New College has not only a great dining hall, but also a wonderful kitchen that caters to any dietary restriction.
Eating in College
Food is available to graduates during term time; all meals are charged to your till account and paid for using your Bod-card. The most up-to-date timings are available here: Meal Times
Breakfast: A choice of an English cooked breakfast, continental breakfast, cereal etc. is available and charged per item.
Brunch: Brunch is available on Saturdays and Sundays. A choice of an English cooked breakfast, continental breakfast, cereal etc. is available and charged per item.
Lunch: Lunch is available on weekdays.
Dinner and Formals
Dinner comes in two sittings, early and late, usually referred to as informal hall and formal hall respectively. Evening meals are inclusive of soup, salads, a main course, potatoes/pasta, vegetables, and dessert. Students MUST book their meals before 10 am on the day they want to go to dinner in the Hall. This is done on-line on the meal booking site, where you also have to specify the sitting you wish to attend.
Informal hall is available every day during term time, canteen style.
Formal hall is held a few times a week during term time, and is served. For formal hall diners have to be seated for 7.15 pm, stand when the Fellows enter, then sit after saying grace. Unusually for Oxford, we do not stand up when the Fellows leave at the end of dinner. During these dinner we have to wear gowns, but can wear them over casual clothing.
Guest night dinners, which are held fortnightly starting 7.15 pm prompt, are a great favourite of the MCR for their lavish 3-course catering and the customary after-parties. MCR members may bring up to 2 guests. Just as for formal hall we stand when the Fellows enter, then sit after saying grace. Unusually for Oxford, we do not stand up when the Fellows leave at the end of dinner. During guest night we do not wear gowns, but the dress code is smart.
The number of places available for these dinners is usually restricted and so early booking is recommended. However to discourage students block booking places and then cancelling at short notice, the system may penalize those who cancel after 10 am on the Thursday preceding the dinner. Our Catering Manager will be keeping a reserve list of those who struggle to sign on.
Information on the meal arrangements and prices.
High Table Dining Rights
Up to four MCR members are permitted to dine at High Table on Mondays or Thursdays, during full term, at own expense (wine is charged depending on which is being served on the night and how many glasses you have). You may join the SCR in Lecture Room 4 before / after dinner but may not invite guests. Sign-up is by email to the SCR Butler, Hassan Hamed hassan.hamed@new.ox.ac.uk by 10am on the Monday or Thursday in question.
In addition, the Tutor for Graduates has separate High Table dining rights and often invites first-year graduates to dine during term.
Eating Elsewhere
For those who like to self-cater, all graduate residences come equipped with some variety of kitchen; the kitchens at the sports ground buildings and at Warham House are especially spacious compared to other accommodation around Oxford. There are a number of supermarkets within walking distance from college.
For evenings when you want to splurge, Oxford has an amazing variety of restaurants, many of which are hidden in various parts of the city. To assist in finding the right place, OUSU (Oxford’s undergraduate student government) distributes a guide that includes reviews of restaurants, pubs, and even kebab vans. These are typically handed out at Freshers’ Fair, which is held before the beginning of Michaelmas Term each year.