Spiced Roots Restaurant

Head down to Cowley Road and you'll find yourself in the kind of place that doesn't need fairy lights or exposed brick to feel special. Spiced Roots does the work with flavour—jerk chicken that's been properly marinated, rice and peas that taste like they've got a story, and curries that build on your palate rather than just shouting at it. The room's unpretentious, packed with locals who know what they're after, and the 4.7-star rating isn't there by accident. You're eating food that's been thought through, cooked with proper technique, and priced fairly for what lands on your plate.