Jackson + Rye

Jackson + Rye

30 Old Jewry, London

EC2R 8EB

Jackson and Rye, a relaxed vintage American diner, have recently added a new branch to their chain of restaurants near Bank. Having proved immensely successful in Soho, Richmond, Kingston and Chiswick, Bank, in the heart of central London, will surely attract just as many hungry customers and more.

My dinner guest and I headed down to the restaurant a few days following its grand opening. We had been browsing the online menu all week since agreeing to the review, deliberating on what to order. Every option on the menu seemed absolutely delectable from popcorn chicken to New England chowder. It was hard to pick just one or two things to try- so we picked a couple. We are just two hungry girls on a mission to deliver a complete, rounded, accurate review.

Arriving at the branch adorned in vintage American posters, potted plants, wood furniture and plush sofas, we started with a J+R 'Old Fashioned' cocktail (Woodford Reserve, sugar and bitters). A little strong for our usually light, fruity cocktail palettes, but we could definitely see how a whisky drinker could appreciate it.


Onto the a la carte- we started by ordering nibbles for the table as well as appetisers (no judgements- they were tapas size!). We chose crispy truffle polenta 'hush puppies' with Parmesan cream cheese and mini corn dogs, or 'coated smoked frankfurters'. This was very reminisces of my American upbringing. We also had salt and pepper squid with snap, crackle and pop vermicelli noodles, house sesame & lime pouring sauce, AND coated fried chorizo prawns with a mango chili mayo dip. In my eyes, the prawns and hush puppies were a clear winner from this course.


Thankfully the nibble dishes were just the right size, which left us eager to try our mains. We ordered a classic American staple, and a favourite of Jackson and Rye: the buttermilk fried chicken with sweet potato fries and salad.

We washed this down with a 'Lovechild' cocktail which had a nice lemon and prosecco zing. I believe we were met with quite a few wide eyes at our food spread from the surrounding tables, but we managed to get through a decent amount of it. The chicken was crispy, the veg cooked to perfection, and the fries a wonderful combination of sweet and salty. I wasn't particularly partial to the mac and cheese, only as I felt it could use a little more 'bakedness'.

We left just enough room for dessert- I'm talking a sliver. But again, thankfully, the portions were perfectly light and appropriate. My guest and I, after thorough deliberation over a third cocktail (the 'Double G' grape, soda, cucumber and vodka drink) picked the peanut butter fudge s'mores: graham cracker, marshmallow & chocolate sandwich with peanut & chocolate sauce, and J+R Pecan Pie with caramel ice cream & bourbon & maple syrup. And yes, I can confirm that the s'mores were just as tasty as they sound, although not as rich as I had expected, which was a nice surprise!


By the time you read the next Gourmet Girls review, I will probably still be recovering from this meal. But finding the room to try all these delightful American dishes was well worth it. If you're up for a night of good food, a relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff and vintage cocktails, do head to Jackson and Rye. You won't be disappointed...or left hungry!