Interesting place and i love the food outlets.
always surprised thats its closed on Sundays

I love the Covered Market.

It’s not necessarily that I buy anything - but just walking around the narrow lanes of the covered market, gazing into the windows of the various shops, takes me back to a much older time, before McDonalds and the chain-stores took over Cornmarket and every other High St in the country.

The butchers are hugely evocative, there are beatiful jewellers (I dribble at the Breitling watches), t-shirt shops, knick-knacks and the inevitable cobblers.

Oh, and the cafe in the Covered Market does a really good Full English, and sitting there reading the paper is much more enjoyable than sitting in a generic Starbucks.

Go there. Whether you live there or not. Don’t necessarily expect bargains - most of the stores are pretty expensive - but do enjoy a throwback to past times, drink in the sights and sounds and enjoy a really quirky and irreplaceable part of Oxford.

One thing i hate about shopping in oxford is that its the same old same old, and you might as well visit Mk Centre to get some real retail therepy. HOWEVER, the covered market is one place i dDO like to go. There are lots of quaint little one of shops and boutiques - and it has a sense of the old fashioned about it. There is a key cutters, a cobblers, an engravers and endless fresh meat butchers and fish mongers.
It is not for the faint hearted! I have often seen headless cows or even deer hanging from unforgiving hooks… oh and live lobsters and crab at the fish market!
If this doesnt take your fancy though, just walk past and go straight to the pie shop (freshly baked pies and they are to die for) or go and look in the window at the cake shop. Those guys have really learnt their trade well!
Have fun here :)

I absolutely love browsing the little shops and stalls here. It feels exotic yet quintessentially English, stylish but down-to-earth, just very different from the noise of the high street and the everyday shops of Cornmarket Street.

The best places:
Ben’s Cookies - warm, soft, melting cookies.
Moo Moos - milkshakes with any combination of sweet things you could imagine.
Hot Chocology - specialist chocolates from around the world and hot chocolate to die for.
The Cake Shop - just peek through the window to see the most amazing cakes and decorations being crafted.

(Warning: don’t do all of these in the same visit unless you’re incredibly sweet-toothed!)

There are some great delicatessen type shops, as well as a leather shop, a retro household goods store, a lovely dress shop and a slogan t-shrit shop. Prices range from about average to almost designer boutique, all adding to the great mix and out-of-this-world feeling.

This is a must if you're in Oxford for a few days - visit this little market for the best of Oxford's charm. This has been around for a long long time and now is home to a fantastic variety of shops and cafes - nip in for lunch and a browse around.

If you're after food, this is the place to come. There's several butchers selling every kind of meat (try the sausage specialist for a treat!), a cheese specialist, grocers, a fishmongers with crabs and lobsters in tanks and a bakery that does great scones. You can get a great lunch at a variety of cafes or grab a snack - cookies, smoothies, milkshakes and more. Have a good look in the window of the cake decorating shop.

Also great for shopping - many clothes shops, jewelery, nick-nacks and flowers. Put an hour aside to have a good look!

Not exactly a new place to see in Oxford, I believe the covered market has been around since 1773.
It's a lovely example of a traditional city market, with some great butchers and grocers. If you like meat, the butchers are pretty good (I recommend the sausages, in particular the ones with boar or venison).
The only shame for me is that the more traditional stalls have been gradually replaced by modern, slightly touristy outlets.
But still a great place to visit if you are in the area.