Trying out new and exciting restaurants and cafes in my local area is one of my favourite things to do. Around Henley-on-Thames you can find such a diverse range of amazing food to tuck into. Over the Summer, we thought we would go to all of the nearby hot spots that, for some reason, we haven’t both been able to visit. One of these is the Ox Shed Cholsey. I had heard a lot about this place and we finally go around to visit it last week. This is what we found and all you need to know.
The Ox Shed Cholsey | Eating Local
Getting to the Ox Shed Cholsey
The Ox Shed is hidden along the main road (A329) from Wallingford to the village of Cholsey. If you are driving from Wallingford, drive down the road until you reach the 40mph speed limit. You will then see a small turning on the left that looks as if it is going into a housing estate. If you go down there, it is immediately on your right.
Parking is apparently an issue. Our friends who we met there said that usually it is quite a challenge to find a space. However, we managed to park easily in the car park. If that is overflowing, the housing estate has plenty of options to park your car.
The Interior
I loved the rustic, almost industrial, décor of the Ox Shed. The attention to detail was phenomenal and all the choices were on-brand. They had really worked hard to make it feel like a country café; I felt as if I was in a converted barn to be honest, even though the building was anything but.
We sat in the front area. We had a private, extra-comfortable booth where we could enjoy our meal with friends. They’re also dog friendly, which meant that our friends could bring their adorable pooch. Upstairs there is even more seating, along with a children’s play area to keep them entertained whilst you socialise.
The Food
The Ox Shed Cholsey specialises in breakfast, brunch and light lunches. Whilst the menu is quite small, it packs a punch! Plus, it is all from local sources which I have a lot of time for. Whilst you would probably expect a locally sourced, fashionable place to be pricey, it is anything but. Our meal came to under £20.00, which was excellent value for money.
Not only was the price excellent, but the food tasted incredible. We both went for a breakfast bap. You can choose any two of six breakfast toppings, including sausage, egg, bacon and even chilli jam halloumi. The quality of the ingredients really shone through, and we loved them. Our friends ordered a light, ciabatta roll with a side salad which was also delicious (apparently!).
The menu only lasts until 14:30, so sadly you have to get there early to enjoy the good stuff. However, in terms of quality and price, I’m not sure I’ve been somewhere recently that can compete…
The Service
I didn’t really interact with the staff at the Ox Shed, so I can’t really give them a fair verdict. I would say that the staff were professional and did everything that you would want them to do. One thing that I really liked was the self-service stand of condiments, cutlery and water. It was kept immaculately clean and meant that you could just walk up without asking for extras. Plus, it was really keeping with the rustic vibe.
Final Thoughts | The Ox Shed Cholsey
What can I say about the Ox Shed. I had heard a lot of great things about this place and I can genuinely say it met my expectations. The interior in particular is something I can’t get over and it was done perfectly. Not only that, but sadly it is quite rare to find somewhere that offers excellent, local food at a cheap price. I would go as far as to say it was a gem of the local area, and long may it continue.
