Jericho Café

One of the few cafes in Oxford that goes beyond the standard coffee-and-panini arrangement; you can get either food or a sweet treat, or indeed, breakfast. Not cheap, especially with the recent price creep, but still quite reasonable for what you get.

Rev (Unverified), 07/09/11

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I went to the Jericho cafe on a Saturday afternoon for a cup of tea while I was waiting for a friend. I walked in and waited at the counter, and the girl serving completely ignored me and carried on buttering bread. I went to the loo and when I came back, another girl asked me what I wanted. I looked up at the board and said I was just trying to decide and she walked off. Finally a third girl took my order, who also wasn't particularly friendly. I found the staff unfriendly and disinterested. I'm not sure I'll be going back there, it felt really unwelcoming.

Zoe14 (DI User), 01/08/11

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A group of 10 of us turned up for dinner mid week recently. We weren't expecting it to be so busy, but we were shown to a large table downstairs that was efficiently arranged for us by a waiter who was very welcoming, and asked us whether we would like to eat, or just have a drink. The menu seemed to have something that everyone would be happy with, though nothing really exciting. The fish cakes came recommended by the waiter, along with a glass of sauvignon blanc, which was OK, and some dips and olives to start.

The food arrived promptly- the dips starters were good, although I think some of my friends did better than I. The mushrooms on toast looked delicious as did the bruschetta. My fish cakes were really very good, light and really yummy. The accompanying tartare sauce was also worth mentioning, but the salad garnish was a little tired.

What really set this meal apart was the ambience- cool music, chatty customers and charming staff. It was only half an hour after the place had closed that the waiter suggested we might find somewhere that serves drinks until midnight, not unreasonable considering we had been there for hours, and felt quite happy simply buying more drinks and the odd slice of cake at the bar.

Incidentally, the coffee is really very good, the cakes not so, but certainly edible! Above all we had fun, felt welcome and would certainly return. Not fine dining, but certainly worth the tenner a head it cost us.

Clarice (Unverified), 06/07/10

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Read the previous review which made me feel quite sorry for the poor guys at the JC! I've been coming here for breakfast for nearly 5 years and they have rarely, if ever, made a mistake on my order! My wife and I are moving back to Oz soon after a long and mostly pleasant interlude in Oxford - we won't miss the rain but we will miss our weekly Sunday morning treat at the Jericho Cafe. Friendly, helpful service with never-ending varieties on the way to start your day: continental style with pastries or criossants they'll be happy to heat for you or the full english with scrambled, fried or poached eggs (all are good but poached are our favourite), excellent quality butcher's meat and a hot drink and toast and jam or marmite tossed in for good measure. Frankly, if the guy who wrote the last review thinks he can get all that and a beer for £6.95 he should wake up and smell the coffee - or move to Oz, of course!

O. Penny (Unverified), 14/05/10

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I recently indulged myself with an afternoon off in Oxford in the sun and tried to think of somewhere a bit of a walk away from my usual haunts to go for lunch. The Jericho Café seemed like a good option for a nice place to eat and read my book in peace. Unfortunately, I left feeling a bit underwhelmed and ripped off.

As it was a treat, I decided to go for their full breakfast, which I think they serve all day. Spotting someone eating the vegetarian version I was sold, as the veggie sausage looked pretty tasty and it all looked rather appetising! I ordered it with a beer and had five pence change from a tenner. Not cheap then. It arrived in good time but to my dismay, I was presented with the meat version! Slightly concerned by the review below that this may be somewhat of a theme at the Jericho Café. Now, I do eat meat and therefore this wasn’t a huge problem, but I had been looking forward to the vegetarian meal and was a little disappointed that either the woman taking my order had misheard me or the kitchen had got mixed up. A bit deflated but not wanting the hassle of getting it changed, I tucked in.

The sausage was perfectly cooked and of very good quality so it may be that sausages of all varieties are their forte! The bacon was thick and well cooked without any sign of the withering that comes from poor quality bacon losing water as it’s cooked. Scrambled eggs were fine, if under seasoned and marginally overcooked. I suppose my feeling a little underwhelmed came from the smaller details; the mushrooms were very nice in flavour but no care had been taken to trim the stalks at the bottom resulting in mouthfuls which contained hard, dry bits of mushroom. They had also, as far as I can tell, not been washed, as I had several gritty mouthfuls to go with the hard dry ones. The beans were very sweet and tasted quite odd. I’m afraid, for me, Beans really should mean Heinz.

The plate was fairly small and although there was enough food, for £6.95 you do feel you should be getting more. The price does include two slices of toast and a cup of tea or coffee (which I declined in favour of beer!) but I think I’d be happier paying around £4.95 for what I received.

I wouldn’t highly recommend the Jericho Café, but nor would I warn people away. My opinion of it is, as my experience was: nothing to write home about.

Dr Mukti (DI User), 02/03/10

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They served a vegetarian breakfast with bacon in it. To make it worse, they didn't seem to care when my friend complained. Very poor, and I shall not return. I would strongly advise avoiding the Jericho Cafe, especially if your a vegetarian.

Dave (Unverified), 11/01/10

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The fish pie is excellent and at £10 with a glass of rather nice red wine, a bargain!

Foodie critic (Unverified), 24/07/09

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Took the girl to see a movie and popped in for a quick bite to eat. The cafe was heaving as usual, the staff as smiley and friendly as ever and the burger the best I've had in ages - really meaty and tasty. Cheers guys, we'll be back soon!

Will F. (Unverified), 12/01/09

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Had a fantastic dinner here with friends the other day. Really good food and good value. The service was friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere bustling but relaxed. I highly reccomend it - we wish we lived in Jericho just for The Jericho Cafe!

Dollface (Unverified), 03/11/08

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Popped in for lunch the other day. Our 2 'melts' were accompanied by salad which was tired (to say the least) with the lettuce going brown. On complaining, not once did anyone apologise and a replacement salad was brought with no grace or hint of customer service. Still what can you expect for a total £10 these days?

Robin (Unverified), 18/09/08

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Excellent vegetarian breakfast and great poached eggs. Today, however, I got a bit of bacon in my veggie breakfast. They were very apologetic etc etc but I hope that the mushrooms and bacon really are cooked separately, chef.
Apart from that, great place for brunch.

asia (Unverified), 16/03/08

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The Jericho Cafe is a true gem. I always enjoy a nice conversation with the management and my fellow patrons. It is a true community gathering place which has the added bonus of serving superb gourment food at reasonable prices. It is the only cafe I have been to that can get poached eggs right; every time. North Oxford just seems like a friendlier place knowing that the Jericho Cafe is just around the corner.

s. wilson (Unverified), 28/10/07

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'I'm going to have to ask you to consume more, sit downstairs, or leave.' Yes, service at the Jericho cafe is that lousy.

If you want to drop £15 for a £5 lunch, this is the place for you. If you want a simple cuppa, or, heaven help you, to do something crazy like read the paper or engage in some other time-wasting activity over your cuppa, go elsewhere or bring a mac--because you will be crapped upon by the management.

The location is nice, the decor reasonable--but if you want a decent cup, there are half a dozen great places on the same road.

A.C. Baker (Unverified), 17/09/07

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You order at the counter of the Jericho café. How I know this, is walking in for the first time I say out loud ‘let’s sit down and see what happens’. To which a total stranger chips in, ‘the roof may fall in. If you sit down that’s one of the things that can happen’. He is sharing his obscure punch line with us and later the story of his day as we wait for our Cumberland sausage and mozzarella pesto n tomato melts to arrive. Jericho café is such a unique Oxford eatery for the very reason you can expect the unexpected. People share stories with you although you are equally welcome to enjoy your own space. The walls are plastered with posters advertising a broad church of Art-based activities. Located in Jericho, a historic area where travellers who had left it too late to enter the city walls via the gate centuries ago would seek repose for the night, the walls of the café today prove an adequate information station for the inspired new arrival. Tea, cake and a substantial ciabatta with dressed side salad costs £8. Homemade chunks of fruit flapjack are beautifully buttery and a slice of chocolate gateau proves fudgey, nutty, soft and gooey. A magically colourful array of treats makes this light and airy café popular with children. As families sip cranberry juices next to students writing essays over a strong coffee there is a feeling that everyone is having a happy funky day in their own way. Downstairs is a cool cellar often displaying art with more seating. The food is so tasty and fresh, the extra seats are very welcome. But as my new friend points out, remember to place your order at the counter first!

Lita Doolan (DI Reviewer), 17/04/07

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Delicious fresh salads at standard prices. A good place to catch up over lunch or a coffee.

Oxford Student (Unverified), 01/04/07

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Just a quick mention: it was about two o'clock on a Sunday afternoon and our party of eight had already been turned away from two pubs and two purveyors of curry. Not because of any unwholesome characteristics we displayed, but on grounds of being already too busy.

In the Jericho Café, which seemed just as busy, a chap took charge and magicked up a table for eight with no fuss and some patience, given that we were all milling about like sheep and making lots of contradictory assertions about whether we should stay or not.

Food arrived without great delay, and all was of a good standard: lasagna, sausage and mash, falafels, various melts. Average spend well under a tenner including teas and juices.

Very helpful, much appreciated.

Bunch of Yappers (Unverified), 27/02/07

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