January is always a bit bleak with the no-drinking, healthy-eating mantra constantly swirling around in our heads, especially on a Monday morning. So when faced with a brunch catch up with a friend in Oxford there was only one place to go, The Handlebar on St Michael’s Street, which first opened in 2015 and has been doing a roaring trade ever since.
Known for it’s eclectic, bohemian, fresh, healthy menus, laid back vibe and bike-centric aesthetic, it’s a hidden gem on Oxford’s culinary scene. Formerly a bike shop, it has continually reinvented itself, moving into the downstairs space and hosting pop ups and DJ sets there as well as utilising its outside space in the summer so you can dine on the cobbles.
But fundamentally it’s a daytime cafe which caters to all and sundry with a big veggie/vegan following, (it provides for carnivores as well), and a beautiful space, perfect for catching up with friends over a great breakfast.
The Handlebar doesn’t offer wifi, presumably to ensure people stay off their screens and laptops and take some unadulterated time to enjoy the food and company without interruptions, but to be honest once you climb the stairs and venture into the light, airy whitewashed space, bicycles strung up on the ceilings, all you want to do is kick back and enjoy.
The menu is always tricky because it’s so hard to choose, its international bent meaning there are enticing dishes from all over the world on hand, such as the day’s special – kimchi pancakes with gochujang ketchup, eggs and herbs (£15), or the shakshouka with harissa roasted tomatoes, onions and pepper, Mayfield eggs , feta, herbs, spices and sourdough.
Drawn to the burrata and honey roasted root veggie salad, abundant with dried cranberries, beetroot, carrot, quinoa, herbs, nuts and an orange vinaigrette, I then chanced up on The Handlebar French toast – not the avocado and bacon, but the more curious roasted butternut squash puree, cinnamon, vanilla creme fraiche, fresh mint, salted caramel sauce and toasted seeds (£16).
How does that even manifest itself, and what does roasted butternut squash puree taste like? Will it be savoury or sweet, pithy and metallic or silky smooth? Would the dish by sickly sweet? I ordered one anyway, throwing caution to the wind and all my good intentions out the window.
My friend had no such qualms, wading straight in with the HB Goodie Veggie (£15) – Mayfield eggs, smokey tomato beans, roasted tomato, garlic and herb button mushrooms, smashed avocado, pea shoots, almonds and seeds, fried potatoes and sourdough. Enough to keep you going all day and beyond.
And oh were we rewarded. First a dirty chai and a stonkingly good, strong latte, complete with latte art, hailing from Missing Bean Roastery.
Then the main event, the French toast a fantastic surprise, big chunky slices of bread, soft and unctuous, smoked through with vanilla, milk and cinnamon and then fried gently so it was still moist and topped with towering whirls of whipped, light, scented, rich squash and crunchy seeds, cut through with the slightly sour creme fraiche and mint, and then the hit of caramel. Heavenly and filling at the same time.
The HB brekkie was more robust, but no less exciting and novel at that. The juicy, herby mushrooms has just the right bite, the griddled sourdough the perfect vessel for the peaty, rich, slightly sweet beans, the clean taste of the fresh avocado, the juicy, soft tomatoes, herbed scrambled eggs and fried new potatoes. The plate was bursting with colour, taste and invention, and healthy to boot without being abstemious. The perfect way out!
We re-emerged halos shining brightly, mine admittedly slightly skewed, but the world is always a better place having visited The Handlebar – the perfect antidote to January, or indeed any other month you choose to visit!
The Handlebar, St Michael’s Street, Oxford https://www.handlebaroxford.co.uk
