One of the joys of life in Oxford (Covered Market (Oxford))

Member Name: Alan Rice

Product:	Covered Market (Oxford)
Date:	01/06/01 (104 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic range

Disadvantages: not for the squeamish

It is a sad consequence of the advance of large supermarkets that local markets have almost disappeared from life in England. True, there are some left, but they are rare.

What a delight that one of these exceptions is in the centre of Oxford, a city whose centre is otherwise suprisingly poorly served by food shops- a very small and unattractive Sainsbury's and an even worse Asda that is more akin to Russian supermarket than anythig one might hope to find in 21st century Britain.

The covered market is home to about two dozen shops, the vast majority of which sell food. There is also a cobbler, a rather meagerly stocked second-hand bookshop and some clothes shops that are unlikely to make anyone's mouth water.

What will make your mouth water is the gorgeous food on offer. There are two superb greengrocers, always stacked full of fresh produce, an excellent fishmonger that sells all the usual favourites as well as more exotic things like octopus, and several butchers. Anyone who loves and cares about their food will relish the opportunity to by produce that is not sealed in plastic, to be able to ask the advice of a knowledgable assistant, and all this without the clinical coldness of a supermarket. True vegetarians may not like the deer and poultry hanging outside the butcher's shops, but those who like their meat will be at home here.

I would unhestitatingly recommend the pie job, which makes the most delicious pies in the world, 'Fasta Pasta' which serves homemade pasta and gorgeous olives in a dozen different sauces, with pretty assistants to boot, and Ben's Cookies. There is nothing like biting into a cookie that is still warm, the chocalate still melted. Ummmm..

Summary: