We were kindly invited to the Jam & Bowler for a taster evening in Southsea this week. They open on Tuesday 9th February and are a breakfast and brunch café situated on Victoria Road South next door to The Library Barber’s and by the Elm Grove and Albert Road junction.
The café is nicely decorated and was cosy with candles on the tables and music but it was evening remember and this is a breakfast/brunch café so I guess the candles won’t be needed during the daytime when they are open, which is 7am – 3pm Tuesday to Friday. 8am – 3pm Saturday and 9am – 3pm Sunday’s.
At first I was told that the Jam & Bowler was ‘trendy’ (which it is) so I thought it would be all smashed avocado’s and dishes which my husband Geoff wouldn’t like so I invited my sister along instead as she’s less fussy. Although smashed avo’ is on the menu there were also several other dishes Geoff would have enjoyed.
We were given a little taster (or an amuse-bouche) of their homemade Boston baked beans. These were delicious and I’m not a baked bean fan but these I would readily eat again.
The dish I chose was the ‘Bowler Stack’, a whole meal muffin spread with sweet chilli jam, smashed avocado, streaky bacon & a poached egg, all for just £6!
Friends we were with had the ‘You cannot be serious, Mac n’ cheese’. This was in fact macaroni in a mornay sauce, streaky bacon and served with an egg on top at £8.50.
Another had the ‘Hook, line & toast’ which was spiced ciabatta, warm potato salad & pan fried mackerel, £9.50.
The toilets are a ‘must-go-to’ (even if you don’t want to ‘go’). I spent far longer in there than I needed to taking photos of super heroes on the throne, the lovely cockerel wallpaper and making words on the magnetic board.
I am told that pastries/cake will also be on offer once they are officially open. Yippee! Man, I love cake!
The menus were very pretty with a flowered border and a bowler hat on the place mats. Lloyd, one of the owners is a plumber by trade and showed off his beautiful plumbing work around the cafe with working taps by the tables. We were hoping they would have wine or beer flowing through them but alas, it’s just water.
We finished with a mug of cappuccino made by an ‘unknown’ coffee company. “It’s what came with the machine”. Actually it was very nice.
They had a few slices of frittata and goats cheese & caramelised red onion tart left over which we were given to take home and I shared them with a friend this evening, they were delicious.
I shall definitely be returning (next week hopefully) and bringing along my husband.
Ambience 8
Quality 8
Value 8
Return? Yes! Definitely.
Living life, loving breakfast
A x
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