Times are tough. Businesses all over the place are tossing in perks to sweeten up the deal — a free cooler when you open a bank account, a store voucher when you buy jeans at mall chains, six months of paid condo fees when you purchase a home. But sometimes frills just get in the way, especially when you’re talking about breakfast. Which is why it’s easy to welcome a place like Jake’s Café into your daily routine.

The South Boston morning spot has all the elements that make breakfast — and lunch, for that matter — a treasure, not a chore. Who needs extras when you can get a world-class omelet and home fries with peppers, onions, and melt-in-your-mouth feta ($4.99) in just a few minutes? Or hold out a few hours for a steak-and-cheese sub ($5). The sandwiches they put together — from the grilled-chicken roll-up with roasted peppers and eggplant ($5.99) to the South Shore ($5.99), with smoked turkey, pastrami, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, tomato, and lettuce — are piled to heights that rival those of Manhattan’s Second Avenue delis. There are few frills on Jake’s offerings, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying the delicious pastrami sandwich ($4.75) or the warmed-to-perfection tuna melt ($5.50). You’ll get exactly what you’re looking for: cozy comfort food and back-to-basics style, which these days feels like a fringe benefit.

Jake’s Café, 402 West Broadway, South Boston | Mon - Fri, 6 am - 4 pm; Sat, 7 am - 3 pm; Sun, 8 am - 3 pm | 617.269.6049

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