The OXINABOX FOOD AWARDS are back! We will be celebrating our sixth ceremony at The North Wall on June 29, with a fabulous after party at OXTWO in Summertown, and the famous ‘morning after’ breakfast at Dishoom on June 30 in Oxford.
Sponsored by headliners Wise Investment, Jolly Foods, The Oxford Collection and SOMA Collab, as well as Oxford Fine Dining, Grape Minds, Dishoom and Tap Social, the voting has kicked off.
Here to give Oxfordshire’s hospitality industry a much needed boost, a massive pat on the back and the recognition and attention it deserves after such a difficult year, we have really pushed the boat out. And all we need you to do is vote for your favourites.
So welcome to the OXINABOX Food Awards 2026 and here is our third category Best Veggie/Vegan 2026. VOTE HERE: https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
In alphabetical order, the nominations for Best Veggie/Vegan 2026 are:
Chickpea, Oxford – Students, locals, academics and tourists alike queue up for the delicious plant based offerings here. The brainchild of Oxford foodie Will Pouget, who also runs Vaults and Garden Cafe, the Alpha Bar in the Covered Market, it offers great Middle Eastern food with punchy flavours. Choose from pittas or bowls, with falafel, halloumi, salads and tangines. Then add a choice of salads and deli toppings from tabbouleh and roasted veg to sweet potato, tsatsiki, pickles and an avocado dip. The pricing is also really affordable. Vote here https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
Crispy Dosa, Didcot is a new addition, opened on the site of the former Wildwood on Station Road, the sophisticated large restaurant beautiful to behold. It is a stunning venue. But the wow factor is not enough to make a business flourish, the food has to do the talking, and here it does this in droves. We dined like kings on its exciting and elaborate menu, the thalis and dosas ticking all the boxes, alongside lots of new dishes we’d never tried. If you haven’t been go! Vote here https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
Damascus Rose Kitchen, Oxford’s Old Fire Station – The wonderful Syrian veggie/vegan food here, made by refugee women, is as authentic and fresh as it comes, and made with love. Healthy, substantial, and great value for money, it’s one of our city centre go-tos. VOTE HERE https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
Green Routes Cafe, East Oxford – still the coolest place in town, its queues speaking for itself. Their plant-based brunches, patties and coffee have a cult following and there’s always a real buzz about it whenever you venture in. VOTE HERE https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
Gardeners Arms, Jericho – A stalwart of the veggie scene in Oxford, beloved by students and locals alike. Think big portions and meat-substitute style food – pub grub then with a plant based slant. VOTE HERE https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
Lula’s Ethiopian Cafe And Deli, Oxford’s Covered Market, another new addition, its spicy veggie/vegan cuisine a big hit in this central Oxford location. Choose from injera, (a spongy, sour, pancake-like flatbread made from fermented teff flour) or rice, and a sauce – from red lentils, yellow split peas, shiro (spiced chickpea stew), mushroom, beetroot and fosolia (green beans). Your meal can be as simple, or excessive, as you fancy. https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
Namaste Village, Oxford – a Gujarat restaurant which set up shop in the Oxford Castle Quarter, in the former Prezzo site, is making quite the impression since opening a month ago. The herbivorous amongst us, as well as the curious and more open-minded, have been flocking, for their Gujarati food. And having eaten there several times since it opened we know why. https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
Oxford Blue, East Oxford – Everyone loves this plant-based pub which makes huge efforts to integrate itself into the community. Appealing to locals and students alike, its infamous Sunday lunch, pizzas, events and eco credentials make it a real neighbourhood hub and its extensive beer garden means it’s amenable all year round. VOTE HERE https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
Planted Plates, Milton Park – purely vegan, there is a lot of noise around it at the moment with a new cafe opening at Signal Yard very soon. Opened four years ago by Henna Afzal whose passion for plant based food ensures her an ardent following, the cafe is always busy – Henna’s Asian inspired menu a gift for those in the vicinity. https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
Punter, Osney, Oxford – One of Oxford’s hidden gems, but if you know you know. Yes, it has glorious riverside views and a fab beer garden but it’s the adventurous and international vmenus that draw the crowds. Think porcini, tomato & pearl barley burger, smoked cheddar or vegan cheese sauce, gherkin, basil mayo and fries or the Hasselback Butternut Squash with puy lentils, tenderstem broccoli, miso chimichurri and you’ll get where we are coming from. https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
There are 10 categories and we will be announcing one every day for the next 10 days. These include BEST NEWCOMER, BEST PUB/BAR, BEST CAFE, BEST RESTAURANT, BEST VEGGIE/VEGAN OFFERING, BEST CHEF, BEST GASTROPUB, BEST CASUAL DINING, BEST INTERNATIONAL and HOSPITALITY WOMAN OF THE YEAR
The top four nominations from each category will be invited to the glittering ceremony where the winners will be announced, so get voting and pick your favourite. Vote here https://www.surveyhero.com/c/kr77ffce
You can only vote once in each category, so keep voting every day in all 10 categories! Voting ends mid June. Vote here
