The Jam Factory is a restaurant / art gallery / bar situated in a former marmalade factory, and is much more than just a place to come and drink. Just across the street from the train station and on route to the main part of Oxford, The Jam Factory is perfectly located for your first or last pint when visiting Oxford.
On walking into The Jam Factory from its side entrance you are instantly greeted by a large bar, not only is there creative cocktails, many different wines, spirits upon spirits, good quality coffee but there is one of the best beer selections Oxford has to offer. 12 keg taps, which pour a great selection of different Craft Beer like Westmalle, Kwak, Weihenstephan, local brewery Shotover Brewery with its spin off Craft Brews and a good selection of The Cotswod Brewing Co, sit proud next to two cask lines. Behind the bar you can find a bottle selection of depth and quality including Belgian Trappist beers, American beers and German specialities.
The surroundings are hip and arty but not forced, art is exhibited on the walls and furniture is funky and slightly mismatched. By day the bright white walls stand out letting light shine as it rushes through the windows, but at night this is a romantically cosy candle lit bar. Don’t be surprised to see a few students busy on their laptops using the free Wi-FI! Outside the back of The Jam Factory and under the arched sign is a beautiful courtyard with a few outside tables surrounded by lovely hanging plants with people relaxing with a pint and a book.
The Jam Factory not only provides visual art but also regularly holds events, art classes, talks, book club meets, evening scrabble show downs, knitting classes and even holds wedding parties! Free range and well sourced produce is a big importance here, with as much locally sourced produce as possible. Their beef is 28-day dry aged Scotch Angus which means that they are members of the Scotch Beef Club, their fish is caught on boats not trawlers and they never source from the Pacific Ocean ever. Their enticing array of cakes even tempted me, someone who usually isn’t a massive cake person. Menus cater for people looking for breakfast, A La Carte, set menus or even kids menu, including dishes such as cider cured salmon, Tempura soft shell crab, Welsh goats cheese and black pudding, and a selection of vegetarian dishes.
The whole of The Jam Factory makes you feel instantly relaxed and slows down time, letting you enjoy your finer things in life, be that good food, great beer or homemade art. The combination of the beer selection, relaxed atmosphere and tidy appearance made The Jam Factory my favourite visit while in Oxford.
Address – The Jam Factory Restaurant and Bar, Hollybush Row, Oxford, OX1 1HU
Opening times – Mon-Sun 9am – 11pm
Website – www.thejamfactoryoxford.com
Twitter – @TheJamFactory
Disclaimer – I visited The Jam Factory while staying in Oxford, I paid for my own drinks (well..my sister did!) and the venue did not know I was popping in…