As the weather warms up, Boston diners look for the warm flavors and hospitality of Jamaican restaurants, so Boston Magazine has provided a look at some of the places in the city to find the best Jamaican cuisine.
Blue Mountain is one of the newer Jamaican eateries in Boston. It is named for Jamaica’s longest mountain range. Open from sunrise to sunset, diners can enjoy a traditional island breakfast of ackee and saltfish, the country’s national dish, and then order curry goat, stewed beef, barbequed chicken and more for dinner later on. All the food is spiced to perfection with Jamaican-grown ingredients like scorpion pepper and ginger from the all-natural High Noon brand. Customers can cool down with a tangy drink of sorrel, or Jamaican hibiscus, mixed with ginger.
The Country Kitchen’s signature dish is “Drunken Crab,” which offers crab legs in a peppery gravy. Other friendly, home-style recipes include a rich and savory brown stew chicken and a whole red snapper cooked in escovitch style: fried and then soaked in a pickling sauce.
Flames, a Boston-based mini-chain of Jamaican fast-casual restaurants has continued to expand while retaining its high quality. The menu includes curry stews, jerk chicken, and roti. Its latest location is near the Brockton Beer Company’s soon-to-open taproom, so diners can get a tasty meal when picking up some brew from one of the few Black-owned breweries in Massachusetts.
Irie Jamaican Style Restaurant’s name refers to the Jamaican patois term for “feelin’ happy and fine.” Reggae music plays as diners try the restaurant’s jerk-style ribs and fish patties, rasta pasta with shrimp, and plates of oxtail with plantains, rice, and steamed vegetables. The eatery offers an extensive seafood menu, including options for conch: sea snails that are served curried or sautéed.
Jamaica Mi Hungry was the winner of 2020’s Best of Boston award for its food truck, but Chef Ernie Campbell also offers tasty options at its brick-and-mortar restaurants. Campbell’s Jamaican cuisine can be sampled at Zone 3, a Harvard-launched space featuring retail, public art installations, and outdoor events. Especially noted are the restaurant’s jerk-style pulled pork or chopped chicken sandwiches, spice ribs, and excellent side dishes like thick and creamy mac ‘n’ cheese.
Only One Jamaican Restaurant – of which there is more than one – features signature stew peas, pineapple chicken, and Jamaican beef patties wrapped with coco bread. The restaurant is praised by diners for its generous portions of a wide variety of dishes.
P&R offers a wide range of Jamaican-inspired cuisine. Diners can choose its lighter options, such as jerk chicken salad with avocado or heavier meals like fried chicken wings with waffles and fried Oreos. P&R distinguishes itself with its ice cream selection that features flavors include cake batter, bubble gum, and butter pecan.
The Taste of Eden restaurant provides perfect breakfast options like spiced callaloo, and tasty dinner selections like plantain dumplings, fried codfish, and jerk chicken. Its generous menu of vegetarian choices sets it apart, as diners can partake of tofu-based orange ginger “chicken” and enjoy a juice art that features mango, cantaloupe, sorrel, and sea moss smoothies, among other flavors.
Info and Photo Source: Blue Mountain, Boston Magazine
