Great pubs and brewery
From gastro to guitars: fine dining, music and community pubs
Loose Cannon is our town brewery. It is slightly west of town off Drayton Road at Suffolk Way. It has traditional ales such as Abingdon Bridge. A special ale is offered each month and brewery tours can be booked.
With a proud brewing tradition, Abingdon-on-Thames has pubs of all types for you to experience. For music nights and weekend-long beer festivals check out our town events calendar, there is live music almost every weekend. Or have a look at our gastro-dining section and all the food information. From riverside tables to quiet sunny courtyards there are pubs with great character, cosy indoor or memorable outdoor spaces to relax in at any season.
Coffee and tea shops
Whenever you fancy a break there are plenty of tea and coffee shops and small cafés to sit in, with cakes, sandwiches, soups and toasties as well as the reviving hot drink you need after a few hours of shopping or walking the national trails. Three cafés are on or very close to the Thames, all are near significant buildings which people come from all over the world to view.
Even when you may not have time to view the new exhibitions in County Hall Museum, The MouseHole is a unique place for relaxation and best quality coffee and tea cost £1.00. Groips from town clubs meet here as many people who were young in the 50s will think of with nostalgia – this is true Abingdon.
Characterful properties and interesting staff create attractive eateries throughout the town. Craft groups, films, even theatre and opera can be found in town eateries and most places vary their offer and also provide free wi fi.
The town cinema has raked seating and also tables so you can have a drink or a meal while viewing the latest release films.
Please get in touch to add a business. If you would like to search for a business by name, you can use the Business Directory.
Gastro dining
Abingdon-on-Thames has a growing list of enticing places to eat, for the adventurous foodie and traditional family diner alike. Wander up from the river bank to choose from one of the fine dining experiences on Bridge Street, or continue your stroll around the heritage area for real Italian, Spanish, Indian, Chinese or Lebanese cooking; and don’t forget the local hand-made sausages, British pies and traditional roasts at our gastro pubs.
Abingdon County Hall Museum Tuesday to Saturday has food and drink available while you look at one of the most beautiful buildings in the country. There is a roof viewing area with audiotours and superb views of the region. Plan in advance and you can book a special event such as a champagne tea here including tea on the roof, so please look at the Museum pages of this site and call by to discuss this.
The new restaurant quarter near Abingdon Bridge will have new food locations near the Thames which are opening next year. Please explore when you are in town as businesses are added to the directory at least once a month.
Please note Town Council and its staff are not involved in accreditation of standards and services. The town has outlets it can, in general, say are of a high standard. Please make your own checks of facilities on the District information and advisory sites.
Complete accessibility may not be possible in a handful of listed, historic buildings.
Markets
Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town that still enjoys the unique atmosphere of a lively market. Our town centre boasts one of the most fit-for-purpose Market Places in the country, run by the Town Council. As well as the many community events and stalls that pop up here on a regular basis, there are markets, farmers’ markets and craft fairs on a weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual cycle.
Farmers’ Market each third Friday in the diary for local, good quality produce followed by Monday Market Day every week. At a time when we all need to think about where our food is grown, food miles, quantity of packaging markets and local traders are an asset to be supported. Many of the producers have an on line or delivery option. These markets continue with more space between stalls and a respectful request that people keep a distance and wear a clean mask while shopping.
The Market Place is available for use by local community groups to give out information, who have charitable purposes or who operate on a not-for-profit basis. In order to use the Market Place for an event you need to make a booking with the Town Council well in advance. All the forms are here, it is not possible to call in at the Information Office at present. The organiser of any event has to carry proof that the event has a licence to trade and take money in aid of a legitimate cause.
Saturdays are popular with a programme of events so many dates are booked well ahead.
28th November Christmas shopping with the Christmas tree. For this and 5th December there may not be the same amount of music and entertainment, there will be a good atmosphere.
The first Local Excellence Market of 2021 is planned by the Chamber of Commerce on 30th January.
For further information on how to make a booking please click here.
Abingdon Craft Fair
The Abingdon-on-Thames Craft Market takes place at Abingdon Market Place. December is the market focusing on Christmas, one week after Christmas lights main switch on and celebration. Summer Craft Market has real style […]
Abingdon Farmers’ Market
Have a look at the list of traders and bear in mind that many of them take orders in advance. The Thames Valley Farmers’ Market visits Abingdon Market Place on […]
Country Market
The Abingdon Country Market is an indoor market which is very popular for excellent home made produce. 10.00 am to 12.30 pm on second Saturday in each month. Note the […]
Local Excellence Market
Local Excellence is a market at which local food producers, craftworkers and retailers sell their goods in Abingdon Market Place. The Local Excellence Market gives Abingdon shoppers the chance to […]
Monday Charter Market
By Royal Charter, Monday is the town’s traditional market day with a wide variety of good quality produce and goods available weekly. This is one of the oldest markets in England […]
