Located at Harmony Hall — a former estate and national monument that dates back to the late 19th century — Summerhouse redefines heritage Caribbean dining in a picturesque setting. Talented sister duo Suzanne and Michelle Rousseau present recipes from Jamaica’s culinary traditions and the broader Caribbean region. An East Indian mezze platter features baigan (roasted eggplant), pumpkin and coconut choka, roti, and raita, alongside a redefined pickled herring flambeed in rum. Among the notable proteins you’ll find local sausages, citrus-infused catch of the day, and a fancified version of pan chicken (a street corner staple that features chicken grilled in a steel drum pan). Sunday brunch at Summerhouse is a celebratory affair, with well-dressed guests sipping on bubbly and sharing Scotch bonnet cornbread, chevre crusted with cassava, creamy seafood risotto, smoked marlin lox, and fluffy crab cakes with plantain salsa.

Escape the hustle of Kingston and head to this quaint hillside cafe. Blue Brews is located inside Holywell National Park, an hour’s drive up in the mountains, where walking trails allow visitors to explore the diverse vegetation, cascading streams, and local birds. All-day breakfast (pancakes, omelets, and bagel sandwiches) and a wide variety of burgers, wraps, and sandwiches lead into heavier options like smoked pork chops and juicy roast chicken. But coffee is the star here. Keep it simple with a drip coffee or espresso shot, made using 100 percent Blue Mountain coffee from the Old Tavern Estate, a 100-acre farm nestled next to Holywell.

At Stush in the Bush, hidden in the hills of St. Ann, owners Lisa and Christopher Binns have brought magic to the local vegan landscape with thoughtful menus inspired by the seasons and a passion for sustainability. Guests are welcomed to lunch with hors d’oeuvres that can include crispy plantain with almond hummus, yam and pineapple croquettes, and watermelon tartare. The rest of the meal is a melody of in-season flavors: spicy arrabbiata with almond ricotta, black linguine and “meatballs,” open-flame grilled pizza, or nasturtium flowers stuffed with cashew ricotta, accompanied by a spread of homemade pepper sauces and dressings. After lunch, an Earth walk through the farm — and perhaps the opportunity to help plant a tree — invites visitors to establish an intimate connection with the ingredients they just enjoyed, followed by coffee and desserts like cinnamon rolls, rum raisin ice cream, and beignets with lemon curd.

The plates that emerge from the tiny kitchen at Eits Café are helping define modern farm-to-table dining in Kingston. The restaurant specializes in dishes like plump barrel-roasted chicken (literally chicken cooked slowly in an aged rum barrel) and savory crepes with coconut curry conch and mountain mango chutney. Then there’s that dreamy Goddess dressing, house-baked bread with Scotch bonnet butter — it’s easy to go on and on.

If you are going to enjoy Jamaica’s Blue Mountain coffee, there is no better place to do it than the source. Café Blue, perched on a mountain’s edge in Irish Town, offers coffee picked at the brand’s nearby Clifton Mountain Estate. Keep it simple with a cup of 100 percent Blue Mountain coffee, or if you’re game, order the Misty Blue, which calls on a shot of rum for an extra kick. There’s also a wide menu of breakfasts, sandwiches, and pastries if you want to stay a while. Head to the outdoor deck, drink in the view, and indulge in the full bean-to-cup experience.

Uncorked began as a simple bar, but it has come to lead the charge in shifting the island’s appreciation of wine and customers’ accessibility to it. At the same time, the initial menu of small snacks has morphed into a fully fledged restaurant, with impressive cheese and charcuterie platters, weekly specials, and innovative breakfast and brunch menus that feel both locally and internationally inspired. Still, this is first and foremost a wine bar, with one of the largest selections in Jamaica. A second Kingston location on Constant Spring Road brings great cheese, wine, and gourmet food to more neighborhood fans.

When Eleni Daperis and her husband Dmitri came to Jamaica from Montreal, it was not to open a bakery. But lack of access to fresh, minimally processed bread pushed the couple to open Eleni’s Bakery. It was an instant hit, and today the bake shop has expanded into a full restaurant, with an extensive breakfast and lunch menu, and a large selection of freshly baked sourdough breads, French pastries, and other desserts. The popular croissant attracts crowds early each morning; grab one with a cup of premium Marley brand coffee and while away the morning at one of the outdoor tables.

For a vibe reminiscent of a Parisian sidewalk cafe, Fromage Brasserie (and its sister restaurant Fromage Bistro) is the place. While the chic people-watching of the French capital may be hard to replicate, the steak frites with bacon and onion truffle butter transports you halfway to Rue Cler. There are also some not-so-Francophile dishes on the menu, like sticky Korean barbecue pork ribs and spicy snapper Creole stew, that are equally worth a trip.

Sunset is best enjoyed with rooftop views over Kingston and a platter of kibbeh, falafel, and baba ghanoush at this family-owned Lebanese restaurant. As a staple in Kingston for over 15 years, Chez Maria’s recent relocation to this rooftop terrace space has made it only more popular. Friends gather after work for the laid-back vibes and freshly prepared favorites like kebabs, shawarmas, and shish tawook. There are also some unexpectedly delicious finds, like falafel tacos and flat kofta and hummus, mixed in with some Italian options, including delicious pizzas and bruschetta.

A liter of margaritas is just the thing to go along with your Jamexican elote, ackee chimichangas, or jerk chicken tacos. This seamless melding of Mexican and Jamaican ingredients comes together in a laid back location — part repurposed container, part backyard bash — defined by easygoing service and relaxed vibes. Margarita Mondays and Taco Tuesday specials draw a crowd of young professionals, who come for the food and stay for the chilled vibes.

Nestled in the corner of a plaza, Orchid transports customers to an intimate Thai dining experience. Hanging wicker lanterns cast a moody, seductive light as you sit down to crab fried rice (which you can personalize with your preferred level of spice), steamed whole fish fragrant with Thai basil, ginger, scallion, and lime, and an array of aesthetic cocktails. Come with a group of friends to really take advantage of the wide array of choices, including some specialties like Northern Thai pork curry stew, massaman curry featuring slow-cooked lamb shank, and pad kee mao noodles.

Regency Bar & Lounge is old-world Jamaica, the kind of place where bartenders wear bow ties and white suits while mixing some of the most creative cocktails in the city. It’s easy to imagine James Bond creator Ian Fleming came here for gin and tonics when he was in Kingston in the 1950s. Today, drinkers enjoy curried goat rice balls, mac and cheese with lobster and specks of Scotch bonnet pepper, and other delicious reasons to pause and refuel between cocktails.

Mediterranean vibes abound at this rooftop restaurant, where chef Damion Stewart’s fresh approach to food makes a welcome addition to the Kingston culinary scene. Small plates include ahi tuna bruschetta with a Scotch bonnet kick; sweet and smoky pork belly with the quintessential crunch; and pesto flatbread topped with fragrant buttery escargot, spicy chorizo, and mozzarella. Larger plates showcase specialties from the land and sea, including standouts like the curry goat pasta, deliciously tender lamb shank, and the Broken Burger infused with subtle flavors of pesto contrasted with sharp cheddar. Craft cocktails also feature local flavors, like the lychee mule, a take on the caipirinha with fresh mango and gin, and a riff on the Long Island iced tea that features local ginger beer.

This creperie and tea shop began as a partnership between Carrie “Quizz’’ Sigurdson and her mother Maree, two Canadian expats with a dream to open a tea house. Today the cafe turns out beautifully light crepes overflowing with a fun variety of fillings. In one crepe, beef tenderloin comes in bearnaise sauce, while in another the same meat is paired with blue cheese and cheddar; the bestseller among the savory options, though, is the smoked marlin with cream cheese topped with spicy pepper jelly. There are sweet crepes too, filled with Nutella, apple crumble, lemon curd, or s’mores. The menu now also includes one of the best eggs Benedicts on the island, typically served on an English muffin, but you should ask for yours on the house-made bagel instead, a deliciously chewy alternative. And yes, the cafe does have tea, but for something stronger go for the potent Magic Mint Lemonade.

Indian and pan-Asian cooking are the focus of this elegant Kingston refuge. The team in the kitchen, which hails from Mumbai, prepares a varied lineup of traditional Indian curries and juicy tandoor specialties, each artfully presented. The restaurant is one of a trio of venues run by restaurateur Jaya Chatani (along with Masala Wok and Nirvana Global), who is deftly helping to diversify the island’s culinary scene.

Devon House is a linchpin in the Jamaican gastronomic scene. At the Bakery, there are luxe versions of Jamaica’s signature hand pies, golden puff pastry creations that encase fillings like curry goat, beef, chicken, lobster, shrimp, or callaloo. Sweet options include sweet potato pudding, bread pudding, and rum cake. The only thing that can follow a patty from Devon House is a cone from the treasured Devon House Ice Cream, the other half of the business. Locals gather on the lawn each Sunday for popular flavors like Grapenut, Devon stout, and rum raisin. There are toppings, but these cones are best enjoyed on their own in their natural surroundings. 

After a facelift, Devon House is poised to embrace its place as Kingston’s epicurean center. Following in the steps of culinary maven Norma Shirley and the late, great chef Colin Hylton, chef-owner Christian Sweeney delivers light, fresh, and modern renditions of Jamaican classics, like an unexpected take on steamed water crackers served with a bold creamed herring sauce and topped with shrimp. While many still come for the wide selection of steaks and chops, more adventurous dishes like Scotch bonnet tuna tartare, garlic-infused mussels, and jerk sausage are rewriting the restaurant’s famous experience. Oyster lovers gather on Fridays for a briny feast, hosted by local legendary oyster man Ricky Pinchas (supposedly the go-to supplier for former Prime Minister Edward Seaga); enjoy freshly shucked oysters with a selection of unique sauces to enhance their flavor, including a spicy, ganja-infused concoction.

The traditional Jamaican box lunch is a simple takeout lunch, usually consisting of local dishes for a reduced price. But don’t take your box lunch away from Chillin’, where a meal is best enjoyed on the bright and breezy deck. The menu here features island-renowned curry goat from Murray’s Farm (the original location is in Clarendon, about an hour from Kingston), alongside a selection of other traditional dishes like stew peas with pigtail, fried chicken, and oxtail.

Having hosted such greats as Mick Jagger and Grace Jones, Strawberry Hill is a haven of Jamaican casual sophistication and elegance. Leisurely weekend lunches are the move here, where traditional fretwork and batik prints provide the perfect backdrop to a menu of new Jamaican cuisine, like steamed whole local fish or the duo of curry goat and oxtail. Go for lunch and stay to watch the sun set lazily over the city, a Blackwell rum punch in hand.

This is the definition of a hidden gem. Situated way off the beaten path, on the waterways of Portmore, Di Dragon is possibly the island’s best Chinese restaurant. Fans make the trek to indulge in the famed salt-and-pepper lobster, garlic crab, and ginger-scallion pork. Make sure to make a reservation, and if you can, place your order in advance to save yourself the long (warranted) wait.

For many Jamaicans, Gloria’s Seafood is the requisite first stop on the way home from Norman Manley airport. From humble beginnings, Gloria Harris grew an empire that is now synonymous with fresh, wholesome Jamaican seafood. Perched on the water overlooking the infamous town of Port Royal, Gloria’s offers freshly caught fish, cooked whichever way you wish — in a rich brown stew, steamed with Excelsior water crackers, or fried with spicy escovitch sauce — as well as a slew of other dishes like curried and honey jerk shrimp or lobster. The wait on a Friday evening is worth it for the chance to see the small town come alive with street vendors. On your way in, make sure to visit the oyster man, who serves up local Jamaican oysters with a variety of sweet and spicy sauces. A sister location downtown at Victoria Pier also serves seafood specialties in a more central locale.

Located about 30 minutes from New Kingston, Hellshire is a bustle of eateries stacked along the shoreline, each serving nearly identical uncomplicated menus that highlight the day’s seafood haul alongside fried or steamed bammy (cassava flatbread) and crispy festivals (sweet fried dough). Although Miss May — as the original proprietor of this celebrated beachside hut was affectionately known — passed away in 2020, her legacy lives on through the simple dishes that emerge from the rudimentary kitchen. The restaurant distinguishes itself from the crowd with consistent, honest cooking that transforms humble ingredients and seasonings into soul-warming dishes: steamed fish with melty okra, pumpkin, and tomatoes; tender, buttery garlic lobster (in season July to March each year); and flaky fried snapper enhanced with a spicy pickled escovitch sauce poured from a bucket. For the true Hellshire experience, eat with your hands, feel the sand between your toes, and wash up at the standpipe when you finish.