"Chef Pascal Wiedemann's Summertown bistro and wine bar — daily-changing French cooking and a natural-wine list that make it Oxford's best first date."
About Pompette
Pompette is the restaurant Oxford's food-literate population had been waiting for: a French bistro in spirit, a local seasonal kitchen in practice, and a wine bar with a natural-wine list of real depth. It anchors part of our Oxford guide and our French bistro coverage, and is listed in the Michelin Guide.
It sits at 7 South Parade in Summertown, north of the city centre, and is run by husband-and-wife Pascal and Laura Wiedemann. Chef Pascal trained classically in French cookery and spent fourteen years in London — with Henry Harris at Racine, then as executive chef opening Terroirs, before Six Portland Road.
The Kitchen
The menu changes daily, built around what arrived from the kitchen's network of small producers that morning. French technique and vocabulary shape the cooking — butter-poached turbot with capers and brown butter; a terrine of seasonal vegetables with cornichons and mustard; a cheese course that treats British and French farmhouse varieties with equal respect.
The kitchen is devoted to flavour and allergic to waste, the combination that produces cooking you return to fortnightly. The natural-wine list is exceptional for a city of Oxford's size — skin-contact whites from the Jura, Gamay from beyond Beaujolais, orange wines from Georgia and Slovenia.
The Room
The room is a proper neighbourhood bistro — a place where you come for a glass and stay for dinner, which is exactly the intention. The team knows the list and talks about it with infectious enthusiasm rather than sommelier formality.
Booking is advised, particularly at weekends; the daily menu means a Tuesday and a Saturday visit are meaningfully different meals.
Not for
Not for diners who want a fixed grand-tasting menu or a quiet, formal hush — it is a lively neighbourhood bistro and wine bar where the menu changes daily and the room hums.
Frequently Asked
What is Pompette known for?
Daily-changing French bistro cooking and a deep natural-wine list, in Summertown, Oxford. Dishes such as butter-poached turbot with brown butter and a seasonal vegetable terrine sit alongside skin-contact and orange wines.
Who is the chef at Pompette?
Pascal Wiedemann, who runs it with his wife Laura. Classically trained in French cookery, he spent fourteen years in London, including Racine, Terroirs and Six Portland Road.
Where is Pompette?
At 7 South Parade in Summertown, north of central Oxford.
Is it in the Michelin Guide?
Yes — Pompette is listed in the Michelin Guide for its carefully considered, daily-changing cooking.
How much does it cost?
It sits in the mid-to-upper $$$ band, with a typical dinner for two around £70-110 before wine; the natural-wine list is a draw worth budgeting for.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Pompette
Booking is advised, especially at weekends. Find it at 7 South Parade in Summertown, north of central Oxford.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address7 South Parade, Summertown, Oxford
NeighbourhoodSummertown
CuisineModern French bistro
RecognitionMichelin Guide listed
ChefPascal Wiedemann (with Laura Wiedemann)
WineDeep natural-wine list
ReservationBooking advised
