Jolene Hornsey Road Bakery (aka Big Jo) — Restaurant in London

Had heard good things about Big Jo so was excited to try it out but unfortunately it was more style over substance, which was so disappointing as it was nice to have somewhere that appeared different in the area.

I found there wasn't much variety in terms of drinks - plenty of alcoholic options but I did waddle in with a massive baby bump at 1pm so not great for me! I think there were 3 soft drink options on the menu... One of which was water!! I ordered a latte - which wasn't on the menu but I was informed they did hot drinks - which took a ridiculous amount of time to arrive and then was barely lukewarm by the time I got it. There were a few food options but not as much variety as you might hope for.

I then ordered a pizza, which was just a slice rather than a whole pizza, which I was informed of when ordering, both when ordering and when mine and my friends pizza arrived there was a mistake, they thought I had ordered the broccoli pizza, and when I eventually got the correct margherita it did have some broccoli on the plate which I wasn't too impressed with as it's currently an aversion of mine- to be fair, the pizza slice itself was tasty, although a little burned on the crust but despite it having a nice flavour, I felt it was a tad overpriced for what it was.

The staff seem friendly, and thank goodness we are in a time of social distancing otherwise the seating would have been uncomfortably close as the long dining tables had seats that were very close together, which would mean knocking elbows with strangers whilst eating. I hope they are able to iron out some of their issues as there were plenty of staff so I have no idea why it took so long for a coffee to arrive and feel that the order was probably forgotten about and sat on the side for a while. I didn't bother to stay for a dessert and opted to go elsewhere - I only knew what one thing on the dessert menu was - perhaps too fancy for me, and feel like the place has great ambition but didn't hit the spot for me at all... I won't be in a...

Jolene – Hornsey Road, London Review

Atmosphere & First Impressions (4.5/5) A spontaneous coffee stop at Jolene turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The space has a warm, inviting vibe, and while I didn’t eat on this visit, the food on display looked incredibly tempting. It’s the kind of place where you could easily settle in for a while—or just grab a quick, quality coffee.

Coffee Quality (5/5) Ordered my usual flat white, and despite not having my usual keep cup with me (which I typically use to keep reviews consistent), this one stood out enough to warrant a note. • It arrived with dense, well-textured microfoam—exactly what a flat white should have. • Once it cooled enough to hold (more on that in a second), the taste was balanced, smooth, and possibly the best flat white I’ve had in a while.

Presentation & Practicality (3.5/5) The one downside: no handle on the cup. It looked great, but aesthetic over function doesn’t help burnt fingers. A handle would be much appreciated, especially when the drink is piping hot—waiting to hold your coffee shouldn’t be part of the ritual.

Value for Money (5/5) At under £4, this is fantastic value for the quality. In a city where flat whites can stretch well beyond that for far less quality, Jolene delivers a knockout cup without breaking the bank.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 Jolene nailed it—great coffee, lovely space, and excellent value. If you’re in the area, it’s an easy recommendation, and based on this flat white, I’d absolutely return to try the...

Big Jo’s Hornsey didn’t come close to the ethical standards they promote as a business or the reviews.

1: Was treated with hostility from the outset, and ignored by the waiters from the front door. 2: The second pizza I ordered was luke warm, and when I asked about serving sizes, (in my opinion they are small for what you pay for- equivalent to children’s meals), the waiter walked off and ignored me whilst I was talking. I then spoke with the Chef about the serving sizes, and he was very kind and explained it to myself. 3: The waiter whom took me to my table, asked me if I wanted the bill before my drinks were finished. 4: I asked to speak to the manager as I was very disappointed with the customer service. I spoke to Maze the manager, she barely acknowledged my complaint and she said it’s because they are short staff for a Wednesday evening. I explained to her that I came there based on the reviews, only to be treated with contempt. I expressed to her, was I treated poorly because of my skin colour? She chose not to address my statement.

She apologised for the customer service and took off the wine charge on my bill, (why did Maze take off the wine charge on my bill? When it was the pizza and pasta dishes that I complained about, after another waiter kept me waiting for the cheese.

Worst restaurant experience I’ve ever had. Definitely not worth it, the food, decor, and customer service very poorly done.

P.S the one star is for the...