The Handlebar kitchen — Restaurant in Oxford

I have been going to this establishment on and off over the years, and have mostly enjoyed my visits

During my most recent visit, however, I had one of the very worst experiences I have ever had in terms of (dare I speak the dirty word...?) 'service', and I have now determined to boycott this venue because of its total lack of ability and/or willingness to accommodate what - to my untrained eye (apparently incompetent, as kindly pointed out by the manager) - seemed like the simplest and most elementary of courtesies a cafe ought to provide: making a small effort to accommodate children, and yet charge you through the nose for the privilege.

We went as a small group of 5, 3 adults and 2 kids - aged 7 and 11, tired, wet, and sniffly. The menu looked as interesting as ever, and the adults ordered dishes and drinks; but the kids really just wanted pancakes, without the elaborate toppings on offer on the menu, aimed at gastronomically and ethnically more adventurous adults. We asked if the kids could have 'just the pancakes'; this instantly caused considerable irritation, and we were told that 'it is only possible to have them as part of one of the three full options on the menu'. We insisted, kindly, saying that it was pointless and wasteful to order food that would not be eaten by the kids and thrown away; surely it would be possible to just put some pancakes on a plate for them? The response was a sort of harrumphy non-verbal shrug/grunt, and - a little shaken that we had had to pick a bit of a fight over this - we thought we had prevailed. How little did we know about the artistry of food prep and the intricacies of billing...

The pancakes arrived, were good(-ish), and were mostly eaten. The bill arrived, and we were charged 15 pounds (x2) for two servings of the full 'banana and peanut butter and whatnot pancakes'... (I confess that I forget what the original preparation contained, since we requested this to be left out and asked to have 'just the pancakes').

30 quid for 6 pancakes. The small ones, american size - admittedly containing oats and banana flour (not the costliest ingredients to my knowledge).

30 quid...

I pointed out to staff, kindly but with a bit of a chuckle, that this perhaps was a little excessive. This was met with very little sympathy indeed. The following short conversation ensued:

They: the amount is correct, as quoted on the menu. Me: but surely you could have just billed us a reasonable ad hoc price for pancakes? They: Well, not really; we must stick with the menu. We are a small establishment you know. Me: precisely, this is why I come here; you are not a large franchise operation where everything is standard-size and mass-produced; you can adjust, interact with customers, even accommodate the odd minor request perhaps? They: well, you would think so - but it is really complicated, and we are not able to charge you for something that is not on the menu. Me: are you really telling me that "the computer says no"? They: yes, basically you're right. I don't think you appreciate the complexities of making changes to an order.

And on this count they are undoubtedly correct: I do not understand, and continue not to understand the complexities of making changes to an order - particularly when all this requires is leaving off two thirds of the stuff that usually goes on the plate and coming up with a price for it on the spot.

I asked to speak to the manager, who reassured me that their staff were perfectly right to act in such fashion, and pointed out that I clearly lacked the intelligence and/or relevant experience of the hospitality industry to appreciate the difficulty of making changes to a standard menu order. Reassured that what had occurred was not a momentary lack of judgment, or an unfortunate misunderstanding (silly me!), but a perfectly deliberate, flawlessly logical, and consistently enforced company policy, I felt greatly enlightened, paid my bill in full, and left the premises having made the solemn decision never to set foot in the...

If it was possible to give ZERO stars I would.

A tale of two visits, please note, the second version is what actually happened!

1. What our visit to The Handlebar cafe could have been: On seating us at our table the server greeted us and let us know that the menus could be seen via the QR code on the table.

She let us know that they were a bit busy but that someone would be with us soon to take our order.

We asked if we could place a drinks order and she asked us to give her a few minutes with a smile.

We were happy to wait and our orders were taken a short while later.

A happy & pleasant visit.

2. What we experienced during our visit to The Handlebar cafe: Started off well, our reserved table was ready.

We were shown to it and then our server left.

We waited a few minutes and though we saw the QR code, we thought we’d check if printed menus were available.

On asking our server, our reply was an abruptly pointed finger at the QR code.

We had a look at the menu and quickly made our choices.

Spent another few minutes trying to get someone’s attention.

We asked the other server if we could order and were met with a shouted reply that she was too busy.

It appeared she was busy clearing a couple of mugs and glasses from an empty table.

We’re not precious and don’t expect to be waited on hand & foot but goodness me - that interaction left a sour taste.

So, we left but not before telling our server that even though we could see they were busy, there was no need to be rude.

Honestly, I’ve worked in hospitality and I know just how busy it can get. However, this does not legitimize rude and obnoxious behaviour.

It would do the staff at The Handlebar Cafe to remember, people will forgive bad food but will never forget bad service.

We would never be enticed to visit this establishment again nor would we...

If you find yourself in Oxford, there is one brunch restaurant that I consistently make a point of visiting: The Handlebar Kitchen.

It is often said that British food lacks flavour or excitement, a common perception held by many. However, I genuinely believe that dining at The Handlebar Kitchen has the potential to change such a view entirely. The quality and taste of the food served here are truly impressive and stand in contrast to that stereotype.

If you live in London or abroad, the journey to Oxford is neither short nor easy. Yet, I find myself returning to this restaurant whenever I visit Oxford for a refreshing break. The food is compelling enough to draw me back despite the distance.

This restaurant is primarily a brunch establishment. This means that timing is important; if you arrive too late in the day, they may have run out of certain ingredients, or service for brunch might have concluded. It's best to aim for earlier in their service hours to avoid disappointment.

I have had the pleasure of trying several different dishes from their menu over my visits, and without exception, I have found all of them to be genuinely delicious. The balance of textures and flavours in their food is consistently excellent. The quality of the ingredients is apparent – fresh produce, combined with appropriate seasoning and tasty sauces, results in dishes that simply speak for themselves. There's little need for elaborate descriptions; the food is simply very good and should be...