Just off of Cornmarket Street and down Ship Street, you may have noticed the purple building but are yet to venture inside…Well I can tell you, this is No1 Ship Street, and it is a hidden gem of Oxford!
Just for a bit of context, No 1 Ship Street has a restaurant on the ground floor, and a cocktail bar on the first floor and can also be used for private events.
On Saturday, as part of the TOG Ambassador team, I had the absolute pleasure of trying No 1 Ship Street’s Afternoon Tea. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by extremely friendly staff who were enthusiastic, so it was instantly a warm and comforting environment. We were even given a glass of prosecco as we sat down!
The restaurant itself really spoke to the high-class standard they set themselves, with the colour scheme of dark purples and greens, yet it was still a chatty environment which was not intimidating; everything you would want from a high-class restaurant!
So to the important part…the food. The afternoon tea was exquisite and had a variety of choices including a vegetarian option if required. There was a selection of sandwiches ranging from coronation chicken to the more adventurous but nonetheless delicious cheddar, tomato and onion chutney butter sandwich! In addition to 2 scones (one plain and one fruit) with strawberry jam and clotted cream, for which ever order you decide to put the jam or cream were gorgeous. To top off the tower, there was a selection of 3 stunning cakes and although they look small, these are really rich and full of flavour- quite possibly my favourite part of the afternoon tea if I had to choose! All of this was presented with a cup of tea ranging from earl grey to apricot black, and presented on a glass patterned afternoon tea stand (I think that’s what they are called), which just added a final touch class.
No 1 Ship Street is an exquisite restaurant that really captures the friendly atmosphere of Oxford, and I would thoroughly recommend going!
Hopefully you can enjoy this hidden gem soon!
(If you are looking at booking for afternoon tea, then this is only available on a Saturday between 12-4pm for £14.95 per person. The other food that was being served looked just as amazing, all of which is detailed on their website)