Dine on the River

at the Restaurant Where Alice in Wonderland Began

Independent, family owned, AA Rosette dining on Folly Bridge. Lunch from 12pm, dinner from 5:30pm, inside or on our floating riverside terrace.

— THE SETTING —

Oxford's Most Remarkable Table

The Folly sits directly on the River Thames at Folly Bridge, with a floating terrace over the water itself. Watch the punts drift past over a long lunch, or settle in for an unhurried evening as the river turns gold. In the cooler months the view comes inside, with candlelit tables looking out across the water. There is no other table like it in Oxford.

— THE FOOD —

An AA Rosette Kitchen,Led by Dan Richardson

Our kitchen was awarded an AA Rosette for the quality of its cooking, and local food writers at Ox In A Box have singled out head chef Dan Richardson's food for particular praise. A tasting menu and a kids menu are also available.

food from the seasonal menu

From the seasonal menu

Desserts, plated to order

Head chef and the team

Dan and some of the team

— CRUISE & DINE —

Voted a Top 50Bucket List‍ Experience in the UK

Only The Folly can pair a private river cruise with an exceptional meal. Step from the boat to your table and enjoy the best of Oxford in a single evening. Our Cruise and Dine experience, run with our partners at Oxford River Cruises, was recently voted one of the top 50 bucket list experiences in the UK.

— THE ALICE STORY —

Where Wonderland Began

On the 4th of July 1862, Lewis Carroll set off on a rowing trip from this exact spot with Alice Liddell and her sisters, and began telling the story that became Alice in Wonderland. Every table at The Folly comes with a little piece of that history.

What Our Guest Say

4.6/5

★★★★★

1500 reviews on Opentable

4.4/5 ‍

★★★★☆

from over 1,400 Google reviews.

4.3/5

★★★★☆

from 1,604 TripAdvisor reviews, ranked among the top restaurants in Oxford

The Folly, Oxford

One of Oxford's Few Independent Restaurants

In a city of chains, The Folly is proudly independent and family owned. Whether you are marking a birthday, celebrating an anniversary, or simply want a memorable meal by the water, we would love to have you.

Or call us on 01865 201293