Arbequina

The kitchen uses Levantine and North African flavour traditions as a starting point and applies them to the best British seasonal produce — a combination that produces dishes of genuine surprise. Smoked labneh with dukkah and wood-roasted peppers; slow-braised lamb shoulder with pomegranate molasses and flatbread for sharing; a grilled halloumi that bears no resemblance to the restaurant cliché of the same name. Everything is designed for sharing, which creates exactly the communal warmth the room is after.

The wine and cocktail list is small but well-chosen, with a particular strength in natural wines from the eastern Mediterranean. Arbequina does not take reservations for lunch — queuing at the Cowley Road door on a Saturday morning is part of the experience, and always worth it.

Arbequina is an outstanding team-dinner choice: the sharing format creates natural interaction, the menu can accommodate dietary restrictions of almost any variety, and the Cowley Road setting gives visiting clients a genuine taste of Oxford's independent character.

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