Vaults & Garden

When visiting Oxford, there are certain experiences that are simply quintessential, and finding a lovely cafe to enjoy a traditional British scone is certainly one of them. I recently visited a cafe here "Vaults & Garden" where, in my opinion, trying their scone is an absolute must. This cafe offers what I found to be a perfect pairing: an excellent scone and a good cup of coffee. The combination is simply delightful. The classic way to enjoy a scone involves splitting it and generously layering it with clotted cream and then either jam or marmalade. Doing this here, whilst perhaps taking in the view of the iconic Radcliffe Camera, elevates the experience considerably. The scone itself had a lovely texture and flavour, providing the ideal base for the rich clotted cream and sweet or tangy spread. The setting, especially if you can find a spot with a view of the magnificent Radcliffe Camera, adds significantly to the enjoyment. It creates a memorable moment, savouring a classic treat while looking out at one of Oxford's most famous architectural landmarks.

Less of a cafe more of a canteen. We went for breakfast at 11:45 but were surrounded by lunch menus all slightly different in the options and sides and flavours. Everything was batch cooked in silver metal trays, they had even pre cooked the rarebit ready to be warmed up. To add the school canteen vibe we were given trays to carry our meals and drinks around on. Please see photo two for vaults and garden’s interpretation of a souffle. The carrot and coriander soup had a familiar supermarket taste but I could of course be wrong about this. The latte was nice and fresh leaf tea was lovely.

The lady was rude and frequently urged me to go to the front to pay. Additionally, I noticed that my salad portion was smaller compared to what others received. ( huge pesto sauce with little 🌱, super salty can’t even finish it)

Lovely cream tea, very busy with quick turn over. Staff are very efficient. Serving both plain and raisin scones with clotted cream, and an option of strawberry, raspberry or blackberry jam.

Not exactly a hidden gem (as is evident by +1k reviews here), but it kinda felt that way. You’d feel like you are back to school (in the best way possible). They have good selection for breakfast. We got their house breakfast, which was really good and tasty, and the rarebit, which did look unassuming but packed a good punch. Their tea had a good selection too. They have a really cute dining area (think a “harry potteresque” situation, but not too glamorous). Definitely will come back when we visit Oxford again.

Really disappointing spot. From the moment you walk in on a busy Sunday morning breakfast service you see chaos in front of you. With seemingly no organisation you queue up to order at the pass where despondent waiters try to politely access the food being ladled onto plates behind the pass by squeezing between you and the next person in the queue. Place your order, wait for your drinks and grab a spoon with your number on it, at some stage the food will arrive, delivered by one of those harassed waiters too stressed to be friendly. The food itself? Disappointing. A sloppy wet breakfast with a single watery sausage, overcooked bacon, truly horrible oversized beans and mediocre scrambled eggs. The only truly tasty part was the mushroom. The two slices of toast only saw one side of the toaster and were slapped onto the beans making the uncooked side a wet mess. There must be some better places in Oxford, try and find them.

Great spot for breakfast, found by my wife when searching for one, and was glad we came by as it’s also a monumental spot for tourists in Oxford 👍🏻 The outdoor seats were cosy and had good views of the peaceful surroundings. The queue to get the food was rather long, having been seated outside for 20 minutes before my wife and her friend came out with coffee and a tag for our food to be delivered to us (which wasn’t long). 🍞 bread was good, we enjoyed that small plate of goodness with the largest baked beans we ever seen - though omelette was slightly over salted Scones were alright, a little too easy to break and hence wasn’t my favourite, there’s also not much flavour to it too. A great spot for breakfast for sure, before taking the flights up the church for the views or just entering the serenity of the church 👍🏻

I had a great and hearty meal here yesterday. It's an excellent and sustainable cafe serving delicious and healthy foods using high-quality ingredients. Love the historical interior of this place as well.

Good food served in very decent portion. great coffee and indoor/outdoor decor is equally nice (church indoor/ spacious garden outside). Food is served quickly and service is very nice. Soup was excellent (two slices of bread: 1 sourdough / 1 rosemary foccacia). Great experience. Nice location (and quiet with that).

Go to England, go to Oxford and then go to the Vaults and Garden. The restaurant is nice but the views outside are amazing. Food was really good as well.

What a wonderful spot that I found on a hunt for amazing scones and afternoon tea. V&G delivered in every way. The inside space is tight but they have a huge assortment of fresh cakes and lunch options to go along with 10 different types of tea and a full coffee service also. But as we wanted scones, we tried one regular with raspberry jam and one raisin with currant jam. It was amazing. As if the scone and tea weren't enough, the garden looks on the Radcliffe Camera and we were able to snag a table outside on a beautiful sunny day. Highly recommend!

We really liked this restaurant. It is in an ideal setting in an old church right in Radcliff Square. The service is cafeteria style and there is indoor and outdoor seating. Yesterday was one of the hottest days of the year so we sat outside. The view is one of the best in Oxford. Our meals were quite good. My wife really liked her chicken Caesar salad and my Massaman curry was excellent as well. Due to its location this place can get very busy.

The Vaults and Garden is a fun cafe in Oxford situated right under the shadow of St. Mary's Church and the Radcliffe Camera. Visit for classic afternoon tea -- we got scones, cakes, tea, and coffee for a lovely lazy afternoon. Overall a fun visit.

Vaults and Garden is a bit of a touristy location, but I LOVE it! Across from the Radcliffe Camera, it's a great place for some afternoon tea, or a cup of coffee. They even do a half decaf, half caffeinated coffee if it's late afternoon and you need a bit more caffeine to keep you going, but not so much that you're up all night. I thought the idea was quite funny, but I'm a huge fan of it. On my last visit, I went to get brunch with a couple of friends and had the scrambled eggs and the sourdough toast. It was a good meal, but I must say that the prices were a bit higher than I'd've liked to pay. I guess that's the up-charge from being a touristy location! I would definitely go back though, as it's a lovely location with a great ambiance.

5 visits during my 3 nights research stay - meals and tea/coffee - at this lovely cafe during my 3-day research at Bodleian library - just enjoy it that much. Convenience plays a role too. It's inside the Oxford Uni first congregation house dating back to 1320. Comfortable inside and outside; yummy food and drinks; cheerful staff. Delicious bread; beef stew is tender and flavorful. Salmon (Lox) is fresh. Decent utensils. The only complain is, too large a portion - have they been Americanized? Ha ha ha. Feeling sad to have to leave ... wondering if I gaze longer at Radcliffe Camera, can I finish my books sooner?

Vaults and Garden is a cafe in Oxford. I came here while visiting the University with my parents. They sell a variety of teas/coffees, breakfast/lunch items, and other snacks. Students frequent here. Would come back to channel my inner student. I enjoyed the ambiance's aesthetics. I felt it had a nice ambiance because of its old canteen character. There are long benches inside and tables outside. There is wifi. Service is quick. Ordered: English breakfast - was okay, a bit small on the portions Chai latte - really well done, great foam, not too cinnamon-y

I have been here twice and was very impressed both times. They have unique offerings on the menu and the food is excellent. I tried a goat cheese quiche as well as the soup. Both were excellent. The building it is in is incredible and is located in the heart of Oxford. This is a great place to go especially if you want to walk around town.

We had lunch here and we loved it. The location was fun, and the historic building was interesting. The food is cafeteria style, service is quick and friendly and my goat cheese quiche was excellent.

Maybe, it's because of the nice weather or the nice garden, I loved it here. I had a nice tea time here. Tea was really good. So were the scones. indoor is really dark compared to outdoor. Balcony area is really popular because the view is really nice. One biggest flaw was the dishes were a little dirty.. some knives and forks had food on them. Menu Recommendation: ALL SCONES

Great, authentic canteen-style cafe. It was buzzing on a Saturday at 1pm and for good reason. Had 2 beef goulash with rice and veggies, Welsh rarebit and salad between 3 of us for £27 pounds. You can sit inside or outside both are great as inside is an old, vaulted room which is very cosy and outside is a lovely garden with a view to the camera building. Hearty, homemade food and lovely cakes & scones too. Simple, cheap and quick!

The food here is really, really good and the ambiance is stellar. I always enjoy a meal here. Hot meals, tea, scones, salad. Everything I have had is very good. It's a bit pricier than similar food at other venues, but the setting is well worth the extra cost. Sometimes the staff seem tired of having to explain the same thing to every single customer (but they are very, very pleasant), so don't take anything personally. The food portions can be a bit too much... delicious, but a lot of food, so come hungry.

4/5 for food, 5/5 for good mems and quality vibes :') good times spent having a spot of afternoon tea outside after a few hours of work (and Netflix watching) in the rad cam :') I've spent so many hours at Vaults and I'm a huge fan of their scones (come early to get them fresh). Their scones are dense and buttery, much more similar to American biscuits than other spots. All of the jams they have are excellent! I also like the chocolate loaf cake with a ganache topping (I like to add the sunflower seeds at the counter which are for salads/soups to add a nice salty counterpart to undercut the richness of the ganache and chocolate). But the true unsung hero of Vaults is the lemon drizzle cake. The lemon drizzle cake is truly excellent; I've tried to remake it at home four times thus far and have failed each time. Folded into the cake itself are pockets of lemon honey and the top of the cake departs from the traditional confectioners sugar glaze with a drizzle that preserves the crunch of sugar. I dream about this drizzle cake; when you go to Vaults, stop for a moment in the church in which it's held to light a candle for my mission to recreate this cake at home. That is all. Amen.

I've been eyeing this place since I got here and I LOVED IT! It was peaceful, everyone was nice, and the food was delicious. Reasonably priced too. You have a nice view of the Radcliffe, and a beautiful garden. I had the avocado toast, the parfait, the chocolate fudge cake, and jasmine green tea and it was actually pretty cheap! My friend had the scrambled eggs and latte. I'm definitely going to be a frequent customer for the rest my time here. It can get a little crowded, and ordering can be a little confusing as well as there's not enough staff outside.

Ohhhh man were we happy to find this place or WHAT. My husband and I were visiting Oxford and it greeted us with typical UK weather- bloody cold and dreary. I was getting hungry and crabby after visiting multiple gardens and walking, when we happened upon a cool looking door with a sign for a cafe. We walked in and it seemed like a sweet old little cafe smack dab in the middle of Oxford. It was very busy but we managed to find a place to sit. The chickpea tagine was divine and warmed us up right away. The carrot and butternut squash soup was also nice. It clearly gets very busy during lunchtime, so make sure to be aware of that. I loved the feel to it though, even though we were almost elbow to elbow with random people. A true gem!!!

Great place to have lunch in downtown Oxford. You can sit inside or outside. Outside you are surrounded by the beautiful universities and churches. The food is superb. We all had the open face cheese and vegetable sandwich. The scones were delicious with their berry jam. The staff was super friendly and helpful.

This is such a lovely and delicious place for food or a beverage in the center of Oxford! I came here with some friends and a toddler for lunch on a beautiful summer day for lunch, and we had a great time. We turned up around 11:30, and all the tables outside were taken, but we found a large enough table inside for our group of 5, and the café staff brought us a high chair for the toddler. We took turns standing in line. The menu changes daily, so you don't know quite what you'll get, but it's all yummy and fresh! My friends chose the chicken and rice dish and I went for the soup, which that day was a nice purée of spinach and nutmeg, with a side of bread and butter, which were by the register when I paid. Even though it was early, I also got a scone, because I love them and theirs looked really good--and it was! I did without jam this time just used some clotted cream, which if you're not familiar with it is a butter-like spread that's creamier and milder in taste and pairs perfectly with jam on scones. If you just want a glass of water with your food, they have that setup by the silverware past the register so you can help yourself. I'm fortunate to visit Oxford 1-2 times a year, and now that I know how good this place is, I'm going to make a point of coming back every time I'm in town! I think it would be especially lovely to come here for afternoon tea or coffee and get one of their delectable desserts, or another of their perfect scones!

I'm giving this place only 4 stars instead of 5 because the food selection was less than mediocre - there practically was none! It MAY have been just a really busy, sunny day and they didn't stock enough for the weekend, but whatever the case, my lunch ended up being cream tea.... ...WHICH was amazing. Hence this place still gets 4 stars. And laying outside on the grass looking up at this gorge clock tower and medieval architecture...couldn't have been nicer for a Sunday afternoon in Oxford.

Nice vibe. Bustling. In view of Radcliffe Camera and close to the Bodlean. Nice staff. Good breakfast and lunch menu + coffee/tea.

Nestled in University Church, the Vaults and Garden is a touch overpriced, but you're paying for tea time in the heart of Oxford and within shouting distance of the Bodleian Library and the rotund glories of the Radcliffe Camera. We had their coconut and apricot cake, along with a cream tea set for two. Unfortunately, they ran out of clotted cream for the scones, and a slick of butter is poor substitute. A barista minion was sent to Tesco, but returned empty-handed. There must be a clotted cream shortage up north they're not telling us about. Everything came out to be about £8 or 9 for the two of us. The inside seating has gorgeous vaulted ceilings, but its the outside seating along the church graveyard that won us over.

We had J & Z for lunch. Visiting Oxford for work. They had rendang & soup of the day respectively. I had the chicken basque. It wasn't a soup. A sort of chicken stew. Large servings. For KM who joined us later had tea & cream which was served with butter. KM also ordered a double espresso decaf. Very noisy indoors and hot. But by 3 pm all quiet and we could chat. The cafe is in the church and next to Radcliffe camera. Very historical. Prices were about 10 pounds for a main meal.

If I lived in Oxford, I would be a regular and I would have cream tea every day because it's my favorite English thing. This place is cozy and busy and their wifi is great! It seems to get pretty crowded in the middle of the day, and in fact they apparently don't allow laptops between 12 and 2pm. One thing I don't understand - why is it categorized as an American restaurant? What American restaurant serves cream tea?

The best scones I've ever had, so good that I'm now a scone convert! I used to think of scones as hard, dry dough that worked better as paper weight; certainly not to categorize as food. And then, I was told to check out Vaults and Garden's scones, and for super fresh, moist ones, go at 2.30pm. So, I did. Holy scones! They were out of this world. I've tried scones at other places after that, but nothing came close.

Interesting reviews - people seem to really love the place but not necessarily the food and I have to say I completely agree! On the 'Walking Tour' of Oxford we went on we had this place pointed out as 'once the most important room in Oxford' as important meetings took place in there. So after the tour we thought we'd give it a go as it's all organic and free trade etc. We opted for coffee's and scones - the coffee's where fine but the scones!! Arghhh!! They had obviously been made with wholemeal flour or some such and they where awful - so sorry Vaults and Garden people but organic and healthy they may be but treating such yummy delicacy's in such a way is well near on criminal in my book. Maybe it would have been better to have gone for more of a mealy option I loved the building, the staff where lovely too, the coffee aint bad but what ever you do stay away from the scones!

Admittedly I had been walking for hours and skipped lunch, so I may have been delirious with hunger, but I thought the scone I had with thick cream (so thick it was almost butter) and rhubarb compote was THE BEST SCONE I HAVE EVER EATEN. It helped that the surrounds were absolutely lovely and my cappuccino was also reasonable. Free wifi too.

This spot is casual but serves really lovely food. We had a really nice curry. Very big portions! It's all cafeteria style and it seems that there is always a bit of a wait but it's worth it - and the line moves fast. Get your food and have a seat outside in their garden. Such a lovely atmosphere! Great for the family and very affordable.

How can this place possibly have less than five stars?! It is remarkable and lovely in every way. They have the BEST gluten free and vegetarian options in Oxford, in ambience that cannot be beat. Even their loyalty program is great. I wish it were cheaper so that I could afford to eat lunch here every day, but the fact that I can afford such delicious food in an amazing central location at all is a testament to their fair pricing and excellent sourcing. They also have free wifi and the prettiest flowers. I love this place so so much.

The Vaults and Garden is a large café in the vaults and garden (obviously) of the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin, known as St. Mary's. I sampled both the chicken fricassee and potato and watercress soup. The chicken fricassee was served with a white wine-flavored velouté, green salad, and beet(root) slaw. It was just okay, nothing special really. The watercress soup was also nothing out of the ordinary. Due to its location in Oxford city center, many tourists (like yours truly) frequent this place, making it incredibly busy on summer days for lunch.

Lovely scones, clotted cream, and jam! Accompany this classic british snack with one of their beers and enjoy sitting outside in the shady and pleasantly flagstoned courtyard by the church!

During my trip to England, I tried four separate breakfast places each day. (One in Oxford, three in London.) Overall this was my favorite. The breakfast plates are fantastic, though very pricy for non students. If we didn't end up paying $20+ per person for a normal meal it would have definitely been five stars.

Delightful and delicious. The location and ambience is perfect. The food was wonderful and met a variety of dietary needs in our group. The staff was very helpful and kind.

I always think that the real test of any restaurant is whether you'll bring visitors there. For my graduation, among the family members who came were two semi-vegetarians and two grandparents who couldn't walk too much. Based on those criteria, I suggested the Vaults for lunch, and it was a great success, We didn't need a fancy environment, and truth be told it's about as casual of a sit-down place as you can get. That doesn't mean it's not nice--obviously there's the fact that you're in a vault, and it's bright and clean, and the food is fresh and organic. Both vegetarians and omnivores approved of the choice, and dessert was had by all. Also, whether you're visiting or a resident, I also recommend going to the top of St Mary's for the much touted view. I didn't do it until one of my last days in Oxford (after a year), but it was well worth it, and didn't feel so much touristy as seeing home. NB there are a lot of stairs to get there, and once you're there it's quite high.

Stopped by while visiting the university for some tea, coffee, and scones which were excellent~ Loved the blackberry jam + scones. Very cute seating and lovely outdoor seating if weather complies. Wish I had been hungry enough to have a meal- the food looked really good.

Bad service in a splendid location, which makes me really sad. It is really loud and always packed with people. I ordered a breakfast salmon and egg and my neighbor had the same order but then I realized my plate was missing half of what I was supposed to have. The food is good but in terms of quantity it is not really worth what you pay for. I could even get more for my money in London which is surprising. I would advise new comers to just have a coffee and cake in their garden if it is sunny enough and only if you have time because the service is quiet slow.

This is a great place to enjoy meals during crowded hours and to work during less crowded hours. Their Chicken Normandy is pretty good - I thoroughly enjoyed it! The staff is pretty decent, although not phenomenal. I came by around 2pm to get lunch, and afterwards I got tea and did some work. They have a no laptop policy 12pm-2pm, which is completely understandable, as the place gets really crowded. Their price is reasonable, considering how it's located in the middle of everything in Oxford. They also have free wifi!

I am a tourist from Canada. Ordered the full Oxford breakfast (my first in England). So good! The mushrooms are to die for!

Wow. This is the definition of hole in the wall except it is a hole in a cathedral. Eating here harkens back to when monks ate in the same place. Simple wholesome food for a good price. Definitely recommend stopping here!

Love this place! Each time I come to Oxford I have to stop for lunch, tea, or a pastry. Historic room full of some of the best soups & bites in the area. Would be a shame to miss.

It's a nice spot for a casual tea with excellent views of some colleges and the radcliffe camera, so the setting can't be beat. It's basically right off the high street, so it's also convenient. Nice tea selection. The baked goods are decent, although the coconut cake was a bit dry. The scone was good, but there seemed to be a catastrophic clotted cream shortage, and they were out all afternoon, and sneaking in hitter instead. They have soup and rarebit, but it's not a place for much of a full meal. They carry a couple of kinds of beer, but it's no pub.

This is the best cafe ive been to in my three day oxford trip this winter! Wonderful hearty hot food and soups for lunch, solid scone and lattes for afternoon tea fix. Not to mention the impressive decor. I think this is the real hidden gem in oxford!!!

The chicken was phenomenal. Despite a very large and difficult group of tourists and being very busy at a peak time the service was excellent. I would highly recommend anyone to check this place out. Oh, and it's good value for money!

An adorable, quaint café in the heart of Oxford city centre. It's a little hard to find, due to it being located inside the university church (!), so look out for a narrow pedestrian road slightly in front of said (behemoth) church, and notice a little painted bicycle and chalkboard sign indicating The Vaults and Garden's presence. Then essentially lead yourself behind the church, into a really cute little courtyard (the 'garden' bit of Vaults and Garden, also indicated by a sign), and through an inconspicuous door into the restaurant itself. Here is a numbered list of things about The Vaults and Gardens, both good and the 'could be improved': 1. The space is tiny, and gets incredibly packed around lunchtime. In the summer, this is less of a problem, because you can easily take your food outside and picnic in the beautiful, grassy patches surrounding the church. However, in the winter, you have to be quite territorial about reserving a coveted table place when you find one. 2. The food is very fresh, and made with quality ingredients. Everything is organic and sourced locally, so you know you're putting only the best stuff down your trap! 3. In accordance, they have several specials of the day, and have a separate meatie board and veggie board displaying all of the options. When I went, the veggie options were a Sri Lankan coconut curry with butternut squash, and a goats cheese gratin atop a bed of lentils, beetroot, and mushrooms (I went with the latter, nom!). You also get to choose your carb, and there was a selection of seeded brown rice, quinoa, and roasted potatoes (they ran out of the quinoa by the time I got there, so I had the brown rice, which was delicious). The rest of the options are salads and vegetable sides, which all looked very fresh and well-prepared. 4. Since the food isn't made to order, per se, and is cooked in large batches and portioned out that way, it can be a hit or miss experience. For example, I must have gone toward the end of the batch, as the pan of gratins from which I chose my food had been sitting out for 30-45 minutes, and was consequently quite cold when I ate it. Though all of the food was sitting under a heatlamp, it still didn't stand up to the test of time (and a cold winter). This was literally the only thing that I found wrong with my plate, though. 5. There's a little area with all sorts of condiments and sauces that you can put on your food. I'm a sucker for these sorts of things, so I picked and chose amongst all of the hot sauces, mustards, and cheese and had a field day. 6. They do loose-leaf tea here, and have a variety of little cakes and pastries for light bites on the side! 7. Everything is so affordable! A 'main' with two 'sides' was a mere £6.95 at lunchtime. So much food, as well. I would definitely come back here again, when in Oxford! Hopefully, next time, I will get to take my food outside and enjoy it in the sun.

Wander round the back of St Mary's church, Oxford and find the Vaults and Garden Cafe. This excellent cafe occupies the building of Oxford University's old congregation house, which was built in 1320. Agree with the previous reviews, great little hidyhole, with its rows of bench tables and communal seating. Nudge your way into a space and feel the warmth of proximity and cosy hubbub of chatter, to keep the chilly weather at bay. Feel like a student for an hour, pretend you're sitting in Trinity College Dining Room and enjoy the reasonable quality food, served canteen style from the counter. Choice of 3 or 4 main dishes with accompanying drinks, teas and coffees and cakes etc. You can also sit outside weather permitting and enjoy an impressive view of Radcliffe Camera or a couple of gravestones if you drop your napkin. Service was a disappointment though, slightly curt and surly, which detracted from this otherwise excellent spot - but ignore them, enjoy the food and convivial atmosphere at reasonable prices. Recommended.

Stopped by for a quick lunch this afternoon. I had s great chicken Cesar salad w/baked potatoes. Overall u I really enjoyed the meal, plus it is conveniently located right in the heart of Oxford's Campus. They have a fairly limited menus, but what they serve is really good. Their coffee was on point. Definitely check it out for lunch while visiting Oxford

This café has THE best location in Oxford. You can sit amongst gravestones at the back of St Mary's with the Radcliffe Camera in front of you. On a sunny day this is the place to take any visiting friends to enjoy the sights of Oxford. You can also sit inside in the very atmospheric church vaults. It is a very friendly place and ethical place. Not content with serving organic, fair trade and local foods they also used environmentally friendly paints on the walls. There are sometimes events in the evenings in the rooms upstairs it's worth checking the notices to see what is on. They also give discounts if you are a student or a family (well I've once got a family discount I'm not really sure if it is standard practice) but only at less busy times. It often is busy. And on a sunny day it can be very, very busy. What used to be a secret gem is now a well known and well loved treasure.

Best place we ate in Oxford. Little hard to find seating when busy but there is charming outdoor seating. My husband had rarebit and I had creamy mushrooms and rice, we tea for 2 with delicious chocolate cake. It was surprisingly budget friendly especially for the quality.

There are limited seats in the garden and they all seem occupied by people who aren't customers. Inside is a bit dark but the building is historic so it has a certain charm. Items are served cafeteria style and are pretty tasty. Just hard to navigate around the long tables.

Were in Oxford for the day and stopped in because we had read that the scones were so good. We were not disappointed! They were coming out fresh and piping hot from the oven. Served with a pot of Earl Grey in the lovely garden on a sunny day it was perfection.