Would you believe me if I told you that exploring local food is the first thing on our minds when we’re traveling to a new destination? Of course you would because it’s true for most of us! Isn’t it?
Earlier this year, we went to Jamaica and having heard so much about the Jamaican food, I added a bunch of great restaurants to our itinerary to taste the local flavors. Whenever my husband and I travel, we always prefer to try the local cuisine as much as possible because getting introduced to the local culture and food is a big reason why we travel in the first place.
So, here’s my 5 favorite restaurants because they all offer good food, good views, great service and friendly staff.
Blue Mahoe restaurant || $80-$100 for two people
First of all, this restaurant is perfectly situated at the edge of the cliff, overlooking the beautiful turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. And secondly, the food here is amazing. They usually take reservations so I would recommend booking ahead of time. We got here a little before sunset so that we could get the best of both views. We enjoyed the sunset with their delicious cocktails, before making our way to the main course.
Zest Restaurant || $100-$120 for two people
Like Blue Mahoe, this restaurant also overlooks the beautiful waters of the Caribbean Sea and Negril’s breathtaking coastline. Reservations are highly recommended. They have indoor as well as outdoor seating, and although we wanted to sit on the patio, it was so hot that we ended up sitting inside. Nonetheless, we got amazing views of the beach and the waters. Their menu is not very extensive but they have some great options to try such as Black Bean Hummus, West Indian Toasted Curry, The Cliff Club Burger and Warm Molten Lava Cake.
Miss Lily’s || $50-$100 for two people
Ah, this was the cutest and one of my favorite places to eat at! First off, the ambience of this place was so vibrant and cute. Secondly, this place is conveniently located on the Seven Mile Beach so if you’re planning to head to the beach, this can be a great pit stop to grab a quick bite. They have an extensive menu, and I ended up trying their beetroot juice which was so refreshing. The food was also delicious and their service was on point. The staff is super friendly and they guided us to the right place for finding out more about water sports and other excursions.
Pier 1 || $50-$100 for two people
Pier 1 in Montego Bay is the place to be if you want to party the way Jamaicans do. This place wasn’t a part of our itinerary initially but one of our friends recommended it so we decided to give it a shot and thank god we did! The location is perfect on the waterfront with a very scenic view overlooking the bay. They have an extensive cocktail menu with some great cocktail options that include their local Jamaican rum and their food was great too. The whole vibe of this place was amazing and it only kept getting better through the night as more people flocked in. The DJ played some great music and it very quickly escalated into a nightclub. Also, considering it was out first time in MoBay, we were a bit apprehensive about heading out in the night but this place felt really safe and comfortable.
Mystic Thai || $50-$100 for two people
As the name suggests, this place offers a great selection of Thai food and we tried their Tom Kha soup, Sriracha Tofu, Malaysian Curry and Vegetable Basil Fried Rice and everything was perfect. We went here for lunch after spending the first half of our day at the Mayfield Falls. So we were super hungry and devoured everything we ordered.
I have linked each of these restaurants in the blog so hope you found this article helpful! And hope you have a great time trying the local Jamaican food.
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