After the sun goes down, the Kingston area is hard to beat for open-air eating. Uptown - which is where you'll want to be in the evenings - you'll find a wider choice of restaurants than anywhere else in Jamaica and an excellent standard of food. Most places offer variations on traditional Jamaican fare, but you'll also find good Chinese, Indian and Italian cuisine. If you want a meal with a view, head to Port Royal for the waterside restaurant at Morgan's Harbor hotel or any of the fish places dotted around the village. For informal lunches, head to the food courts at Sovereign Centre in Hope Road, Island Life Plaza on St Lucia Avenue, the huge Marketplace complex in the Constant Spring Arcade or the two Manor Plazas on Constant Spring Road. If you're after truly authentic jerk chicken, try any of the smoking oil-drum barbecues set up on street corners.

Akbar 11 Holborn Rd ph 876/922-3247. The best Indian food in town, in a tastefully decorated but rather dark air-conditioned indoor dining room. All the regular dishes, roti and plenty of vegetarian choices. The all-you-can-eat weekday lunchtime buffet (J$500) is well worth it if you're hungry.

Carlos Café 22 Belmont Rd. Friendly place off Oxford Road with appealing décor and excellent service. Decent and inexpensive, food ranges from salads and sandwiches to steaks, seafood and pasta.

The Grog Shoppe Devon House ph 876/929-7029 (closed Sun). A shady spot on the Devon House grounds serving standard Jamaican meals at lunchtime and more European fare (and prices) in the evening. There are regular theme nights, such as all-you-can-eat crab night; call ahead to check.

Heather's Garden Restaurant 9 Haining Rd. Solid Jamaican food in a quiet location with an extensive, medium-priced menu and a daily seafood specialty.  

JamRock 69 Knutsford Blvd. A perfect and always busy combination of bar, hangout, restaurant and patisserie; favorite among Jamaican dishes is the sumptuous "Jerk Nyamwich", and you can also get salads, soups, burgers, sandwiches, excellent patties, pastries and espresso or cappuccino.

Mother Earth 13 Oxford Terrace. Centrally located and businesslike vegetarian restaurant doing a cracking trade. The menu changes daily; expect good Jamaican staples for breakfast and imaginative lunches with lots of pulses, soya and tofu. The patties are excellent, as are the natural juices and soya ice cream.

Norma's on the Terrace Devon House ph 876/968-5488. Upscale eatery, situated on the terrace of the old Devon House stables and serving gourmet Jamaican food with an international twist. Menu highlights include peppered beef salad, smoked marlin and seafood chowder; afternoon teas feature delectable pastries. It's also good for a late-night espresso accompanied by one of the superb desserts.

Our Place 102 Hope Rd. Laid-back place offers excellent Jamaican cooking and attracts a regular crew of lunchers. All the staples, from conch soup to curry goat, and evening specials such as janga night on Fridays. The bar is nice for a quiet drink.

Red Bones Blues Café 21 Braemar Ave ph 876/978-8262. Stylish, up market restaurant-cum-music venue with a distinguished but laid-back atmosphere, serving imaginative Jamaican-style food.

Jamaica Travel Guide
Montego Bay, Kingston, Ocho Rios, Negril, Blue Mountains, Portland

Caribbean Travel Guide