The Oxford is a restaurant, bar and brasserie on the corner of George and Stafford Streets — 152 Stafford St — in the heart of Timaru. Its food philosophy is printed right on the menu: 'the kind of food that makes you want to wipe the plate with a chunk of crusty bread to savour every drop.'
Inside, three spaces set three moods. The bar is the place for a glass of good wine or a craft beer on tap; the brasserie keeps you right in the middle of the buzz; and the dining room is reserved for nights when your company and the food are the whole point.
Service runs in waves. On weekdays, doors open at 10am for coffee, lunch runs 11am–3pm, and the evening menu takes over from 5:30pm till late. Weekends add brunch from 9:30am–3pm, with lunch and dinner following on. The kitchen is proudly allergy friendly — almost everything is made onsite so the team knows exactly what's in each dish, nearly 70% of the menu can be served gluten free, and other allergies are catered for with a word to staff.
The Oxford is also a gathering place: group breakfasts, set menus for six or more, the five-course Trust the Chef Dinner & Wine Match for groups of 8+, weddings and the now-familiar Oxtoberfest. The dining room seats up to 36 (60 for a standing canapé event), and the entire restaurant seats up to 65 or 100 standing. A 2022 business awards winner badge features on its site, alongside Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor listings.
On the corner of George and Stafford Streets, in the heart of Timaru, The Oxford runs as restaurant, bar and brasserie all at once — and the menu states its ambitions plainly: food of 'the kind that makes you want to wipe the plate with a chunk of crusty bread to savour every drop'. That quote sets the tone for a kitchen that works a full day, from the first coffee to the last table of the evening.
Part of The Oxford's appeal is that you choose the atmosphere as much as the dish. The bar is where you settle in with a glass of good wine or a craft beer on tap. The brasserie keeps you in the middle of the buzz while you eat. And the dining room is set aside for the nights when it's all about your company and the food. Same kitchen, three different ways to enjoy it.
The weekly rhythm is easy to learn. On weekdays, coffee starts at 10am, lunch runs from 11am to 3pm, and the evening menu takes over from 5:30pm until late. On weekends, brunch gets things going from 9:30am to 3pm, with lunch and the evening menu following on — and the team can open outside those hours on request.
Brunch covers the classics properly: Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine and Eggs Montreal for the poached-egg faithful, plus Baked Eggs, Pancakes, French Toast and a Corn & Chorizo plate. Lunch leans generous, with a Chefs Pie, Pork Belly Nasi Goreng, Cheddar Arancini, Chicken Schnitzel, Crumbed Sole Fillets, an Oxford Salad and a Prawn Pasta.
Come evening, the entree list is built for sharing: Wagyu Ox Tongue, Chicken Caesar Croquettes, Duck Wontons, Pan-fried Prawns and the house-baked garlic loaf. Mains then step up from a Crispy Pumpkin Yellow Curry and Shanghai Pork Belly to Chicken Breast, Fish Fillet, Wild Venison, Wagyu Beef Cheeks and Beef Fillet.
Snacks run from 11am until late, and they're worth a visit on their own: Polenta Chips, Makikihi Fries, Chargrilled Chorizo Sausage, Spiced Pork Scratchings with Apple Ketchup, Crispy Squid & Aioli and the cheerfully named Trailer Trash Chips (not potato). There's a local thread here too — Makikihi fries come from South Canterbury, and local black pudding appears on the group dining menus.
Dessert is an all-day affair. The Cookie Skillet, Golden Syrup Pudding, Vanilla Bean Brulee, Chocolate Mousse and Oxford Sundae anchor the list, and the affogato comes in classic and liqueur-topped forms — with a Liquid Dessert for anyone who'd rather drink their pudding.
One quiet achievement deserves notice: almost everything is made onsite, so the team knows exactly what goes into each dish. That's why The Oxford calls itself an allergy friendly restaurant — nearly 70% of the menu can be served gluten free, and other allergies can be catered for with a word to staff. Group menus are flexible for special diets, too.
The Oxford has a serious events streak. There are group breakfasts, set menus for groups of six or more, and the Trust the Chef Dinner & Wine Match — a five-course menu with premium wine matches for groups of eight and up, with a four-course option on request. Sample courses have included venison carpaccio, garlic prawns with linguini, local black pudding with bacon, crisp-skin duck breast and a chocolate-and-cheese finish. The dining room seats up to 36 (or 60 for a standing canapé event), and the entire restaurant seats up to 65, or 100 standing. Weddings are part of the offer as well, and Oxtoberfest has become a fixture on the calendar.
Reservations are by phone on 03 688 3297 — and if you're booking inside the next 24 hours, the team asks that you call rather than email (oxford@theoxford.co.nz is fine otherwise). Keep in mind the kitchen closes on Tuesdays and public holidays. Joining the Oxford Club is the way to stay across events and member treats, and the site carries a 2022 business awards winner badge alongside its Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor listings — fitting company for a restaurant that has made itself a Timaru fixture.