The White Hart in St Andrew’s Road is run by landlord Dan Smaje and his wife Carole, and is the Oxford Mail Pub of the Week.
The pub is well known locally for its choice of about 10 different pies, including steak, dry-cured bacon and ale, and wild mushroom and asparagus with shallots and white wine. A selection of vegan and gluten free pies are also served.
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The pub, an Everards tenancy, has been listed in the Good Beer Guide many times and was selected as the Oxford Mail’s best pub of the year in 2022.
Mr Smaje said the hot weather over the summer attracted lots of visitors to the pub’s walled garden.
Dan and Carol Smaje and staff in 2022(Image: The White Hart)
He added: “We have a real mix of locals – there are lots of doctors and nurses from the John Radcliffe Hospital and students from Ruskin College and Oxford Brookes University.
“Trade has been good over the summer and people have been enjoying our walled garden which not everyone is aware of.
“Now autumn is here our quiz night on Tuesday is getting busier, and our Sunday roasts are very popular.”
Mr Smaje said the pub always stocks a number of real ales – currently there are five including Tiger, an Everards best bitter.
The pub dates back to the 17th century and has a fascinating history.
According to local legend, in its early years Joan of Headington, ran the premises as a brothel and apparently offered students “other services” along with their ale.
The pub’s website says: “These days we just serve the ale, although copies of the script from the 1712 ‘The Tragi-Comedy of Joan of Hedington’ play can be found hanging on our wall which will explain everything.”
Inside The White Hart(Image: The White Hart)
The Oxford branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) has noted the pub’s history.
It said: “The White Hart has a good selection of Everards ales and guests. It holds a beer festival every year in May.
“There are three drinking areas and a very large garden. Note the framed extract from a play ‘The Tragi-comedy of Joan of Hedington’ by Dr William King of Christ Church written in 1712 about the proprietor of a dishonourable ale house; thankfully now the pub has a much better reputation.
“The food is traditional and home-made with pies a speciality. Local CAMRA City Pub of the Year 2013 and 2017.”
One recent visitor gave the pub a five-star rating on reviews site TripAdvisor, adding: “My visit was all okay and it was nice to see Dan and Carole still there.
“I rate this five out of five – we all had Sunday roast – I could not fault it at all.”
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