I’ve been eyeing up the menu at Italian restaurant Gusto on Oxford’s High Street ever since they opened, but for some reason never found a time to go – until now. They’ve launched their new bottomless brunch just in time for summer, and after my visit I can’t think of a better place to enjoy a few drinks and some delicious food with friends.
I went to try the new menu out with my partner, Jamie. First impressions were good as we were given a friendly welcome and seated in the corner of the front room, with lots of light and a great spot for people-watching. For those of you who haven’t visited since it was the Mitre pub, let me tell you the place has transformed, and the ambience in the restaurant was perfect.
The bottomless brunch offers you a two-course meal and unlimited cocktails from a dedicated menu. All of the drinks included in the bottomless brunch selection are vegan-friendly, including a non-alcoholic version of the Aperol spritz. For those of you who can’t make it to the bottomless brunch, you’ll be pleased to hear that on the main drinks menu, all of the vegan wines are labelled as such, and a note states that all cocktails are vegan apart from a select few which are clearly marked.
The bottomless brunch slot lasts for 90 minutes, and the drinks are free-flowing – they didn’t seem to worry whether we’d finished our previous cocktails before taking our order for the next one, and the staff were the right level of attentive. We didn’t have to wait long for our starters to arrive either, Gusto’s signature dough petals. Make sure to request the vegan option, which comes with a shallot and tomato filling, with vegan mayo on the side. The dough petals were soft and pillowy, and a delight to eat. I would’ve probably preferred a vegan garlic ‘butter’ on the side like the non-vegan version, rather than a mayonnaise, but it’s a minor point – these were super tasty and a great start to the meal. The portion size was ideal, just enough to whet the appetite and get you looking forward to your main course.
For the food, you can choose from a small selection of dishes from the main menu, with a few plant-based options in there (as long as you’re a fan of pasta, you’ll be okay). I opted for the artichoke and wild mushroom ravioli. When they put the bowl down in front of me, there was a mild scent of truffle, not too overpowering. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was a decent amount of ravioli in the bowl, as sometimes you can feel a bit short-changed when it comes to filled pasta in restaurants. The pasta itself was bursting with flavour, packed with earthy Jerusalem artichoke which paired so well with the meaty mushrooms scattered across the dish. Sweet tomatoes burst in the mouth and although there wasn’t a sauce, this along with a drizzle of oil prevented it from going dry. Everything was well seasoned, and the dish was finished off with spring onion which added a freshness, so it didn’t feel too heavy. I’m not sure what the pasta was made of, perhaps chickpea flour – it was cooked al dente and was perhaps slightly chewier than regular wheat pasta, but I still enjoyed the texture and it was honestly one of the best restaurant dishes I’ve eaten out in a while.
I suppose I should mention the drinks! The bottomless brunch drinks menu is small, but it covers most bases depending on what you are in the mood for, from something simple, sweet or citrusy. I enjoyed the passionfruit spritz and the limoncello sangria, before opting for a non-alcoholic drink to finish. Given that the drinks are just under £10 each on the regular menu, along with the great quality food we enjoyed, I thought the Gusto bottomless brunch was really good value for money.
I can’t wait to go back and try more dishes from the main menu next time too. If this first experience was anything to go by, I’m looking forward to enjoying quite a few more satisfying meals to come.
This was a complimentary meal for a press visit – this is an honest account of the experience.
Vegan Eats Oxford 