16 Best Restaurants in Jamaica

Located at the luxurious Geejam Hotel, Bushbar stays true to the property's reputation by offering a fine dining experience and stunning views of the surrounding jungle and Caribbean sea. The menu features savory Jamaican seafood and pasta dishes, with an international twist. When you're not eating, have some delicious cocktails, listen and dance to reggae tunes by the stage, relax by the stunning infinity pool, or shoot a game of pool. 

This family-operated restaurant is small and casual, but don't be fooled by its size, as the delicious seafood meals will have you wanting to return again and again. The food is made with fresh, local ingredients and is so beautifully presented, you'd think you were at a much more spendy restaurant. Eat in the brightly colored dining room or outside at a picnic table.

This restaurant is a must for dinner at least once while visiting Jamaica, as the menu features both traditional Jamaican cooking and Rockhouse's interpretation of "new Jamaican cuisine," inspired by the many cultures that have come to the island. The open-air dining area has huge comfy bamboo sofas where you can relax for an aperitif or after-dinner drink; tables are arranged near the cliff for sensational seaside dining. For special occasions, private tables for groups can be set up in a cabana, on an intimate terrace, or on a lower deck. The staff is friendly and attentive. Much of the food is organically grown right across the road.

This quaint bistro in Mandeville, run by chef Lilee, feels a million miles away from the bustle of the city. Locals favor this spot for breakfast and lunch, where classic burgers, wraps, and delicious pastries highlight the menu. Pasta, steak, and shrimp dishes are served for dinner.

Named for the massive almond tree growing through the roof, this Ocho Rios restaurant is one of the most romantic restaurants in the resort town. The menu is a mixture of Jamaican and international dishes including seafood, a variety of chicken and beef, and other traditional Jamaican meals. For many, the evening starts with a drink at the terrace bar overlooking the sea followed by dinner alfresco (or in the dining room).

Perched on a hillside more than 3,000 feet up in Irish Town, Cafe Blue is one of the most stunning places to enjoy a cup of coffee and a slice of freshly baked cake. The hip hideaway for Kingstonians is also popular with Strawberry Hill Hotel guests because of the variety of beverages made from Blue Mountain coffee. Other café branches are in the Norman Manley Airport, Main Street Jamaica, Fairview Town Center in Montego Bay, and Super Valu Centre and the Sovereign Center, both in Kingston.

This low-key eatery with the motto "come and relax" serves made-to-order vegetarian and seafood dishes as well as fresh fruit and vegetable juices, but it's the surroundings—an enchanting garden on Negril's West End—that make it stand out. Mismatched tables and chairs, some of them made from recycled materials, are scattered in the garden, surrounded by orange trees, pretty flowers, and lush vegetation, so that each dining area is private. A small soup and dessert are included with dinner.

Open all day and right on the beach, this charming thatch-roof restaurant is one of the top spots for dinner on Negril's 7-mile (11-km) strip of sand. The menu specializes in Jamaican cuisine with an international twist, with meals covering sea, breeze, and land. All food is cooked to order, so come prepared for a long languorous meal. During the day you can lounge on beach chairs. The restaurant will bring you here for free if you're staying in Negril.

The Charela Inn's pretty restaurant is lit up with strings of Christmas lights, with tables set out on the beach (there's also a covered patio area in case it rains). There are Jamaican favorites on the menu along with the likes of escargot, crepes, and soufflés. A different five-course menu is offered each night in addition to the à la carte dishes. The French-Jamaican owners get much of the produce here from the hotel's own farm, and the delicious pastries and desserts are all homemade. Thursday night brings live jazz, blues, and vintage reggae and on Saturday there's folkloric music, drumming, and dancing while you dine.

Enjoy European, Jamaican, and Caribbean cuisine while watching the sunset on a terrace surrounded by tropical vegetation. Dishes made with local ingredients change daily, but Meatless Mondays are a weekly feature and there's a special vegetarian menu.

Although open only since 2020, this rustic, casual eatery in quiet Richmond has quickly become one of the most popular restaurants on Jamaica's north coast. The menu is divided into Jamaican, American, Asian, and vegetarian sections, and portions are hearty. Most nights a DJ entertains the crowds, and on Friday there's a live band.

Rastafarians are masters at vegan food, so don't expect any chicken or pork dishes on the menu of this colorful beachside eatery that's all about organic Jamaican food. Ackee, callaloo, steamed vegetables, and salads are on offer, and most meals are served with traditional Jamaican root staples like yam, potatoes, and boiled dumplings. Fruit desserts and a variety of porridges (usually eaten for breakfast) complete the menu. 

Named for the seagrape trees that line the beach at the Half Moon resorts, this beachside restaurant is open to the public. At lunchtime, a superb buffet and à la carte menu are available, and at dinner there's a good selection of seafood, steaks, ribs, and delicious cocktails.

This thatched-roof restaurant on Seven Mile Beach draws crowds with its water trampolines, waterbeds, swing chairs, beach chairs, and umbrellas, and there's always some form of entertainment—often it's a live band. But the food is terrific, too, from fresh seafood to traditional Jamaican classics. There's also a coffeehouse and a gift shop. 

Along with offering stunning cliffside views, the service here is fast and the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. Breakfast features classic Jamaican dishes, while lunch and dinner are a range of seafood and island favorites. Don't forget to bring your swimwear so you can explore the amazing caves underneath the restaurant.