Detour Pit Stop #113: Mollie's Motel and Diner, Oxfordshire, UK

Photo Nik Berg

The A420 may not have quite the same ring to it as route 66, but it is home to a classic American-style motel and diner that wouldn’t look out of place on the mother road.

Mollie’s is a modern, and rather chic, take on the Great American Road Trip tradition, transported to leafy Oxfordshire. Opened in 2019 by the founder of Soho House, Nick Jones MBE, it assembles all of the best ingredients of the American roadside experience.

You’ll find a sizeable diner that serves up all the staples from breakfast waffles and pancakes, through burgers, hot dogs, and sizzling steaks, with a selection of shakes to wash them down.

The double cheeseburger I tried really was excellent and my driving partner thoroughly enjoyed his pork belly and Oreo shake. It’s a big, airy space with a mix of booths and tables and the staff seemed friendly and efficient. If you’re in a hurry, there’s a drive-thru window, or if you’re staying for the evening in one of the motel rooms then you might fancy something with a bit of kick from the cocktail menu.

Then it’s just a short stroll across the car park to the motel where rooms are stylish and affordable. While you recharge, your car can do the same at one of the EV points and there’s a petrol station next door for drivers of more conventional machinery.

There’s another Mollie’s in Bristol, which we’ll have to find an excuse to visit, and next year will see a branch opened in Manchester, with a further ten in the pipeline.

In the meantime, if you’re taking a tour of the Cotswolds or Chilterns then we highly recommend a Pit Stop at Mollie’s.

Words Nik Berg Twitter/X | Instagram

---

ROADBOOK

CLASS: MOTEL & DINER

NAME: MOLLIES

ROUTE: Shrivenham Rd, A420, Buckland, Faringdon SN7 8PY

COUNTRY: UK

---

---