G&D's Ice Cream Cafe

George and Davis', George and Danver and, most recently, George and Delila, collectively known as "G&D's", are three ice cream cafes in Oxford, England.

History

George and Davis', the original shop, was founded in 1992 by George Stroup [cite news |title=The 50 Best Ice-Cream Parlours |url=http://independent.net-genie.co.uk/Food_Drink/2646/the_50_best_icecream_parlours.html |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent News and Media |location=London |date=2007-06-30 |accessdate=2008-04-03 ] , an Oxford University student, with the help of friends including fellow students, Oxford University staff and members of the University ice hockey team. The shop in Little Clarendon Street soon flourished, selling ice cream, quality coffees, brownies, chocolate cake, bagels and other items.In 2001 [cite web |title=About Us |url=http://gdcafe.com/AboutUs/aboutUs_theCompany.htm |accessdate=2008-04-06] Stroup and his team opened George and Danver's, a second shop on the corner of Pembroke Street and St Aldates [cite web |title=Google Maps |url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=george+and+danver+ice+cream+cafe,+Oxford&ie=UTF8&ll=51.752274,-1.255832&spn=0.009777,0.020084&z=16&iwloc=A |accessdate=2008-04-07] (opposite Christ Church College and adjacent to Pembroke College). This shop complements the original and has more space, a larger service area, and a more accessible location for many, especially tourists and those that live in south Oxford. In December 2007 the G&D's Team opened its latest shop, George & Delila, on Cowley Road in Oxford. [cite news |title=Sounds n-ice |url=http://archive.oxfordmail.net/2007/8/31/184036.html |date=2007-08-31 |accessdate=2008-04-06]

Baked goods are now made in the Pembroke Street (George and Danver) shop, while ice cream continues to be made at the Little Clarendon Street shop.

A notable fact about the chain is that all three shops are open until midnight every day. [cite web |title=Daily Info |url=http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/reviews/venue/46/G+and+Ds+aka+George+and+Davis/ |accessdate=2008-04-07] [cite web |title=Daily Info |url=http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/reviews/venue/249/G%2Band%2BDs%2BGeorge%2Band%2BDanver/ |accessdate=2008-04-07] [cite web |title=Daily Info |url=http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/reviews/venue/651/G%2Band%2BDs%2BGeorge%2Band%2BDelila/ |accessdate=2008-04-07]

Competition

The only other ice cream-themed shops in Oxford in recent years have been two outlets of the multi-national Häagen-Dazs chain: one opened in Cornmarket Street (c.a. 1993), the other opened in George Street (c.a. 1998) [ [http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/food/rest/haagen.html Daily Info - Your Guide to Oxford, UK ] ] ; both shops closed within a few years of opening. Oxford's town and gown feel a strong loyalty towards G&D's (as the company is affectionately known), which they view as "Oxford's Own"; this phrase is now incorporated in the company's logo. The flow of scholars and tourists from all nations through Oxford has given G&D's a worldwide reputation, evident in their presence in the Lonely Planet guidebook [ [http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/england/oxford/where-to-eat/1000386509?list=true G&D's, Oxford - Lonely Planet Travel Guide ] ] . All three shops also have a "Knowledge is Good" chalk board where the staff post a daily question. If a customer answers the question correctly he/she will win a free scoop of ice cream.

Flavours

The shops are known for their wide variety of ice cream flavours, including:
*After Eight mint
*Baileys Irish Cream
*Bananarama
*Belgian Chocolate
*Blackberry and Blueberry ('Black and Blue')
*Blueberry ('Oxford Blue')
*Creamy Caramel
*Crunchie Bar ('Golden Secret')
*Dime bar crunch
*Double Decker
*Gin and Tonic Sorbet
*Grand Marnier
*Greek Yoghurt and Honey
*Green tea
*Hamlet (white chocolate & raspberry)
*InLight Delight (white chocolate with chocolate cookie dough), named after local band InLight
*Lover's Tiff (Rose water & chocolate chip)
*Kenyan Coffee ('Kenya AA')
*Lavender and Honey ('Smelly Bee')
*Malibu and Pineapple Pieces ('Caribbean Dream')
*Mango Sorbet (also known as 'Cory's Fix'; this apparently refers to former G&D's volunteer and now Mayor of Newark, NJ Cory Booker)
*Mars Bar
*Mint Aero
*Passion fruit sorbet
*Raspberry Pavlova
*Pistachio
*Purity and Danger (vanilla & chocolate brownie pieces)
*Raspberry
*Strawberry
*Turkish Delight
*White chocolate

G&Ds has also produced experimental flavors such as:

* Chocolate and Chili. (The Devil's Chocolate)
* Guinness
* Port and stilton

References

External links

* [http://www.gdcafe.com gdcafe.com G&D's official website]