Jack Jack’s Coffee House, Babylon New York

A place for great coffee, good conversation, community connection, and some beautiful art.

At Jack Jack’s Coffee House there is way more what than meets the eye.  Yes, they have an extensive list of coffees and various brewing techniques, but the more time you spend at Jack Jack’s, the more you realize that people don’t only come for the coffee.  Jack Jack’s offers so much more to the local community than just a great cup of coffee.

Jack Jack’s Coffee House was opened in 2015 by Michael Sparacino and Vanessa Viola.  Its name and logo pays tribute to Michael and Vanessa’s late Italian greyhound, Jack Jack.  His likeness is gracefully displayed on the shop’s sign and logo.  As you walk into Jack Jack’s, there is a bowl of water on the ground just outside the door, meant to quench the thirst of passing dogs. (A bowl that has been used many times by the Home in Babylon dogs, Sammy and Charlie–ed.)  If those dogs are also looking for a quick snack, they need look no further because Jack Jack’s also sells homemade dog treats.  Jack Jack’s “human” menu is small but evolving to meet customers’ needs.  In addition to a traditional selection of sandwiches, salads, and omelets, they also offer vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options.  There are plenty of choices, even for those customers with more restricted diets.

Black tea with a chocolate chip scone

Having been to Jack Jack’s many times, by this point we’ve had numerous great dishes, including a delicious vegan zucchini tart, crispy grilled cheese on ciabatta bread, an asparagus and ricotta tart on puff pastry, avocado toast, and an omelette filled with mushrooms, spinach and creamy fontina cheese.

Avocado toast

On a recent walk into the village, we stopped at Jack Jack’s for a quick bite, and we were lucky enough to enjoy one of their newer additions to the menu; a piadina.  A piadina is an Italian flatbread sandwich that is customarily filled with meat, cheese, and greens, and it is grilled until the edges are crispy.  This one was right on the money with generous amounts of prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, pickled onions, arugula, and pesto, all neatly tucked into the homemade flatbread.  It came to the table still warm from the grill and it was a perfect combination of flavor and texture.

Piadina

If you have a bit of a sweet tooth, head up to the counter and try an oversized muffin, a piece of raspberry coffee cake, a vegan brownie, or just go for it and have a chocolate croissant with your coffee.

Raspberry crumb cake, apple crumb muffin, vegan brownie, and a blueberry muffin

And speaking of coffee, Jack Jack’s Coffee House certainly lives up to its name with dozens of blends, brews, and single origin pour overs.  Americanos, macchiatos, cortados, cappuccinos, and lattes, just to name a few.   They even make espresso shakes and affogato, which is a delightful concoction of espresso poured over ice cream and served with candied pecans and whipped cream.  If you have a hard time finding a cup of coffee here, then you need to switch to tea.  Don’t even get me started on the great teas they carry. OK, I’ll start. From a cup to a pot, hot or cold, you can choose from basic black, green, matcha, prana chai, or even a turmeric latte.  If you are a tea fan, you won’t be left out at Jack Jack’s.

A pot of tea

Even more unique, Jack Jack’s doubles as an art gallery, exhibiting original works of art from emerging artists around the world.  How nice it is to sit, sip, and take in some beautiful art.  Jack Jack’s also has a great calendar of events each month.  From live classical music, to poetry readings, to pop-up feature restaurants, the events just keep getting better.

J2X Gallery at Jack Jack's

Michael and Vanessa’s goal in opening Jack Jack’s was to bring a “public space” to Babylon Village.  A space where people can chat, hang out, or even catch up on some work, all while having a great cup of Joe.  That is, besides the great coffee, the delicious food, and the beautiful art, a place where people can come and just be, together.  The openness, the comfortable seating, and the friendly faces all lend themselves to a real sense of community at Jack Jack’s.  The more you hang out at Jack Jack’s, the more you don’t want to leave.

 

Kathleen grew up in Babylon Village and has a passion for great food. For more of her dishing on local restaurants, recipes and food, follow her on Instagram and Facebook.