Jammet opened on 6 March 1901 at 26–27 Saint Andrew's Street, opposite
St Andrew's Church. It was previously the site of the Burlington restaurant and Oyster Saloons owned by the Corless family. It was established by Michel Jammet, nine years chef to
George Cadogan, 5th Earl Cadogan, and his brother François. For a long time it was the only French restaurant in the city. It was mentioned in
James Joyce's
Ulysses: (published 1922, set in 1904): a
stream-of-consciousness section mentions
"that highclass whore in Jammet’s", while Corny Kelleher later mentions
"Two commercials that were standing fizz in Jammet’s" (i.e. two travelling salesman that were buying
champagne). Jammet's moved to 46
Nassau Street in 1926. In 1928,
Vogue described Jammet’s as “one of Europe’s best restaurants . . . crowded with gourmets and wits”, where the
sole and
grouse were “divine”. Jammet and his wife
Yvonne (née Auger) ran the French Benevolent Society during the
Second World War, and were staunch supporters of the
Free French and
Charles de Gaulle. One of the earliest surviving menus is from 1949; it shows an idea of
haute cuisine based on the ideas of
Auguste Escoffier. In 1963
Egon Ronay visited, saying "Space, grace, the charm of small red leather armchairs,
fin-de-siècle murals and marble oyster counters exude a bygone age.
Ritz and Escoffier would feel at home here." The restaurant closed in 1967. ==Visitors==