An area in Oxford has been named one of the 'coolest' neighbourhoods in the UK.

The Telegraph listed its favourite urban neighbourhoods, nominated by locals and representing all four UK nations.

Not only that, but they listed the best places within them to eat, drink, shop and sleep to correspond in said 'cool' area.

Suppose you want a window to the soul of a city.

In that case, if you want to really uncover its quirks, it pays to get off the beaten track and visit one of its up-and-coming quarters – to which residents, not tourists, flock for bustling restaurants, cosy pubs and independent boutiques.

So, where in Oxford was named?

14th - East Oxford

See their full list here.

Etaine O’Carroll wrote: "Student-saturated East Oxford has always been the city’s liveliest area and the place to find heaving pubs and bars, a late-night curry, the city’s best street art and its largest carnival.

"Little by little though, the area has morphed into something far more interesting, somehow retaining its edgy, artsy vibe alongside an outbreak of new, trendy hangouts where you’ll find artisan coffeehouses, bakeries and spirit-makers all proclaiming the unique and worthy provenance of their produce.

"While busy Cowley Road keeps a hold on the real world, Magdalen Road and a section of Iffley Road are quickly becoming the places to hang."

Where to eat and drink

Perk up with a morning brew from The Missing Bean (themissingbean.co.uk), Magdalen Road’s ethical coffee roasters, before heading to the nearby Green Routes Café (instagram.com) for an indulgent plant-based brunch. 

Up a steep hill on Cowley’s outer edge is The Oxford Artisan Distillery (theoxfordartisandistillery.com), where you can sample spirits made from grain found in medieval thatch.

Later, feast on heavenly momos at Taste Tibet (tastetibet.com) or tapas at Arbequina (arbequina.co.uk) before finishing the day at the Rusty Bicycle (dodopubs.com) a kid-, dog- and vegan-friendly neighbourhood pub.


Recommended reading:

Oxford named among the UK's best cities according to science

Oxford named as one of the most popular cities in the UK

Oxford places high among the top 100 best European cities


Where to shop

Music buffs should head for Truck Store (truckmusic.store), a much-loved independent selling vinyl, CDs and books alongside a line-up of regular live performances.

Reign Vintage (reignvintage.com) caters for all your retro style demands, skaters carve their way to the regular SS20 pop-ups (wearess20.com), while art lovers marvel at Irving Contemporary (irvingcontemporary.com), a tiny art and ceramics gallery tucked into a terraced house.

A room for the night

Victorian villas and mature trees line Iffley Road where No. 192 (no192oxford.co.uk) is now a small boutique hotel with sleek rooms, some of which overlook the garden.