Woodstock Road Delicatessen 15 Woodstock Road, 01865 316228 Sometimes, when you fancy a quick lunch rather than a grand sit down affair, its good to be pre-armed with a couple of caf secrets, and the best new one to add to your address book is the Woodstock Road Delicatessen in Oxford.

Operated by the same people as the mighty Alpha Bar and The Vaults and Gardens, it runs along vegetarian lines, and its cafe offers fresh soup, sandwiches and salads to eat in or take away, as well as a full delicatessen brimming with food goodies from all over the world.

WHAT DID WE HAVE?

We had the dhal, lemon and herb soup with freshly made bread for just £2.20 a cup, which was exquisite. The rest of us tried the small salads, which fill you up beautifully.

Choose one main filling from tuna or mackerel to falafel or mozzarella, add three salad entries which change every day and top it all off with a dash of pesto, black beans or hummus. Three of us all came back with completely different concoctions in little noodle boxes, from puy lentils and salsa to salad leaves, coleslaw, couscous and roasted vegetable choices, and all for £3.45.

Accompanied by their delicious soft drinks, from blood orange and mandarin presse to good old English pear juice, and the whole experience is really unique.

Follow this up with a selection of their cakes and pastries - home-made carrot cake to die for and some imported waffle biscuits from Holland - and wash it down with some really delicious coffee and Bob's your uncle.

WHAT DID WE THINK?

Sure, you have to queue at the counter to give your order and carry your food back to the fairly rustic tables, but the ridiculously reasonable prices and fantastic quality of food make this more than worthwhile. I can't recommend it highly enough, although the service was a bit impersonal and sniffy, considering you have to work out how to concoct the salads first, and a smile wouldn't go amiss.