Wolvercote feels like a village, even though it’s just off the busy Oxford ring road near the A34. It’s an impression reinforced by the bucolic Jacob’s Inn, with its pigs and chickens in the
garden, loaves of freshly baked bread for sale, and aspirations for a smokehouse and its own chorizo. The small bar deals in craft and local beers, backed by a decent wine list, and it gets rammed
at weekends – they even provide paper and crayons for the kids (and bloody Marys for the adults) to go with their hearty Sunday roasts. At other times, the highly competent kitchen delivers
devastatingly good roast turbot with bone marrow sauce, slow-braised lamb faggot, all-day brunch dishes and excellent puddings – the chocolate tart with salted caramel sauce stands out. Service is
smiling, sensible and professional.