It has now been at least two decades since the stretch of Roosevelt Street between Central Avenue and Seventh Street began to assume the name “Roosevelt Row.” At first, the designation described a DIY arts district that emerged along a previously forlorn corridor. Since then, a wave of development has transformed the neighborhood into apartments, restaurants, bars, and nightlife. With all the change that has occurred, being over a decade old is remarkable, and Jobot, a coffeehouse, is one of the few places with that level of longevity.
Jobot’s story encapsulates much of what has changed in the area over the past decade. Its original home was an historic house on Fifth Street that is now home to a pizzeria. As rents increased and construction sprouted, the business moved to its current location in the ground floor of the Roosevelt Point apartment building, three blocks east of the Roosevelt/Central light rail station. The menu has evolved too. The original Jobot emphasized crepes and coffee. After an in-between period with pop-ups by different chefs, the current focus is a modern diner menu.
Jobot’s entrance faces Roosevelt with bike racks located right outside its doors. More are found in the Roosevelt Point garage. A shaded patio stands to the side at the corner of Third Street and Roosevelt, but all entry is via the front door. The interior has a scrappy style that recalls the aesthetics of Roosevelt Row before it came to be dominated by multi-story construction. The bare floor, high ceilings, and exposed ducts give the space a slightly industrial feel while the random trophies displayed at the bar seem like they might have come from someone’s attic.
Columns on the way to the counter are covered with flyers publicizing the array of events and causes expected in an artsy urban neighborhood. Although the list of draft beers is displayed on an overhead video screen, the food menu is in print form and found only at the counter. Customers order there and then wait at any of the coffeehouse’s wooden tables or at the small bar for their food and drink, anything from a simple cappuccino to a full meal, to arrive. Either way, Jobot is one of those places where people will linger over laptops or catch up with friends.
The current menu includes all-day breakfast, lunch, a full bar, and coffee drinks. Most of what’s served fits within a classic diner format with some Mexican influences. The French toast is simple but effective. Supple, soft bread is topped with whipped cream, powdered sugar, strawberries, and not much else. More complex and savory choices are the Jorito, a breakfast burrito stuffed with eggs, potatoes, pepper, onions, cheddar, and a choice of chorizo or bacon, and the Jomama, a breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon, cheese, and lemon garlic aioli.
Similarly, the chilaquiles fill a platter with soaked chips infused with flavor and covered with some crema and cheese, a little bit of beans and jalapeño, a fried egg, and an optional choice of chicken or chorizo. Avocado toast is a simpler and lighter option with slices of crisp baguette on bottom and cotija on top. The mashed avocado in between can be augmented with a side of medium spicy pico de gallo. At the other end of the appetite spectrum, the Hungry Person Plate delivers some of everything with eggs, potatoes, peppers, chorizo or bacon, and a tortilla.
Sandwiches include a simple BLT and an impressive “Danzig Double” burger built with two patties, but not obnoxiously oversized. Bacon, lettuce, and mayonnaise are the toppings. Some pickled vegetables are an included small side, but the waffle fries with ranch and ketchup are a worthwhile addition. The nachos are a simple version with abundant melted cheese over chips with jalapeños and chorizo or chicken. The fullest meal here is the Situationship, a roasted half chicken served in either Chicano or Asian style with appropriate sides and condiments.
Additional options include a Cobb salad and wings, as well as occasional specials during Sunday “Beat and Brunch” events.The “pocket rocket” is Jobot’s term for a simple bean-and-cheese burrito. Unlike most coffeehouses, Jobot doesn’t really do much in terms of pastry. Although a recent addition has been bagels from local purveyor Bagel Daddies, there is little in terms of sweet baked goods. The route to dessert here goes through the freezer, not the oven. An operation known as Melt offers ice cream served in Chinese food takeout containers.
Once a separate shop on Fifth Street and later a cart on the sidewalk, Melt now functions mainly within Jobot proper. Frozen flavors like fresas con crema and Chicano rocky road with a bit of cinnamon reinforce the border theme of the menu. Of course, plenty of sweet drinks are also available. The vanilla bean latte has a very slight and pleasant char from caramelized brown sugar. A Sunrise drink is an unexpected blend of espresso and orange juice while the Health Goth / Hangover latte incorporates not only vanilla and espresso but also a bit of charcoal.
Of course, it is possible just to have a plain espresso or cold brew here, and the bar menu is far less cheeky with rotating beers on top and a full array of cocktails. The Jobot of today is in a different setting than it was circa 2010, but moving around the corner from a standalone house to a ground floor space in an apartment building has changed little in terms of the overall feel of the coffeehouse. The menu has changed many times, but the kitchen’s current approach seems like one that offers a bit of reassurance and stability in an irrevocably changed Roosevelt Row
333 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix AZ 85004
PHX Rail Food 