has a simple menu of chicken, burgers, ribs, salads, sides and desserts and will be a lovely change from pizza. See cleaverrestaurants.co.uk

* The Old Parsonage has closed for an enormous refurbishment job to include the creation of five new bedrooms and a rooftop library. The completed new Old Parsonage will be unveiled to the public in March 2014.

Jeremy Mogford bought the former guest house, built in the 1600s 25 years ago, restoring its original features to create a luxury hotel in the city centre, where it has reigned supereme ever since as one of Oxford’s best kept secrets.

* La Tasca in the Oxford Castle site, has re-opened its doors following a full refurbishment of the Spanish tapas bar and restaurant. Re-decorated throughout, in keeping with the authentic Spanish charm, with the addition of a new bar, it’s new look should entice more locals and tourists to sample it’s cuisine.

The new menu has more than 60 dishes and is designed by acclaimed executive chef Antony Bennett who has taken inspiration from his various trips to Spain. Visit latasca.co.uk

* The Anchor Inn on Hayfield Road, Oxford has re-opened under the watchful eye of Julian Rosser who also owns the Duke Of Cambridge on Little Clarendon Street and is said to have pumped £100,000 into the make-over. Jamie King and wife Charlotte took over the Anchor Inn in North Oxford in 2006 and made it a gourmet venue, winning the Bib Gourmand award for good food at reasonable prices and featured in the Good Food Guide 2013 and the Michelin Guide 2013. But the couple left the 1930s pub in April after struggling with falling trade and increased costs.

* Florios which opened and closed with alarming speed in Summertown is not going to turn into a Pizza Express as rumoured but I hear will be renamed the Oxford Kitchen and run as an independent restaurant instead, which is great news.