We first heard about Yorkville’s The Oxley back in March, and the newly-opened venue — from co-owners Andrew Carter and Jamieson Kerr, the duo behind The Queen and Beaver Public House — is easily one of the coziest spaces in Yorkville. Simply put: “We wanted to offer the neighbourhood a pub,” says Carter, “where you can come for a pint, for a bite, with your family, wife or kids.”
Like The Queen and Beaver, The Oxley Public House is located in an old Victorian-style townhouse. The location, previously occupied by Hungarian restaurant Courtyard Restaurant & Bistro for the past decade or so, is prime real estate, with a patio seating 25 in the front and a hidden courtyard patio seating 45-50 in the back.
Behind the bright red-brick exteriors, the restaurant was designed by Elisa Sauvé, who also worked on The Queen and Beaver. You’ll recognize the style immediately: traditional pub meets classic British interiors. Upstairs, the same homey pub atmosphere with couches, lavish bar stools and wooden tables echoes the upstairs of The Queen and Beaver (yes, there’s a TV to catch the game), but it’s the women’s powder room that stands out — it’s not unlike something out of Downton Abbey.
It looks like Carter, who also acts as chef, has been quite busy: he’s got several menus on the go. The Oxley Public House’ pub menu highlights traditional British dishes, and also a lunch menu with fare like dry-aged burger and chips ($19), fish and chips ($17) and asparagus with duck-egg salad ($14). For dinner, The Oxley offers heavier, plated dishes like fish pie ($24), sirloin of lamb ($25) or dry-aged rib-eye with stilton and red-wine sauce ($39).
Starting next month, a late-night menu will commence at 11 p.m. with fun dishes like foie gras, crispy quail and lamb kidneys. Finally, a “feasting menu,” also starting next month, will encourage family-style sharing with suckling pig or roast bison rib-eye.
The Oxley Public House also has a brunch menu similar to The Queen and Beaver’s, with classics like a full English breakfast ($14), eggs Benedict with cheese scones ($11), pancakes with banana-peanut butter ice cream ($8) or deviled lamb kidneys on dripping toast ($8).
On tap, there’s a selection of beer that runs from Steam Whistle to Beau’s to Innis & Gunn, as well as a couple of cask-conditioned beers. There’s also a great selection of whisky and classic British cocktails.