A Table for Four in the Sun

When the sun shines down on the Oxfordshire countryside, one must simply rush out of the house to take advantage of it. For our family, these sunny days are usually celebrated by a picnic. We picnic amongst the playground equipment of our favorite local parks or we stretch out on the lawn of the Vaults and Garden cafe at the University Church at St. Mary’s.

But somedays we crave something a bit nicer than hummus, carrots and pita bread slices. When this is the case, we head over to one of Oxford’s hidden gems: the rooftop restaurant at the Ashmolean.

The Ashmolean is the world’s first university museum. Originally housed in the Bodleian Library, it has moved locations several times to now finally have a gorgeously renovated home on Broad Street in the centre of Oxford. Admission is free and the collection is impressive, making it a must-see on most tourist itineraries. Yet despite it’s popularity, the aptly named Ashmolean Dining Room remains a secret treat for those in the know.

On a warm, sunny June Sunday afternoon, we head over for a more formal picnic in the comfort of the Dining Room terrace. The terrace stretches out across the front of the building, nestling diners amongst the infamous dreaming spires of the historic centre. The warm wooden decking, picnic tables and cream-coloured umbrellas evoke an immediate homey feeling. The silver place-settings and nice china serve as the perfect reminders that we are in for a special treat.

We labour over the menu, unable to decide between the amazing dishes. Eventually we settle on tomato soup and french fries for the girls, a Sunday roast for my husband and the cheesy baked cannelloni for me. We dive into our food as soon as it arrives, the mouthwatering smells causing us to eat our plates clean before we even think of taking a photo. The lamb melts in my husband mouth while the lemon-thyme flavours burst in my own. Even the girls fall silent other than the odd slurping sound.

Plates cleaned, we wander from our table and move to the more relaxed grassy area of the deck. One third of the deck hosts a real grass lawn, complete with canvas lawn chairs, beanbags and wicker furniture. The girls enjoy racing one another up and down the lawn before throwing their breathless bodies into the waiting pile of beanbags. My husband and I sit back and relax as we sip our post-meal cappuccinos.

Gorgeous morning on the Ashmolean Rooftop Restaurant. #oxford #ashmolean pic.twitter.com/lmGH8HP5ZA

— Lynn Morrison (@NomadMomDiary) June 29, 2014

If you get the chance to visit Oxford, carve out some extra time one day to catch a glimpse of the sun and the city skyline from the top of the Ashmolean. Open daily except for Monday, it is the perfect place to grab lunch, take tea or sip wine while watching the sunset. With the Ashmolean Dining Room, you cannot go wrong.

{Disclosure: This post is part of Goodman’s Guide to Oxford. The only compensation I received was a free meal. The selection of venue and all opinions are my own.}