Jacks Cafe is popular with Claphamites for takeaways and lunches thanks to their American food – and American portions.

The Venue
Sister restaurant to the original Jacks Cafe in Queen’s Park, this location is perfect for those who live in the Clapham and Battersea area, as it’s just steps from Clapham Junction station. Inside, the restaurant is small, with a takeaway counter towards the front and seating in the rear. The decor is retro Americana, but not in a neon and jukebox kind of way; although the black and white chequered floor and ketchup and mustard bottles on the tables give it a diner-style look, the chunky wood tables, mismatched chairs and rough, exposed brick add a little bit of a French bistro feel. Some nice touches include mirrors painted with dessert specials and the wine menu, which is pasted onto an empty bottle and left on the table. There are also a non-descript group of tables downstairs, but the design upstairs is much better and you get the idea that downstairs is relegated to the lunchtime overflow.

The Atmosphere
At the moment Jacks Cafe is known as a lunchtime cafe and takeaway, so you can expect plenty of local office workers running in and out for a sandwich or two. At lunch they operate a shared table policy but dinner is a normal table service, so if you don’t fancy having strangers share your table it’s best to stop by after work. Service is friendly and pleasant and the food appears in a snap – clearly used to dealing with the in-and-out crowd, the cooks here have learned how to make a no-nonsense, unfussy meal fast.

The Food
The menu is really huge, ranging from all-day breakfasts to sandwiches and salads to steaks and, of course, burgers of all varieties. Prices vary widely depending on what you order but the priciest is an 8oz rib-eye or sirloin steak at £10.90 – a steal if you compare it to some restaurants across the river.

Although the food at Jacks Cafe is certainly not haute cuisine, it knows exactly where it stands and delivers what it promises. Breakfasts come in five different varieties, including traditional British style (mushrooms, beans and tomato) and American as well (pancakes, French toast and maple syrup). The Yankee Doodle Dandy (£7.30) is absolutely enormous, more suited to dinner than breakfast, with two American-style pancakes, two pieces of French toast, sausage, bacon and eggs served how you like them. The pancakes (made from the ubiquitous American Aunt Jemima pancake mix) are thick but still soft, with slightly crisp edges that come from being in the pan for just the right amount of time. French toast is made from plain, run-of-the-mill white bread, but the slices are nice and fluffy and the accompanying bacon is meaty and salty. Vegetarian sausages are available, and instead of the mystery non-meat you might expect they’re pleasantly packed with carrots, peas and other vegetables that add a nice crunchy texture. Eggs are poached perfectly to order and the breakfast comes with bottomless coffee or tea as well, and a long leisurely cup after this breakfast might be just the thing you need.

Burgers come in a sesame seed bun and are piled with salad, pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, whilst the actual meat itself (cooked medium-well if you don’t specify) is smoky, more-ish and very flavourful especially when covered with melted pieces of subtle cheddar. Your eyes will definitely be bigger than your stomach on this one. Burgers are served with a large portion of fries which, although lacking the fashionable rough, hand-cut look, are crisp and chunky. If you don’t fancy a standard burger, there are a few surprisingly creative options, including a burgers made with kobe beef, wild boar, kangaroo and venison.

Sides include mozzarella sticks – small but perfectly formed firm sticks of mozzarella covered with garlicky breadcrumbs – served with a homemade Napoli sauce, a red sauce with big chunks of tomatoes. The potato skins, served with sour cream and garlic mayo, are basic and simple potato halves (and thirds), but they’re nice and floury inside and do the job well. At a restaurant like this one you might expect more a variety of puddings, and the ones on offer are a bit of a letdown after a menu filled with choices. Although dessert of the day includes cheesecake, the sticky toffee pudding and apple crumble (sweet and tart, but a bit gloopy) are resolutely British. A few more American-style desserts – brownie sundaes, apple pie – wouldn’t go amiss. Milkshakes, however, are big enough to double as a dessert, so don’t forget about those if you fancy something a bit different for after the meal.

The Drink
The wine list is short but to the point, with three whites, three reds and one rose. The Spanish Villa Anita Tempranillo 2007 is good value at £12 a bottle, a robust choice that still goes down easy and isn’t too thick. Bottles of Corona, Peroni and Leffe Blonde are available for £3.25 as well as soft drinks, including A&W root beer and cream soda – everyone who’s ever been to a New York deli knows that either of these are a must with a good sandwich. Several varieties of milkshakes are available, served in a short glass with the extra served diner-style in a large metal mixer. The peanut butter and banana malted milkshake is pure indulgence, with tiny pieces of nuts mixing with the subtle banana flavour. It’s so thick it’s almost a battle getting it up the straw, but definitely one well worth persevering.

The Last Word
No-frills burgers and breakfasts that are plenty filling. If you want a cheap and cheerful meal a stone’s throw from Clapham Junction, keep Jacks Cafe on your radar.

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