Check out the tasty treats on offer and latest food news around Oxfordshire

* Big news at The Crown in Woodstock which hopes to open its doors by the end of the month, with its rooms upstairs completed in a few months time.

Owner Julian Rosser, who runs The Anchor in Jericho and the Duke of Cambridge in Little Clarendon Street, is putting the finishing touches to the town’s pivotal pub, which will boast a restaurant/bar and pub when it opens.

Rumours of a sell-out and a cocktail bar are untrue – there will be beer on tap as well as an Italianate menu and a wood-fired oven.

“The rumours have been hilarious,” Julian says: “but think Polpo and you won’t be far off.

“There will be a deli at the bar and a dining room at the back so people can pop in for a drink, nibbles or a meal. It shoudn’t be long now but it’s a massive place so has been quite a big job,” he continues. Watch this space.

* Oxfork has already opened its doors in East Oxford under new ownership this week, the Turl Street Kitchen taking over the café famed for its quirky décor and delicious brunches.

A few months ago Oxfork, which was initially set up as an ‘underground supper club’ three years ago, was on the brink of closure as the owners planned to start families, as explained in last week’s Guide Start Up page.

However, the team behind the Turl Street Kitchen in the city centre have worked with the founders, Jess and Chloe, to keep the café open and maintain the amazing atmosphere and food which has made Oxfork, in Magdalen Road, so popular.

Oxfork’s new manager Clare Wells said: “Turl Street Kitchen has already shown a commitment to local and sustainable food and we believe that this vision for good food is a natural partner to Oxfork’s existing ethos.

That’s why we’re delighted to be re-opening Oxfork with support from the TSK team.”

While the new team will continue to deliver the same sustainable food that Oxfork’s loyal customers know and love, they are introducing one new element: transferring the café into a community- owned social enterprise.

For more details go to oxfork.co.uk

* It’s the Sudeley Castle Food Festival this weekend which includes a charity bake-off, foraging fun and children’s cookery classes.

Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Cotswold Hills, the festival will include food and drink producers, many of them local, including artisan bakers, local micro-breweries and pulled pork barbecues, a food and drink theatre and talks from a variety of food and drinks experts. There will be roaming entertainers, a charity bake-off and stalls.

Tickets are available at fantasticbritishfoodfestivals.com and cost £5 for adults on Friday or £10 for Saturday or Sunday, children go half price, and under-five’s free.

* The St Giles’ Café has launched its BYO summer evening menu every Thurs/Fri/Sat night featuring a choice of £18.50 for two courses or £24.50 for three.

Try the broad bean, feta, asparagus and rocket salad with lemon dressing and balsamic reduction, the pan-fried pigeon breast, red wine poached pear, black pudding and pea shoots or the Thai-style mussels with coconut milk, lime and Thai red curry sauce for starters.

Mains include the grilled organic rack of lamb with spring onion and wild garlic salad, chilli couscous and minted yoghurt or the pan-fried fillet of sea bass, red onion and apple salad, lemon and chive sauce and finish with the poached rhubarb and ginger crumble with crème Anglaise. I’m so there.

Call 01865 554200 or see info@stgilescafe.com