G & D's (George & Danver)

I first came upon G and D in 1992 when I was walking to the St Margarets Centre in Jericho. Never before had I been to a cafe where you were encouraged to stay for a free refill of coffee. The bagels and ice cream were second to none. Very quickly my friend from the food studies group (the offices of which could be found above the cafe), a friend from the secretarial college (around the corner), two friends from the Kingston Road and myself met up there regularly for coffee. The music and atmosphere is still fun, carefree and easygoing. I love the place. My only minor criticism would be that the Little Clarendon Street branch could do with a bit of refurbishment. Nevertheless I would recommend it to anyone.

jojey (Unverified), 10/04/12

I loved George & Danver opposite Christ Church college. This was my last week in the UK and I decided to return to Oxford. I ate brunch here, and had the pizza bagel, which was really nice.
The staff were friendly and helpful, the premises clean and bright. Too bad I didn't have their all-natural ice cream, but when I return I will! This place is brilliant!

Cha (Unverified), 28/09/10

Ice cream heaven!

And nice sandwiches too! We are visiting Oxford just for the day on a whirlwind tour of the UK and very glad we found this cafe. Apparently they make all the ice cream and bakery items on the premises and it's top quality. Also had a coffee which was better than what the standard coffee chains serve. Check out the seats in front window...great view of Christ Church college and street scene. Interior space has some nice features including a curved wooden bar and a carved wooden archway... generally a woody, colorful, pleasant atmosphere. Was in Cambridge over the weekend and did not find a cafe half as nice. Poor Cambridge, lucky Oxford! My guide book says there are two more George & D's (Delila, Daven) in town...

Stacey McDonald (Unverified), 01/12/09

Visited George and Danver today for the first time. LOVED IT! I am new to Oxford and was looking for a nice café. I am not a fan of chain coffee shops for various reasons, not least because they are so impersonal and the food/drink they serve always appears to have come off an assembly line somewhere. George and Danver has a nice, colourful individual feel. I understand there are two other "George and somethings" in Oxford and while each shop is different they all share the same great ice cream, bagels, friendly staff, etc. I worked in a café for two years and know that it takes a lot of hands-on effort to create and maintain standards: friendly staff, good food, tidy, nice atmosphere. George and Danver carries this off with style. A colleague of mine (I just started a new job here) recommended the place (thanks Bill!). He says he has run into George in the various shops and around town for 10+ years and he is a bright and friendly sort of chap who comes across as genuinely enthusiastic about the business. Good to know. I hereby declare I shall return (again and again!) and look forward to trying each and every flavour of ice cream, bagel sandwich.

Elizabeth Rodgers (Unverified), 29/11/09

HISTORY - correction: G&D's Ice Cream was founded by George Stroop and Davis Roberts, both former students at Oxford. Davis left the business, but still maintains an ownership, and moved to Canada where he lives with his wife and children.

Oxford Blues (DI User), 23/11/09

G&D's is excellent. The staff are really friendly, and cope well under the pressure of busy periods. The atmosphere is delightful, and it is great to see such a place succeeding in the midst of so many chain-cafés. The flavour petitions are quirky, and the competitions good-spirited.

Most importantly, their ice-cream is delicious - not too sweet; creamy and full of flavour. My personal favourites are super chocolate and Kenya AA.

livewire (Unverified), 09/10/06

I really like G&D's, however I think they don't listen very carefully as I constantly have incorrect orders, which is depressing. Service can be tediously slow. Sorry to moan, but someone had to say something.

Thomas McDean (Unverified), 25/07/06

G&D's (George & Davis / George & Danver) is an Oxford tradition of the best kind. Started up in Little Clarendon Street by George and his dog 10 years ago, the new branch opened opposite Christchurch in November 2001. The dog may have changed, but the tradition hasn't: if you are looking for ice cream between the hours of 8am and 12 midnight, G&D's is where it's at. Freshly made (with Jersey cream from a local dairy and no artificial ingredients) in the mysterious and presumably heavenly basement of the Little Clarendon Street shop, the selection of flavours ranges from dime bar crunch, mars mania and super chocolate to mango sorbet, after eight and crunchie bar. There are also regular new flavour experiments (eg. guiness!!) according to customers' suggestions. Collect 30 signatures in the G&D's flavour petition folder, and your idea will be tried out.

G&D's ethos is reflected by its cheery, light, open decor. The staff are friendly and smiley, the stereo plays a range of standard student favourites, and there are constant competitions and fun giveaways. Win ice cream by providing the correct answer to the Question of the Week on the board at Little Clarendon Street, or by bringing in some kind of cow artifact on Wednesday night. Tuesdays at St Aldate's is Silly Hat Night, and Mondays will be Hoop Night (win a ½ litre of ice cream by getting the cow through the basketball hoop) when the management find a way to fix the hoop so as to avoid bombarding the customers with a shower of bovines. A different newspaper is provided each day at both branches, and the Beano and Dandy are also available. Buy a coffee before 10am and get another free; get endless free refills after 10am when you buy coffee with your food; make up an ice cream shake of your choice; put smarties on your ice cream... the fun never stops. Ahem.

As for foods other than the creamy and iced kind, G&D's do a mean line in bagels and pizza bagels, which at around the £3 mark are enough for a small meal. (You can even put ice cream in your bagel if you are really obsessive.) The cakes on offer are good, and ice-cream-free smoothies are available. Back to the ice cream: G&D's will supply college balls by arrangement, and they provide the trendy Branca on Walton Street with their delicious raspberry sorbet. At £1.25 a pop for a little pot brimming with creamy goodness (!), value is excellent. Try the Kenya AA coffee and the pistachio flavour, and the B52 ice-cream milkshake - a meal in itself, and the cheapest cocktail in town.

Su Jordan (DI Staff), 14/05/02