Food
Food at Merton is an experience not to be missed! Urban Legend has it that Merton has the best food in Oxford – because a very wealthy Prince from a far away land had a few spare pounds to donate to the cause of culinary delights (you can probably read about this on Wiki). Merton also heavily subsidises food and we pay very little in comparison to other Oxford colleges and to anywhere else in the city.
Of course, like all college food, sometimes there are some interesting choices on the menu, however, more often than not, these are usually surprisingly good. In my time at Merton, there have only ever been two meals so questionable as to their content that I have not finished them. I eat in hall a lot, so really this is pretty indicative of the excellent standard of Merton food (and what else would you expect from the BEST college in Oxford?!).
Vegetarians, vegans and all others with special dietary requirements are well catered for and Merton provides great variety of non-meat options. Happily all the eggs are free-range and the quality of the meat products and fresh produce is very high.
Breakfast and Lunch are offered Monday – Saturday (Breakfast – ₤1.58; Lunch – ₤2.85).
Breakfast is an excellent affair, offering croissants, toast, cereal, yoghurt, fruit, orange juice, tea and coffee. It is usually well attended by those crazy enough to happily get up at the crack of dawn to row a boat and an assortment of those blessed with the gift of getting out of bed before 8:15am! Even if you are not a morning person, we recommend you try breakfast at least once early on in your time at Merton, because chances are you’ll find it so good that you will be inspired to wake up early and smell the coffee! You may also be a rower. A little tip – breakfast is the only meal in hall where we clear the table ourselves (every other is table service) – so please help out the staff by making sure you don’t leave your left-overs on the table!
Lunch is whopping. Seriously. Although you choose what you want, if you are hungry enough, there are 4 courses including soup, main, salad bar and dessert (you often have a choice of dessert)…oh and fruit and yoghurt. Lunch is perhaps the best value for money you are likely to encounter for lunch in Oxford and is yummy, yummy, yummy! My personal favourites are herb-crusted salmon, tofu burgers (seriously good and not just for veggies!), roasted chicken, tuna salad and Waldorf salad. If you are lucky enough to attend lunch on a day when dessert is warm chocolate brownie, you would be incredibly disciplined (or stupid) not to indulge – a mind-blowing experience! After lunch it is quite popular to continue with the festivities by having an espresso in the MCR. If you have to go back to classes you should mention to your lecturer/tutor that you’ve just had a massive feed-up at Merton – this will sometimes excuse you falling into a sleepy post-lunch coma, because Merton lunch is truly famous!
On Sundays, breakfast and lunch are replaced by what most consider to be the best meal of the week – brunch (₤2.75). Brunch is an epic adventure – it’s easy to bond with fellow diners when either hung-over or reminiscing about the night before – provided you can remember it. Also, it’s always loads of fun waiting to see who turns up in last night’s Black Tie! Brunch is a proper English Breakfast – bacon, eggs, sausages, baked beans, hash browns (for veggies – eggs, vege sausage, baked beans, mushrooms, tomatoes and hash browns) with toast or bread rolls, orange juice, fruit, yoghurt, tea and coffee. An incredibly hearty and fantastic meal which is usually lingered over and stretched out for as long as you feel you can escape from that essay that’s due tomorrow. On a sunny day, it is particularly excellent to wrap up brunch with an espresso at the Stone Table with your friends.
Dinner (₤3.56)
You have two options for dinner at Merton – early supper or formal hall. Early supper is from 6:15 – 6:30 and is a two course meal (main and dessert). Most people however choose to go all out for formal, as you get three courses for the same price as two and, let’s be honest, Mertonians love any excuse to get a little a dressy and gown-up! That’s right – at our formal, you’ve got to wear your gowns! The dinner menu is vast and over the year you’ll have loads of options. You always have access to the menu before you book so you can see whether or not you will actually enjoy yourself (chances are you will!). Remember to book in early for Sunday nights as these are VERY popular and fill up quickly! You can bring wine to hall (glasses and corkage are provided) and enjoy a glass or two with your meal. Meals in hall can be followed by a friendly drink in the college bar!
Early Supper is served every evening of the week with Formal Hall being every evening except Saturdays. Just to heads up, grace is said in Latin at the beginning of every Formal Hall – don’t forget to stand up!
As a Merton graduate student you have termly High Table rights! Make sure you make the most of this privilege and enjoy the simply superb food you’re going to be offered! High Table is your chance to get to know the Merton Fellows, which always makes for stimulating dinner conversation and we recommend signing up for Second Desserts too!
You can bring up to three guests to Formal Hall (more if you can convince someone to book extra guests for you under their name!) and there doesn’t appear to be a limit for breakfast or lunch. Some of the best evenings in Oxford are ones in which you’ve wined and dined your friends at Formal Hall.
Last but certainly not least is mention of the lovely, friendly and wonderful Hall staff – make sure you get to know them because they make meals in hall that much better!