Food & Drink
Dine, picnic, and celebrate the festival atmosphere
A visit to Waterperry Opera Festival is as much about the setting as the music. Between performances, you can relax with a picnic on the lawns, enjoy a three-course dinner in our Dining Pavilion, or collect a pre-ordered hamper prepared by our hospitality partners.
Whatever you choose, our range of food and drink options makes dining at the festival effortless and indulgent.
Festival Hospitality
In 2026, we’re delighted to continue our partnership with Climatarian Kitchen, whose seasonal, sustainable cooking celebrates the best of local produce.
From seated dining to hampers, their dishes are made from responsibly sourced ingredients, reducing waste and showcasing vibrant summer flavours.
“Because our food is so seasonal, we can’t promise what you’ll find on your plate—but it’s always fresh, generous, and delicious.”
— Emily, Founder of Climatarian Kitchen
All hospitality options can be pre-booked via our Ticketsolve box office when purchasing your festival tickets.
Seated Dining - The Lawn Restaurant
For a truly special evening, join us for a three-course dinner in our elegant Lawn Restaurant marquee, situated beside Waterperry House.
Each menu offers a meat, vegetarian, or vegan main course, accompanied by water, tea, or coffee. A drinks list, including pre-orderable wines, will be available closer to the festival.
Dinner service: 7:45pm–9:00pm (slightly earlier on closing night)
Available dates: 7–9, 13, 15–17 August 2026
Capacity: 65 guests per evening
Pre-booking required: 48 hours before your chosen date
Walk-ins are not available for the Lawn Restaurant.
Allergies & Dietary Information
Please provide all allergen or dietary requirements during the booking process.
If you need to update or add any details after booking, please email
📧 boxoffice@waterperryoperafestival.co.uk as soon as possible.
Our hospitality team will ensure your requirements are safely recorded and communicated to the kitchen.
Festival Hampers
Perfect for alfresco dining, our Waterperry Hampers are beautifully presented, sustainably packaged, and designed to be enjoyed anywhere across the gardens.
Choose from meat, vegetarian, or vegan options — each including fresh, seasonal dishes, savoury snacks, desserts, and a refreshing drink.
Hamper Collection:
Collect from the Lawn Restaurant between 2:00pm and 6:00pm on your chosen day.
After 6:00pm, uncollected hampers will be moved to the Box Office for collection during the interval.
All packaging is recyclable or compostable — please return containers to the designated waste points before leaving.
Order Deadlines
Orders close 48 hours before your performance day.
A confirmation email will be sent with collection details and parking information.
Allergies & Dietary Requirements
Please enter all allergen details at checkout.
If you need to amend your order after booking, email: boxoffice@waterperryoperafestival.co.uk
Our team will ensure this information is shared directly with our caterers.
Picnic Pavilion
Make your evening even more comfortable by reserving a table in our popular Picnic Pavilion, located a short walk from the Front Lawn performance area.
Tables are covered and decorated for a relaxed, social atmosphere — perfect for picnics or pre-ordered hampers.
Price: £15 per person
Seating: Each table can seat up to 6 guests, we can put together as many tables as you like (minimum booking of 2)
Access: Dedicated Pavilion parking available via the top drive (see Festival Map)
Opening time: 4:00pm on performance days.
Stewards will be available to help direct Pavilion guests on arrival.
Picnicking at Waterperry
Waterperry Gardens offers one of the most picturesque picnic settings in Oxfordshire.
You are warmly welcome to bring your own picnic to enjoy throughout the day.
Daytime picnics: Please use the Picnic Lawn by the Tea Shop.
Evening picnics: During performances with extended intervals, guests may picnic in the formal gardens from 5:30pm onwards (with the kind permission of the Waterperry Gardeners)
Furniture: Please do not bring personal tables or chairs into the performance areas
For full details on timings and locations, see our What to Expect page.
Festival Bar
Our much-loved Festival Bar, run by the Oxford Bar Company, returns for another season.
Located at the heart of the festival site, the bar serves everything from crisp summer cocktails to hand-picked wines, craft beers, and refreshing soft drinks.
Avoid the queues by pre-ordering a bottle of still or sparkling wine for your party — your chilled bottle will be ready to collect when you arrive.
Opening times:
Daytime: from Box Office opening until 5:30pm
Evenings: reopens 45 minutes before performances and during intervals
Sustainability and Waste
All hospitality packaging is fully recyclable or compostable, and we kindly ask that you return containers and cutlery to the waste points provided.
Waterperry Opera Festival and Climatarian Kitchen are committed to reducing waste and supporting environmentally responsible catering throughout the festival.