Butter & Jam is the latest brunch and café spot in the area, so I decided to head over and give the food a try.
It is important to note that Butter & Jam is split into essentially two businesses: the café side and the restaurant side. The restaurant opened on Jan. 16. For now, the restaurant side is reservation only, so I was only able to check out the café.
On Sunday, the restaurant side seemed fairly packed with Madison residents enjoying a broad range of dishes like the Butter & Jam Board, avocado toast, omelets and salads. The restaurant portion seems nice, but probably a little too pricey for college students to regularly visit. Perhaps if the restaurant invested in a college student discount, there would be even more of an incentive for Drew students to check it out.
The café featured a menu of breakfast sandwiches, pastries and coffees. I got the Madison Sandwich, which had Taylor Ham, egg and American cheese for $7. It was delicious and salty, and even as a non-NJ-native, I enjoyed the Taylor Ham. I additionally got a café mocha with almond milk for $5 that was delicious, but very dessert-like, with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Suzy Ott (‘23) got a chocolate muffin for $3.50 that she described as, “moist enough, filling, and a really nice pairing with coffee.” To drink she got a 12 ounce Americano with almond milk and a pump of caramel for $4. When asked about the Americano, they said “if you like your coffee bitter with minimal almond milk and caramel flavor, this is the coffee for you.”
My friend and I decided to spend some time studying in the café area. If noise is an issue, I wouldn’t suggest studying here. The noise level isn’t so bad, but you can hear chatter from the restaurant and kitchen, as well as trendy music playing in the background. So I didn’t feel the ambience was meant for studying, at least just not yet. If you do decide to spend time at this restaurant, it might be a nicer place to meet up with friends or family rather than finish up homework.
One thing I disliked about this location was how empty it seemed decor-wise. The walls were painted white and completely bare. I tend to enjoy coffee shops with an intimate atmosphere rather than a cold, empty feeling. Still, this restaurant is in a soft launch phase and will hopefully grow a more interesting ambience in the future. I’d also be excited to use the outdoor seating option once it gets a little warmer.
I suggest everyone check out Butter & Jam for themselves in the next few months before the semester is over!
beautiful. show stopping. icon article.