Getting Out of the Way: Dining at Ravine

A handcrafted Manhattan with brandy-infused cherries at Ravine.

Some of Oxford’s finest cuisine lay at the outskirts of town.

The attraction of “eating on the Square” results in tunnel-vision too often, but Ravine has cultivated a following with the same care it applies to growing its own ingredients.

Located at 53 Pea Ridge Road and nestled into a wooded lot, the log cabin-style Ravine restaurant seats 70 and includes two outdoor patios surrounded by woods for a secluded dining experience. The food is contemporary Southern: the menu features locally raised beef, pork, and seafood, as well as freshly made pastas. They also use vegetables and herbs from their own gardens, as well as produce from farms in the surrounding area.

I was fortunate enough to enjoy a special seven-course meal last night (see menu below), but but Ravine’s “regular” menus (“regular” is in quotes because they change seasonally) can be previewed here, including the Wednesday tapas menu, a local favorite. Ravine also boasts a great selection of wines, beers, and handcrafted cocktails.

If you need to clear your head and please your palate, roll off into the Ravine.

— Tad Wilkes, tad.wilkes@hottytoddy.com