J + A Cafe

One of the cosiest places I have ever seen. It’s almost like a secret place, because it’s so very well hidden between the other buildings. The patio is decorated with cute lamps. The interior design is a little bit industrial with the big windows and the black steel, but still very cosy and welcoming. I ate the pancakes with whipped cream and fresh fruit. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that they are one of the best pancakes I have ever tasted. The staff was very friendly and the service very quick. I will definitely come here again on my next trip to London.

Great environment, very cozy place to stop in and get a coffee. I met a friend here and had a pretty perfect experience. I would definitely come back, especially if they expanded more into the baked goods selection

A lovely little cafe with great food. We have only come here for breakfast, and haven’t been disappointed. The boxty, pancakes, and soda bread are must-try’s. Service is friendly, seating is comfortable, and prices are fair.

One of the best coffees I've had in London. Great little spot through an alleyway. Would love to try a meal here one day.

The staff was friendly and the location perfect. However, our chicken sandwiches were not tasty. Maybe we should have ordered something else. We had to pay over 20 pounds for the sandwiches on the photo, tap water and tea. In my opinion the quality of the food is not worth this much money.

I first heard about J&A in a book about the best independent coffee shops in London, and read that they also hosted functions. I went to check it out and knew immediately it would be the perfect venue for us. I brought Rachel there to see it when she returned from working overseas, and she felt the same. The day went brilliantly, and our guests were blown away by the venue, food, flowers, service and staff. We could not have asked for a better place to host our wedding. We’d highly recommend it to couple looking for something central in London, with an intimate vibe, amazing design & attention to detail. Such a fun party. Thanks to all the staff, but especially to Rachael, J&A’s event manager, who made the whole process so easy. Wish we could do it all again. Olivia & Rachel xx

A hidden gem tucked away off the Main Street, this is one of the best breakfast spots I’ve been to in the City. Quality ingredients served fresh from the pan to the the plate - the breakfast sandwich was 10/10. Really nice ambience too.

Nice central location, in an attractive ex industrial setting. Not sure if table service or order at the counter, however the service was good and reasonably fast.

What a wonderful, homey breakfast spot tucked in a nondescript courtyard. No, nondescript isn't entirely true: the stone walls are illuminated by ribbons of lightbulbs, cascading from one side of the alley to the other. The only sign of the restaurant from the street is a small sandwich board pointing to the alleyway, with a white "J + A" on a blue backdrop. There was nothing about it that screamed "wow" and "we must eat here," but my friend highly recommended it (and the café had our initials), so there we went. I ordered the veggie breakfast with a side of sausage, and my partner a bowl of porridge with apples. Before you laugh, please note that the veggie breakfast came with mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, baked beans, boxty, two farm-fresh sunnyside up eggs and a deliciously tangy soda bread toast. The full English breakfast nixed the spinach but had black pudding and bacon and sausage instead. I didn't particularly feel like blood sausage or bacon, but I did want some meat with breakfast. Makes sense now, right? My fiancé laughed when I ordered, but the waitress didn't bat an eye. She did, however, say that apples were an extra cost for the porridge, and they also came with cinnamon and raisin. That's fine. She put in our orders and came back with our lattes. In terms of restaurant placement, try to snag a table along the back wall so you aren't so cold, but far from the espresso machine. Our breakfast was punctuated by loud clanking and hissing, which was fairly disagreeable. Though the drinks that came out of that machine were top notch. When our breakfast arrived, I was surprised to learn that boxty wasn't at all like a hash brown, nor bubbles and squeak, but rather a plain hunk of potato purée. My partner was surprised to find that his porridge had raisins, but did not contain apples nor cinnamon. It was yummy and creamy nonetheless, but when the waitress came around he pointed out that the apples were missing, so she took off the extra charge. Late that night we noticed that the J + A was closed for a private party. The lights were on in the courtyard, and colorful balloons shone out from the windows. What a wonderful place to host a party: easily accessible by bus or tube, off the street, homey, quaint, good food, polite staff, and the name... too bad it isn't in Paris, otherwise we'd enquire for our engagement party!

When you find your way to this hidden cafe off Clerkenwell Road, you'll feel as if you've stumbled upon a secret. Expect it to be buzzing with digital types on their coffee breaks and the odd yummy mummy with a posh pram. I thought it slightly strange that their take on a full English, the J+A Breakfast, did not include baked beans. Nonetheless it was a fine meal and with the addition of jam for my toast I was well satiated. Those enamored of exposed brick, menus on blackboards and industrial flooring will feel right at home here. There's plenty of light streaming in and the vibe is congenial. I'm quite keen to return to J&A Café for lunch. Who's coming with?

Need a joint for a cosy, comfortable, and reasonably quiet ambiance to catch up with some private-time... in public? Feel like having a hearty breakfast or early lunch and enjoy a newspaper (or, for the posh amongst you, an iPad)? J+A Café is just the spot you're looking for. Late morning on a brisk autumn Saturday, I rolled in here to catch one of the few remaining spots available at the long picnic table in the centre of the dining room. Armed with my trusty Galaxy S and an e-book I'd been working on for a few months (an old favourite, Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber), I whiled away over an hour just flipping virtual pages, sipping on the most massive of Americanos, and forking through a mound of scrambled eggs and salmon on toast. The servers bustle all around without seeming to be in a hurry. Other patrons carry on a low humming din of conversation, and the majority of individual patrons are immersed in their separate musings and cogitations. Honestly, I'm shocked -not- to see a sea of Macbooks glowing their merry Apple emblems away here. While prices aren't stupidly affordable (see Le Regal for that), you won't leave hungry or feeling cheated. And a refreshed, placid state of mind is one well worth dropping a few extra pounds on.

This is a fantastic venue - a smaller bar room separated by an alley from a larger tea room. The latter closes down at night while the smaller room and the alley fill up with happy revelers. If you get there during the day definitely get into their sponge cake and their solid tea selection.

Hidden gem in a small alley way. They have a cute outdoor area, the cafe area and a bar next door. Staff was super friendly. Had the organic salmon with scrambled eggs on Irish soda bread. The eggs were light and fluffy, the salmon was fresh and the soda bread was pretty tasty- reminded me of sourdough bread. My friend had the scone and it was nicely prepared too. Definitely recommend this spot for breakfast/brunch.

This place has been on my Yelp bookmarks for aaages. Glad I finally made it. Because of its hidden location, I was able to walk in on a Saturday at 11.30 am (prime brunch time) and get a table right away. Although the place was busy, at no point did it become super full or booked out in the hour or so I was there. Highlights from this place is the open plan kitchen venue, it's open and cosy at the same time. I had an Americano which was very good not bitter at all but nicely potent. We'd made it here based on other Yelp pics of their pancakes (is it me or is it quite hard to find great pancakes in London?). We were not disappointed. I got the savoury pancakes (bacon, eggs, pancakes, maple syrup) and my friend got them with fruit and cream. They were fluffy and tasty and I left feeling full but not stodgy which can sometimes happen with doughy pancakes. A few things to bear in mind: Syrup comes poured over; next time I would request it on the side, as I like to do the syrup pouring myself. I love bacon but I was with a friend who doesn't eat pork and it smelt pretty porky in there - bacon haters beware. Lastly, I've heard their chocolate guinness cake is amazing - after two pancake dishes we weren't really up for it, but it looked divine!

Ahhh J+A, you've done it again! I really am starting to fall in love with this cafe. It was a beautiful morning, so today we decided to sit outside and have a working breakfast. It was slightly busy but when you sit outside you could almost be anywhere on a sunny day like today! The waitress was slightly slow today but as always they were busy and we were in no rush so no harm, no foul. I'm still on my healthy stint and opted for the omelette filled with mushrooms, tomatoes, ham, and spinach with a side of beans. The food came quickly and was presented well. The omelette is served with white toast also, just so you're aware :) My omelette was absolutely delicious! It was cooked perfectly, and there was plenty of filling. The ham in particular was to die for: salty, soft and it melted in your mouth. Complemented by buttery mushrooms, crunchy spinach and juicy tomatoes - what more could you ever want?! Another fantastic experience at J+A! I couldn't recommend it more!

Yup, I'm a fan. I love the fact that it's literally 32 steps away from the office. I love that you actually can't see this from the street (I missed it 2 times the first time I came here). I love the inner courtyard, even now during the winter, because I can only imagine how great this is during summer...I went for the combo soup+sour bread at 6,5£, and it was delicious every time. I had to force myself not to grab my friend's roast-chicken sandwich, it really looked amazing. I went pretty light things, but everytime I see the "stew" on the menu, there's this little voice in my head that tells me.."choose this". Next time for sure!

Super adorable cafe tucked in a thin alleyway off Clerkenwell Road. It has plentiful outdoor seating and some tables inside that are good for working over a hearty meal and a nice hot drink. WiFi available as well so it's employee-friendly for those looking to work remote or hold a biz meeting. The open kitchen, hardwood, and dim lighting give it both a modern and rustic feel, which I fully appreciate. The latte art can use some spiffing up. My first flat white was basically a "dump milk as fast as possible over espresso, here you go," sort of scenario. Second one was better but not great. No biggie as it tasted just fine but I'd think a venue like this would want to focus a bit on the presentation... The assortment of pastries and cakes are plentiful (Guinness cake available, and they make the finest looking English muffins I've ever seen in the flesh). Specialty dishes change out daily so definitely make sure to check out the chalk board. The staff are quick to tend to your table, meals available for eat-in or take out. I hear this place morphs into a bar later in the evening, which I can imagine could be quite fun out in the courtyard area in the warm months. I'll have to return to check it out.

One of those places you go back to again and again! You venture down a small alley way which you think is kind of going nowhere and then you see a large outside courtyard area with tables either side and being away from the traffic is also pleasant! You can go to either the left or right side to dine indoors or sit outside...great in the sun! The food is very good and service too! It's not too pricey and turns into a nice place to go fro a drink in the evening, worth a visit for sure! Whether with friends, a coffee on the go, work lunch with the boss, it's one of those places to go...enjoy :)

Decided to try this cafe with a group of friends. Slightly hidden down an alley. It took a couple of moments to find, but well worth the confusion. The staff were attentive and friendly. The food is traditional, Irish, homemade and incredibly tasty. It does take a while to appear at your table, as they make it then and there. No microwaved portions here. You have the option of tea and cake or the simple lunch menu. All so equally good, you'll end up eating more than you expected to.

It's like a posh cafe. These exist right? This week is Clerkewell Design Week and I thought, oooo all these people are heading over to this nutella pancake stand and it looks free but I'm too scared to queue as I hadn't got the lanyard with the free ticket inside and lunch hour was fast ending. So what did I do? Nose around the yelp website, stalked Christoph's recent haunts around the area as he works nearby, and found out he went to the J+A Takeaway place. Lo and behind, I saw a sign pointing into a courtyard that J+A Cafe was right there so I had to pop in and have a look! The lady inside explained this wasn't the takeaway shop but you can do takeaways here too and I was happy! The salads look amazingly fresh and they gave me 3 huge pieces of freshly cooked chicken. It was nice juicy and just slightly overcooked (this could have happened on the way back to the office though) but i was impressed! Price was a bit on the high end £14 for a chicken salad, but I literally split the meal into two and ate the leftovers the next day. So around £7 for lunch. Not bad. Whilst waiting I was being nosy about the rest of the diners' food and they all looked delicious! The cafe was pretty packed but there was an outdoor seating courtyard outside which patrons of this cafe may or may not be able to utilise. They also have tiny benches for you to sit on next to the walls of the cafe while you wait for a table/takeaway! Brownie points!

So... It happened I was walking around, looking for another place to have my late coffee on a Sunday afternoon and suddenly, a group of people stepped out of a door that led to an alley that led me to J+A Café. There are two buildings, one on each side of the alley. One of them is a coffee shop where you can have brunch/lunch and the other, apparently, is a bar. I just went to the 'restaurant' part because all I wanted was some coffee and cake. The place is really nice, airy and bright, with simple decoration. The staff was lovely, always with a smile on their faces even though it was almost closing time. Always appreciated. Brunch was over when I arrived, so I didn't have a chance to try the food. But I did try the cakes and they were wonderful. I had the Chocolate Guinness Cake with Baileys and clotted cream on the side and I just have one word to describe it: MARVELLOUS! The coffee was also really good. Much better than the one you will get for the same price in any high street chains.

Alert: this is a very wonderful bar in the evenings. Can you say gimlet? Did you know this? I did not...I stumbled upon it by happenstance and feel the world should know. Repeat: THIS IS A BAR in the evenings. After the brunch and lunch items are stowed away and the sun starts to fade, guests can still pop into the alley and into the beautifully paned and glass paneled building that houses the spirts, beers and wines... In addition to a fantastic bar staff. You might even find yourself treated to one of the best Cucumber Gimlets in London...dare I say, the world. Followed by a Sloe Berry (sloe gin + french sparkling, oo la la) you'll be tottering off to dinner a bit worse for the wear, but surely much more bubbly and full of gin-inspired hubris. Oh, wait. Yes, that was me last night. I've enjoyed a lunch, brunch, breakfast on occasion at J&A and have always been quite happy. Tucked away (as others mention), nice simple food that is hearty and well thought out. Friendly service. Their bar area is greatly underrepresented -- and thus, I felt it was my civic Yelp duty to inform the masses. If you are seeking libations in Clerkenwell, do not skip over J&A thinking it just to be a daytime cafe. The magic truly comes out to play at night. I shall return, as should you. It's not crowded, but I can't say it will stay that way for long -- I have to imagine anyone that pops in for a cocktail (in the most proper of stemware, no less...swoon) and finds this gem nestled between the alleys (and not brimming with drunks) takes a deep breath and promises "I'll surely be back." There's a BAR here. A good one. In case you didn't catch it...

This place really couldn't get any better. The loose-leaf (Irish) breakfast tea (a cute little nod to the business owners' background, I should add) was dynamic and delicious, served appropriately in a teapot for one with a little filter cup at the top (so that the tea didn't over-steep between cups, thankyouverymuch). The scrambled egg on toast was wonderfully seasoned and cooked, served atop fluffy and freshly made bread that was handily buttered for me in advance. It might seem really simple, but think about it. How many places have you been to where you've been served up DELICIOUS (and inexpensive) scrambled egg on toast? Not very many, no. Mostly you'll get rubbery, tasteless eggs on a slice of toasted Tesco Value range bread; let's be honest here. The service was amiable and attentive, yet unobtrusive. As for my impression of the atmosphere, I will not rehash it here (since I've already gushed about it in my previous review). Needless to say, I love it. The 243 bus from Waterloo travels right outside J&A Café... I think I shall return for pancakes at the weekend. Again and again. And again. (But also maybe for some Irish soda bread... And brownies. And cake.) (I like brackets (parentheses).)

Wonderful little find this. A courtyard accessed from 2 sides by small narrow lanes, furnished with cobble together garden furniture means that this place offers a rare opportunity to sit outside without hearing any road noise in the middle of Farringdon. There is a small section that is covered by a makeshift 'awning' type thing but I suppose if it did rain, you'd quickly want to move inside - which is not at all a bad thing as the place is nicely done out with an industrial looking twist, very homely. Service was impeccable and always punctuated with a smile - I'd like to think the lovely ladies serving there were just smiling at me but honestly, I just think they are nice friendly people and good at their job (I'll just live in my bubble for a little while longer) I had the sandwich of the day, fried chorizo, cheddar and home made pesto, damn it was great! Proper sandwich too, with doorstop bread slices that were not at all regularly shaped, looked a lot like a heavy-fisted boxer had squashed and cut the bread actually, marvelous.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the breakfast gods for J&A Café. From "fluffy" white bread with perfectly seasoned scrambled eggs to the Flour City chocolate brownies and other sweet treats on display, this café screams cool, homemade goodness. Hidden in Sutton's Yard, down a tiny ally this unsuspecting building holds a treasure trove of affordable tasty delights. In total my breakfast an coffee set me back a whole £5, a seriously well spent fiver at that! Daily specials are hand written on the chalk board there are scattered communal tables and super laid-back servers who give you space yet don't leave you waiting. J&A Café is a hidden secret in London, a haven from the hustle and bustle of the city, it can get busy mid-morning to lunchtime with local workers but get their early enough and you'll get a seat. Now the coffee was lovely but not quite as mind blowing as Tomtoms, an Americano not filter was available, with it's smooth and slightly bitter undertones it hit the caffeine nail on the head. And as with every venue that serves coffee it rightly had a loo, with fresh flowers in it! My life is complete. Will I be back? Yes, I just wish there was more in the area that gave me a reason to hang out around here more.

School chairs, school tables, school pipes, school doors...but it's not a school, it's a lovely, bustling café hidden down a little lane, with delicious food and friendly staff! Love! HUGE baked potatoes with generous fillings, delicious sandwiches and a whole array of ever-changing specials make J+A Café a lunchtime-must, not to mention the vast selection of cakes, cookies, brownies and other sweet treats decorating the counter-space. We were sat up on the first floor which was empty when we arrived just after 12pm and packed to the rafters when we left an hour or so later. I had the club sandwich - chicken, bacon, salad, avocado etc. on fresh white bread. I'm not sure if they bake the bread in-house but I wouldn't be surprised, it was deliciously doughy. Although being absolutely stuffed after the huge sarnie, which came with a scattering of vegetable crisps, I couldn't help but partake in sharing a slice of Chocolate and Guiness Cake with Josephine B and Kevin L. With a generous layer of icing, a splodge of cream on the side with a dash of Baileys over the top, I enjoyed the cake very much. It had an interesting texture, hard to put into words, perhaps slightly stodgier than your average cake, yet I loved the almost bitter taste of Guiness paired with the sweetness of chocolate. It wasn't sickly but quite rich and I don't think I could have managed a whole slice to myself! Still...never say never!

This place is truly a hidden gem. When I say hidden, I mean you see a small sign, walk down a very small alley, and then it opens up into the outdoor cafe. It is an Irish cafe and has all of the best that you'd expect. My personal favorite is their Eggs Royale, which is their take on a Salmon Eggs Benedict. They also bake all of their bread fresh onsite which makes everything smell glorious. Their porridge is really nice with Cinnamon, Apples, and Raisins along with a bit of honey. The service was always excellent as well.

What a lovely café/restaurant/hang-out place. I came here with my co-workers on a sunny summer day and we sat down in the court-yard for a well-deserved lunch break. And these are the reasons why you should come here as well: First: the waiting staff was most forthcoming when we wanted a table that was part-shade and part sunshine - we simply rearranged the table. Second: the menu was not overwhelmingly big, but what was on the menu tickled all of our taste buds in various ways. On top of that, they had a nice selection of daily specials, which our waitress recited slowly and comfortably. Third: My vegetarian lasagna (one of the daily specials) was delicious and the size of the portion was just right. Also, my colleagues seemed to be very pleased with their food. Fourth: Although we had chosen to sit outside, I will come back to truly experience the clean and comfy inside space. This is what I really call an authentic space - not pretentious, but not to slick either; in fact, it's a place where you can forget about work for a while...

I used to work very close to this cute little place and I couldn't stop going back for lunch! Everything about this cafe screams awesome: the decor, the staff, the atmosphere, and most importantly, the FOOD. I always get the yummy sandwich specials but they have a great selection of pastas and rice dishes which you can first check out by the cashier (it helps to make a choice). And because their incredible desserts are also always on display, I can't help to get a delicious slice every time. Apparently all their food is sourced from their own gardens, hence why everything tastes so good. And lastly the staff... they are all very friendly and it seems they love working at JA Cafe. Well, I love eating at JA Cafe! Will miss working close to this place.

We want here 2x during our London holiday. Friendly staff and just terrific food! Cozy environment and a great experience.

J+A is literally right around the corner from my office. Despite having walked down this street about 1,000 times, I never knew that this place existed. This is because it is VERY hidden. On my first visit, I used my phone and even my iPhone was confused on how to navigate me there and took the VERY long way. You can cut through a little tunnel from Clerkenwell road into this beautiful courtyard. This tunnel literally transports you to another world. J+A is tucked away and peaceful. It is a very nice location. The staff are pretty friendly and the food is very good. My only complaint and why I havent given it five stars is that it is quite complicated to order takeaway from here. You can't order via the phone and can only order through e-mail. The person who manages the e-mail is quite slow so you spend quite a few hours wondering if the order has even gone through. It is also, unless I'm blind, quite hard to find the menu online. I ended up having to visit the restaurant to get a hold of a menu, which wasn't a big deal. This was my only complaint and it's a pretty minor one.

We came here for the brunch and found here is sooooo amazing! The environment is very good. you can choose to sit at open space. Besides, the food is very well, so you can find various kinds of delicious classical British breakfast which you like at here. I am very sure that I will recommend here to my friends who visit London.

I went for brunch, the place is lovely but unfortunately the eggs Benedict were so bad, the eggs were overcooked and not juicy, i left it all in the plate, my friends pancakes were really dry, though we left it all there, when the waitress came to the table and ask if everything was alright and we said it wasn't good, she didn't bother to offer anything else, she just took it back and brought the bill to the table. Never again for me.

Absolutely 5 stars. Service? Ambiance? Food? ALL FIVE STARS!! I really really loved this place!! We were in the area for a graduation at the barbican centre (about a 10 minute walk away), and decided to have some breakfast there beforehand. We actually only had about 20 minutes to eat and I thought that this cozy little place would probably take about 3x as long. However, I was wrong! When we arrived, the hostess let us sit wherever we wanted. We chose the outdoor seating, which was absolutely beautiful- flowers everywhere, penant decorations- it is a very cute place. Diners were outside working on their laptops, having meetings, and we could just enjoy being together and feeling the early morning breeze and chirping birds. We ordered our food and drinks together since we were in such a hurry- a coffee and orange juice, one eggs Benedict and one Florentine Benedict. To my pleasant surprise the orange juice was freshly squeezed- my favorite! The drinks came out within 5 minutes and the food probably 5 minutes after that! This little cafe really specializes in its bread. They have homemade bread and use it in all of their dishes so needless to say, the English muffins in the Benedicts were AMAZING - big and fluffy, they just soak in all of that silky hollandaise sauce. The eggs were poached nicely and no extra, unnecessary sides- just the benedicts on the plate. It really was a meal to remember **I'm describing this exactly one week later** If you go inside the cafe, which is also where you'll pay, you will see the HUGE and equally BEAUTIFUL loaves of bread that they use in their dishes and are available for purchase! We saw the chef slicing off a piece of sourdough bread for someone's order and I did get a little jealous even though I had just finished my meal! I will DEFINITELY be back! However, next time I'll be lengthening my stay!

Great coffee, friendly service, large portion and reasonable price! Free wifi too! My friend and I shared the full breakfast and the smoked salmon scrambled egg. Both are delicious! The portion is so huge that we could barely finish everything. Highly recommended!

It's rustic it's got wood it's got dried flowery bits. The staff are very friendly. Artisan food, served slowly at inflated prices....sorry, not interested. If you want nice food served in less than 30 minutes , not totally overpriced...don't go here. If you have lots of time to kill, on a corporate account, then hang around. Don't get me wrong, it's nice. The food is perfectly adequate. After trying this place twice, I found it to be style over substance. There are better places nearby.

I love this place! Third time here and never disappointed! The atmosphere is really casual, they have a nice courtyard for warmer days and all the food is homemade with carefully sourced products. Staff is friendly and the service is really quick. Don't miss out on their pancakes, they are just delicious, to be enjoyed with their tasty coffee. I have yet to try their Victoria sponge cake which looks so tempting so I will be back! Big fan of the place!

This spot Oozes charm from all corners - the alley leading through is lit with strung lights and the cafe does not spare expense to adorn each table with tall fresh flowers. I came with my newborn in a sling and my friend with her enormous pram and staff made room at a larger table to accommodate us. We ordered several glasses of the rose and prosecco and had the chicken soup, roast chicken sandwich and crab and aioli on soda bread. It was delicious and reasonably priced and we were never bothered despite a steady stream of patrons coming through. Looking forward to coming back for brunch or staking out with a book and coffee, as I saw many do.

The eggs Florentine (eggs Benedict with smoked salmon in place of ham) and the sweet pancakes with berry compote were so good we ate there two days in a row while on vacation. I'm from LA so I thought the prices were moderate, not cheap but less expensive than our hotel room service. The all the food is fresh and delicious. Coffee great! The staff are quite nice but not overly sweet nor snooty. Loads of locals eating there. They have 3 dining rooms. The first floor room with the kitchen is my favorite place to dine.

A very cute cafe with a bohemian feel. It's hidden in a tiny side street, so is very quiet, even in the outside area. Gives you a predisposition to lose track of time.. The food was good, they have some nice healthy options. Coffee was good too! The staff were friendly and not pushy. Even during the busy lunch-time they didn't seem eager to get rid of the customers (which is very often the case in many places!)

After my first few visits to J&A, I didn't want to write a review in hopes that it could stay my little secret - tucked away down an alley off Clerkenwell Road. This is the pinnacle of an "I shouldn't Yelp about this but..." venue what, with it's small seating area, limited menu that constantly sells out by 1pm, homey atmosphere, and loyal customer base. After I waited 30 minutes for a table during lunchtime, I figured the cat was officially out of the bag and it was safe to virtually shower J&A with the yelpy praise they deserve. It's simple, affordable, accessible British food at its finest, with the most luscious home-baked bread, piping hot pies, open faced sandos and tempting soups. (Seriously. Pear and celery? WIN.) It's my favourite little lunch spot in the area, and an instant meeting win, that's for sure!

Don't get me wrong, I REALLY, REALLY like J+A Café. I really do. (Really). I just happened to experience a collection of minor annoyances when there (and afterward, which I won't get into too much detail about...but I will say that there were a lot of fruit-flavoured antacids involved). Sadly, these minutia added up and collectively discoloured my time at J+A. The spot itself is beyond adorable -- while its presence is indicated by a small sign flanking the excessively shop-and-cafe-laden Clerkenwell Road, J+A Café is actually recessed within a small courtyard slightly behind street-level. This courtyard, furthermore, is everything you'd want a little, indie, hippie, summery courtyard to be, with red, white, and blue bunting hanging above the walkway, fairy lights streaming in the same fashion, and appropriately shabby-chic, slightly rusted, coloured steel patio furniture along each side of the yard. However, as it was daytime, and it was a lovely 3 degrees outside, we could not sit in said area. Entry into J+A is a tiny bit confusing, as it is split into two buildings, if you will -- on the right, the bar, and on the left, the restaurant and café. Both were packed when we approached (and it was about 2pm...I suppose it is 5 o'clock somewhere), so it was difficult to tell which one to enter. We ultimately opted for the left door, and ended up in a very woodsy, earthy-looking room, complete with wooden 'community'-style tables and benches, flower pots and watering cans abound, and a huge chalkboard with the specials of the day written on them. The café itself isn't very large, so a server spotted us immediately and sat us at the only open table. So, here is where my small annoyances start. I'll list them here. 1) I ordered the garden pea and goats cheese quiche, which came with a regular, mixed greens salad and a 'special' salad (either the seasonal veg of the day, a quinoa, cous-cous, or barley type of grain salad, a brown rice salad, or potato salad). However, I was really craving soup, and asked the server whether I could get a side of soup, instead of the salads, with my quiche. 2) No. I would have to get an entire, £6.50 serving of soup, in addition to the £10 quiche with salads that I didn't really want in the first place. This was apparently due to the till not being able to accept side orders of soup. Okay, fair enough, I guess. I didn't want to eat a full portion of soup on top of a full meal, so I just let it go. I had asked the server what her favourite side dish was, and she said the brown rice dish; I wasn't really feeling that, so I ordered the veg of the day as my side salad (which happened to be braised cabbage)...or so I thought. 3) We were, admittedly, in a hurry, so it didn't help matters that the food took a little longer than average to come out -- about 25-30 minutes. I think we ended up waiting longer for our food to be cooked than we spent eating it. 4) When my quiche (finally) came, the plate had both the brown rice and braised cabbage on it. Why, I will never understand. I did not ask for the rice. And...we were still charged for the rice. Which, again, I did not ask for. Since it was just a single portion, and already covered in braised cabbage juices, I figured I'd just shut up and let it go (a recurring theme, it seems). 5) Remember when I mentioned that the bar and café are separate from one another? Turns out, the kitchen is also located where the bar stands...across the courtyard. One wouldn't think that a 10 second walk outside would affect the temperature of food much...but the entire top half of my quiche was cold, as was the rice. 6) Garden pea quiche, to me, means a quiche WITH garden peas in it. Not a ladle-full of garden peas with a bit of egg thrown in there to hold it together, and crust on the bottom. It was all pea, no quiche. It's a good thing I don't mind peas, but not as a main dish...I don't know. I guess I ordered the wrong thing. 7) Since the restaurant space is small, as I've mentioned, every time a server happened to walk by our table, my bag and coat kept getting knocked off the part of the bench I had placed them on top of. This happened throughout our meal. 8) As our meal was coming to an end (which was another prolonged event, as it took ages to get the bill), I ordered a soya latte to go. When it came, I was given a bowl of sugar cubes, but no spoon. After some internal debate as to whether I was that desperate for some sugar on top of the caffeine boost (the answer is always 'yes'), I ended up using my finger as a stir-stick. Only after I had done this did the server notice and ask me if I wanted a spoon... I'm prepared to give J+A Café another chance because I'm a real sucker for a great ambience, and fairy lights. However, I will be ordering something else, and I will bring my own spoon just in case...

Victoria sponge should be... - soft and fluffy sponge - sandwiches with fresh cream Victoria sponge should not be... - hard and crusty - sandwiched with icing sugar However the beef stew with portobello mushrooms and spanish was delightful but just not enough of it.

Really cozy and cute place. I discovered it by chance on a Sunday afternoon after having lunch. I just wanted to have coffee and cake and I found J+A. Perfect place. The brunch time was over but they had an amazing cake selection. I chose the Guinness Cake with Guinness Liquor on the side. MOUTH-WATERING. So good with my cappuccino.

I love this place! They have the most amazing sweet pancakes with fruit marmalade on top. Perfect balance of sweetness. I could eat these all day! Cozy cafe hidden off the main road with very friendly staff. The food is fresh and delicious.

I needed to meet someone for a working lunch at 1pm on a Friday, which I know can be tricky in Clerkenwell. J+A is big, there are at least three distinct bits, and we sat upstairs which wasn't rammed. Service was friendly, and we each ordered a fairly simple lunch option. My quiche with salad was OK, nothing amazing but not terrible. My companion's potato wasn't baked to that point with a crispy skin, so was a bit meh. I think this looks like a great place for coffee and cakes, or for drinks on a sunny evening, but I'm not rushing back for a full meal.

I really wanted to like J+A. It's near me, and the space is cool. But there were numerous problems with the veggie breakfast I ordered. The poached eggs were overdone, and when they asked if everything was ok and I told them about the eggs, they said "Oh" and did not even offer to make me properly poached eggs! The potato cakes I was looking forward to, as the thing that would set this veg breakfast apart - and make it worth £7.50! - were just large, dry lumps of under-seasoned potato. A dab of beans and a tiny piece of mushroom, and some actually delicious toast completed my breakfast. My partner had the J+A breakfast with bacon, sausage, and black pudding, and the meat was pretty good, but that was £10.50. I won't be going back with this kind of service or poor value for money. The cakes looked great, as did the baked potato toppings, but £8.50 for a potato is ridiculous. Elk in the Woods at Angel also has veg breakfasts for £7.50, but I prefer their potato and their service. And their meat brekkie is also £7.50, with organic meat.

Well-hidden in a maze of buildings which would amount to my 'backyard', J+A is the perfect little place to stop for a coffee and escape the chainy lunch haunts of the Clerkenwell office workers. I'll admit, I've lived in this neighborhood for at least a year before noticing it even existed and I must have walked by the signs a zillion times. That's what I love about the area though, there's always a little gem hiding just off the main roads. It's got a little spike of a mid-day rush but if you catch it off-peak there's usually a table available to stake out and catch up with your newspaper or friends over some of their tempting pastries.

I'm amazed I haven't reviewed J+A yet, as it is one of my go-to spots in Clerkenwell for a nice bunch/bfreakfast/lunch when I am not sure if my dining partner likes ethnic food (cause let's be honest, I will pretty much always go Asian if possible...). It isn't cheap, but if you have a job (and aren't poor students like many of my friends) it is on par with most other nice lunch spots in the area. There isn't much to report that others haven't said, but I think that breakfast is my favourite meal here-- if I recall correctly, the eggs are a bit decadent in a good way (as in buttery/creamy). I also had an excellent scone with Devonshire cream and pretty good coffee. The 'hidden away' aspect of the space really adds to the food, I must say, adding a bit of 'oh, wow, this is here?' factor. Probably not a good space for big groups, as it is both small and popular, but a for two to four it is just right.

This was an absolutely perfect lunch place! I couldn't possibly top the quality of Larissa's review, but I can add that I had a delicious chicken sandwich with a hint of tasty mustard and mayo and greens on bloomer bread that was fresh and with a nice texture. For dessert I had a Victorian sponge that I LOVED, and would highly recommend. (just save me a slice, please!!) Rounded out by a nice americano, it was a delightful lunch, in an inviting, tucked-away space. I would love to go back here next time I'm across the pond and in the area. Cheers!

The place was kind of hidden, but it could be found when you saw the board outside the small lane. We came here for brunch, and the portion was big. The staffs were friendly, the food and coffee were just lovely!

Booked for brunch for 5 on a Saturday. The place was rather busy. We shared a long table with another group of people, which is ok in general but then the table wasn't that large, we were a bit squeezed, seats were uncomfortable, the order was taken wrong, service was slow. I was a bit embarrassed I brought my guests there. I would go back for a coffee or a light breakfast during the week may be. But definitely not a proper weekend brunch with more than 2 friends.

Great atmosphere, Irish bread, eggs, coffee! Highly recommended for brunch, tea time, coffee and desserts.

Pros: good coffee great atmosphere nice servers. Cons: eggs Benedict was uninspired. The sauce tasted non homemade. Pancakes were fine if not a little bland. We would like to come back for tea or a cocktail and sit outside. Definitely more of a coffee and pastry place than a brunch location.

Amazing hidden cafe near farringdon, it's through a tiny little alcove and the cafe is split on two sides. But it's quite a well known secret because by the time we got there, they had nearly run out of everything I wanted to order. (But Hurrah, they found the last pie for me- I was seriously lucky last week!) The hot chocolate came with a monster marshmallow. None of this mini stuff, and IT WAS amazing, I'm sure it would be more amazing if i left it in the hot choc for longer.... We also ordered steak sandwich and the quiche. The quiche was super pea-y (I dont know how else to describe it, but the expensive peas, not the frozen ones. amazing flavour!) And my pie was excellent, it came with a mountain of mash that I didn't end up finishing because I think I would've died from pastry and potato overload, there wasn't alot of meat in the pie, which is my complaint. It's fresh food, and the prices reflect the area, so it's not cheap but it's a solid option for lunch/work lunch. It's got nice open spaces and a communal table too.

Super cute little spot - 5 stars for the overall vibe/atmosphere, somewhere between 3 & 4 stars for the food. We shared the eggs benny and the chicken and mushroom pie with champ, with bloody marys. Everything was simple, tasty and nicely flavored. This place would be great for a private event, now if only I needed to host one! Anyway, it's a perfect little weekend brunch spot! Will definitely be bringing in friends who visit from out of town :-)

Came here for a weekend brunch and while the food and the atmosphere is great, the service is seriously lacking. Yeah, yeah, yeah - I know what you're going to say: "But Jenn, this is London, you're never gonna get the same level of service as in the states." No more excuses! It's time London steps up to the plate. We got to J+A at around 1:15 and were immediately impressed by how cute the cafe was and how busy it was for being around the city. That said, the place is also huge with two main dining areas on the ground floor and outdoor seating, as well as another area on the first floor. We were seated immediately and ordered coffees and juices before perusing the menu - mainly classic breakfast dishes - typical full English, eggs florentine, sweet or savory pancakes. I opted for the eggs royale and my brunch mate had the J+A breakfast. Nearly 40 minutes later we had well finished our drinks and our meals still hadn't arrived. It seemed like other patrons came and went and we were staring down waitresses trying to get someone to acknowledge our presence. To be fair, someone finally came over and kindly apologised for the wait. However, I would've preferred a bit of an explanation as to why our meal was taking so long... even if it was that they forgot it. When the food finally arrived at our table, it was tasty and excellent. The coffee here is delicious too! And those are the right elements for a nice Saturday brunch. I'll still search London for better, but would be willing to give J+A another chance.