I first came across Jenny’s Café when I was interviewing Steve Brand, the market manager. It was my first time meeting Steve and really exploring the market and my first time in Jenny’s Café. I wasn’t disappointed in either, in fact I’d go as far as to say I’ve become a big fan of both!
In the course of talking to Steve, Claudia, the lovely Argentinian lady who is a regular at the market brought in four stunning cakes for the café. I liked the synergy between Steve, the traders and the café and this little interaction that I observed was a classic example of how a regular, local market can bring great benefits to local shops, cafes and restaurants.
Jenny’s Café is a popular, family business, in the heart of Clevedon run by Turkish owner Hussein Eblem, known as Ozzy to friends and regulars; his brother Hassan also works there. The café serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee and drinks and is open from 7.00am to 7.00pm, except for Sunday when it shuts at six. It has quite a large outside eating area which makes it especially popular in the Summer months.
The allure of an all-day breakfast which is now seen as a treat, a snack, a lunch or a dinner alternative makes Jenny’s a very popular choice.
Aside from this, Jenny’s offers a range of pies, burgers, chicken and fish , always with chips and who wouldn’t want the chips? They are lush! The strap line on their Facebook page is ‘We Cook Fresh and Serve Fast!’ – this has always been my experience when I have been at Jenny’s Café. Deliciously filled rolls and baguettes are also available if you fancy something lighter and you don’t have to have the chips, but then again………………….!
Finally the drinks! Oh my goodness! Jenny’s serve the nicest coffee and the hot chocolate is beautiful – nothing like a warm, soothing cup of hot chocolate to cheer up a dreary, cold day. Definitely one of my favourite places to go in Clevedon for a hot chocolate.
Since my initial visit to Jenny’s Cafe, I have been back on about eight occasions, twice for lunch and at other times just for a drink. On each occasion the service has been outstanding; the staff have been warm, friendly and attentive but never overbearing or intrusive. They have a reputation in Clevedon for being very welcoming and hospitable, but then Turkish hospitality is deeply embedded in Turkey’s culture where visitors are seen as ‘guests from God’ and treated with the utmost respect.
If you have been to Turkey then you will have experienced this hospitality yourself, with the endless cups of tea you are offered whilst travelling, shopping and just going about your business. If you have ever had the privilege of being invited into a Turkish home then I am sure like myself, you will have been overwhelmed with the very warm welcome, the generous amount of food and drink and the huge efforts made to make you feel part of the family. Nothing is too much trouble; the very best and newest of everything is bestowed upon you. It is this hospitality, the cornerstone of the Turkish way of life which is on display in Jenny’s Café.
Many others are of the same view which is reflected in Jenny’s TripAdvisor score which currently has 87 per cent of reviewers rating it as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’; of these virtually every review mentions the service in glowing terms , as do the reviews on Facebook. Well done Ozzy!
My only complaint! How about adding some of those amazing Turkish dishes to your menu? Menemen would complement your breakfast menu nicely – and mouth-watering, sumptuous pide, lahmacun or börek would be such a treat at lunchtime. Hmm! One can but dream!
