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Jamaica: Restaurants

Eating well is one of Jamaica’s great pleasures. While you’ll pay top dollar in restaurants that make creative use of Jamaican cuisine’s African, indigenous, and British influences, you’ll find the splurge worthwhile. At the same time, don’t shy away from roadside “cooksheds,” which are the best places for inexpensive (but authentic) treats like jerk chicken and pork, fish, and roast yam. Jamaicans know their food, so stop where it’s busy.

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Evita's
Italian meets Rastafarian cooking at this quaint, gingerbread-trimmed cottage overlooking the resort town of Ocho Rios. Pastas...
celebrity hangout | restaurants

Ivan's
Have your obligatory sunset cocktail at Rick’s next door, but head to Ivan’s to dine (and continue drinking, if you’re...
restaurants

Jack Sprat
A fabulous DJ and bonfires on the beach enliven the scene at this colorful, super-casual spot that’s a favorite with local...
family | great value | seafood | restaurants

Little Ochie
A destination in itself, this expanded Jamaican cookshed serves its finger-licking delicacies in thatched fishing dories...
great value | seafood | waterfront | restaurants | editor pick

Gloria's Rendezvous
Fresh fish soup or “fish tea” from the fishermen across the road and “bammy” (cassava flatcakes) are a Kingston...
seafood | restaurants

Scotchies
Line up with locals and tourists for authentic Jamaican “jerk” at this pleasant barbecue pit with its picnic tables under...
seafood | restaurants

Mille Fleurs
A loving commitment to local ingredients and classic technique along with gorgeous tropical gardens and mountain views combine...
smart splurge | views | restaurants | editor pick

Strawberry Hill
Perched 3,000-feet-high in the Blue Mountains, the out-of-this-world vistas of Kingston and the Caribbean alone are worth the...
smart splurge | views | restaurants | editor pick

The Sugar Mill
Set next to a softly-lit, 19th-century waterwheel, this charming country restaurant served as a romantic trysting-place in the...
romantic | restaurants