Are you thinking of taking a trip to Jamaica? Then this blog is for you. There are thousands of different Jamaican foods to choose from. Learning about them before visiting the island will help you make smarter dining choices. Food Explora’s blog shares some of the best Jamaican foods (meals, snacks, and drinks) you should try when you are in Jamaica.
While many Jamaican foods or dishes are widely available in some states in America, a true Jamaican or “Yardie” like myself, will agree that the flavor and essence of these dishes do not compare to those prepared or cooked in Jamaica.
Jamaica is arguably the most beautiful and vibrant Caribbean island and Its food culture is no exception. Furthermore, the island takes pride in producing some of the diaspora’s most flavorful cuisines.
As you travel across Jamaica, the flavor, smell, and taste of some dishes change due to the variations in their recipes, but will definitely knock you off your feet.
In this blog, we will explore some of the most iconic Jamaican foods that everyone must experience when they visit the island.
We will discuss Jamaican meals, snacks, and drinks that showcase the diversity and vibrancy of Jamaican cuisine and culture.
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Jamaican Food Culture
The Jamaican food culture is fascinating. Our breakfast is “heavy,” similar to what most people in the United States would eat for dinner.
Consider having meat, fish, and dumplings for breakfast. Our dishes take time and can be labor-intensive but are filled with love and pride.
Jamaica produces a variety of delectable exotic fruits that you will adore. You will undoubtedly become addicted to our snacks or sweet treats.
If you do not eat meat, there are various Vegan cuisines and restaurants to choose from on the island of Jamaica.
1
Ackee and codfish
The national dish of Jamaica is Ackee and Codfish, which is a must-try when visiting the island. Ackee is a fruit that is boiled and sautéed with salted codfish, onions, peppers, and spices to make a filling breakfast. 
Ackee has the texture of buttery scrambled eggs, and when combined with the salty and savory codfish, it creates a flavor explosion in your mouth.
The national dish are usually served with boiled or fried dumplings, yams, boiled green bananas, or any other starchy side dish of your choice.
2
Jamaican patties
Whether you purchase them from Tastee, Juici Beef, or Mother’s Restaurant, these delicious flaky meat pies are a must-try when you visit Jamaica.
There are good reasons why these patty stores are stationed all over Jamaica. They sell patties that everyone will enjoy and includes beef, chicken, seafood, vegan, or vegetable patties.
Do not forget to order Coco Bread to go along with your patty. Coco Bread is a sweet and fluffy bread that is a popular snack in Jamaica.
It’s made with flour, sugar, coconut milk, and yeast, giving it a sweet and coconutty flavor. It is usually served with a beef patty or on its own.
Sandwiching your patty between the fold of the coco bread take its flavor profile to new heights.
3
jAMAICAN
jERK cHICKEN
Jerk chicken, perhaps one of the most famous Jamaican food, is a spicy and smoky grilled chicken dish seasoned with a blend of herbs, and spices such as pimento, thyme, and scotch bonnet peppers.
You will find this one-of-a-kind jerk bird in almost every part of Jamaica.
If you stay at an all-inclusive hotel, Jerk Chicken will most likely be on the menu. However, the best jerk chicken in my opinion is from street food vendors outside the resorts.
Please be safe when traveling outside of the resorts. Munchies Youtube channel features several jerk stops that you may visit when you are in Jamaica.
Most jerk sauce or pepper sauce that is served over the juicy Jerk Chicken, carries a lot of heat from the scotch bonnet peppers.
If you do not like fire-hot heat, you may want to ask for the sauces on the side.
Where there is Jerk Chicken, there is Jerk Pork. If you eat pork, don’t forget to order you some.
This may be a biased opinion, but I think that there is no other place on earth that cooks jerk pork like Jamaicans do.
The flavorful Jamaican jerk chicken or pork is often served with rice and peas, festival, hard dough slices of bread, or bammy (cassava cake).
I dare you to try these two Jamaican dishes. They may sound gross, but do not dismiss them until you have tried them. Even though stewed liver can be served for lunch or dinner, Stewed liver is a popular breakfast item in Jamaica. Check out my French Fried Stewed Liver recipe to learn more.
Cow Foot Stew
Cow Foot, on the other hand, is made from the feet of the cow. The cow feet are chopped into smaller pieces, seasoned, and cooked for an extended period or pressure cooked until the gelatinous skin is soft and falling off the bone.
It is further stewed into a rich brown gravy made of its natural fat, juices, and a variety of seasonings. Butter Beans or Broad Beans are often added to increase its nutritional value.
These dishes can be served over rice or with other starch side items such as Boiled Dumplings.
5.
Fruits of jamaica.
Jamaica has an abundance of luscious and juicy exotic fruits. You can not visit the island without trying at least one of the fruits listed below.
Jamaican Mangoes
Jamaican MangoesThere are so many species of mangoes to choose from. These are the most popular mangoes grown in Jamaica: Julie, East Indian, Hairy, # 11, and “blackie”. Mango season lasts from May to September, but it varies depending on the species.
Sweetsop and Soursop
SweetSop and Soursop fruits are like first cousins. Their flesh surrounds black seed and has a milky custard-like texture that you will adore.
They contain a number of health benefits that you will not want to miss. The leaves of the soursop are used to make tea. I grew up drinking this tea every week.
If you happen to come across a soursop tree, you can pluck the leaves, dry them, and bring them home with you. The leaves can also be purchased on Amazon. Click HERE to learn more.
Naseberry
Naseberry When mature, Naseberry, as it is known in Jamaica, is a dark fleshy fruit that is soft and sweet. The taste is similar to a cross between persimmon and cantaloupe.
Coconut Jelly
Coconut Jelly is a must-try when you visit Jamaica. Nothing compares to nature’s fresh electrolyte water from a tree.
The coconut water will replenish and quench any thirst. The immature soft succulent coconut jelly flesh can be enjoyed by scooping it out using a spoon made from the husk.
Jamaican Otaheite Apple
One of the most sought-after fruit in Jamaica is the Otaheite Apple. Its vibrant reddish-purple skin and white flesh are juicy with a distinctive sweet flavor.
The darker red the flesh, the sweeter the apple. They are typically in season and available between August and October.
Guineps
These grape-like fruits are one of a kind. Guinep’s inedible green skin encapsulates the pinkish-orange succulent flesh.
Suck off the flesh from the seed to appreciate the sweet juicy flavors.
6.
Jamaican Food
Snacks.
From sweet to salty, there is a snack for everyone. There are hundreds of Jamaican snacks that are widely accessible in most grocery stores or corner shops.
Fortunately, most of them are now sold at concession stores located inside our Jamaican airports.
Here are a few of my favorites, and I hope you try at least one of them when you visit Jamaica.
Banana Chips
Most Jamaicans may argue that the Chippies banana chips taste better that the St. Mary’s brand. Which of these brand chips is your favorite?
I personally have tried and like them both. However, I grew up eating Chippies and believe the texture is a bit better.
You will undoubtedly enjoy whichever one you come across. Green bananas sliced, deep fried, and lightly salted are a crispy delicious treat that you will enjoy and grow to love.
Gizzada
This spiced coconut pastry is a delicious sweet treat. Grated coconut, ginger, spices, and brown sugar are stewed to a syrupy consistency before being filled in a baked rough-puff pastry base. The filling is similar to my Carrot Coconut Grater Cake recipe. Click HERE to learn more.
Sugar Cane
Sugar cane is God’s natural sweet treat to the human race. It is sweet and filling. This was most Jamaican “candy” growing up.
Eating sugar cane is a workout for your jaws and was either grown in our backyard or could be purchased from “cane man” who sometimes sells it from his cart or roadside shop.
Today, is now widely available in most Jamaican supermarkets.
Do you classify sugar cane as a fruit?
Spiced Bun
This has long been a favorite of mine. Spiced buns have the texture of a moist sweet brown bread with a burst of spices and pureed raisins.
As a tasty snack, I frequently eat this with a thick slice of the popular Jamaican Cheddar Cheese. You may purchase this unique-tasting cheese on Amazon by clicking HERE.
Coconut Drops
I am a lover of anything coconut. Coconut drops are one of my favorite childhood snacks.
Diced coconut cooked in spiced brown sugar until reduced to a caramel-syrup-like texture.
Traditionally, a spoonful of the coconut mixture is then “dropped” on banana leaves and left at room temperature to be set firm.
Rum Fruit Cake
I am overjoyed that rum cakes are now available in single-serving sizes. If you’ve been reading my blog, you will know that I recently shared my Rum Fruit Cake recipe with you.
These small packets of rum cake are now available at the supermarket across Jamaica.
I actually purchased mine at the Norman Manley Airport. The texture and flavor of this brand’s fruit cake are on point; I highly recommend it.
Did you know you can also purchase this rum fruit cake on Amazon? Click HERE to learn more.
Food Explora have created a simpler version of the Jamaican Rum Fruit Cake recipe on my blog. If you are interested in learning how to make it, visit HERE.
7.
Stewed meats of Jamaica
In Jamaica, stewed meats are highly popular. They’re on practically every restaurant’s menu.
Jamaican Food: Brown Stewed Chicken
Brown stew chicken is a savory and tasty dish made with thighs or legs of chicken, brown sugar, soy sauce, thyme, onions, and garlic. Before browning and simmering in a rich, tomato-based sauce, the chicken is marinated in the seasoning combination.
Stewed Oxtails
Oxtail stew is a rich and tasty dish cooked with soft pieces of oxtail, carrots, onions, garlic, and a blend of herbs and spices that is a beloved comfort food in Jamaica.
Jamaican Food: Curry Goat
Another Jamaican classic, curry goat is a rich and savory stew made with tender goat meat, onions, garlic, ginger, and a blend of curry spices. It’s typically served with plain white rice or rice and peas and a side of fried plantains and cooked or raw vegetables.
These meats are sometimes also served with dumplings or some other starchy root vegetables.
Escovitch Fish Even though Escovitch Fish is not a not necessarily a stewed meat, it has to
Jamaican Callaloo
Do not forget to add Jamaican calaloo to your plate. Callaloo is a green leafy vegetable that is sauteed with herbs and cooked until tender.
Codfish are sometimes added and is often served as a breakfast meal.
The picture below is a breakfast meal of stewed (AKA “Steamed”) red snapper fish, boiled green bananas, and calaloo greens.
8.
Jamaican Foods: soups
Soups are a one-pot meal in Jamaica. They are loaded with a variety of flavors, and consistency to suit everyone’s taste.
Whether you are a meat lover, Vegetarian, or Vegan, there is a soup for everyone in Jamaica.
Visit my recipe blog for a healthier version of traditional Jamaican Chicken Soup and to learn more about the different types of soups in Jamaica.
9.
Porridges of jamaica
Porridge is Jamaica’s most popular hot breakfast cereal. They are sweet, creamy, and spice-flavored. Porridges are available in Jamaica in several varieties, including cornmeal, hominy corn, plantain, and banana.
Please keep in mind that as you travel across Jamaica, each of these porridges has different variations or added ingredients in the recipe.
Some vendors have come up with creative ways to add peanuts to their cornmeal porridge recipe and I love it.
Visit my blog to learn more about the healthier versions of Jamaican porridges below.
Plantain Persimmon Fuyu Porridge
Cornmeal Oats Chia Seeds Porridge
You can now purchase easy quick-fix porridges from Amazon. Click HERE to learn more.
10.
Best Jamaican Drinks
Rum Punch
Rum punch is a popular and delicious beverage mixed with white rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, lime juice, and grenadine, and is popular in 
Jamaica.
It’s usually served over ice and garnished with a slice of fresh fruit.
Do not forget to purchase a few of these or other duty free Jamaican rum at the airport when you are leaving to go home.
Jamaican Red Stripe Beer
Red Strip Beer is the most popular beer in Jamaica. It has set the gold standard since 1928. It is known for its butterscotch flavor that is smooth and full-bodied.
They are now available in a variety of fascinating flavors, including sorrel and lemon, which are two of my favorites.
This is one of my favorite drinks. You often find it readily available during the Christmas season.
However, due to the fact that the leaves are dried and packaged, you may be able to find sorrel drinks all year round.
Flavored with Jamaican J. Wray & Nephew White Rum make it even more festive and buzzy. You can make your own at home by visiting my recipe blog HERE.
Ting
Ting is a pleasant and somewhat sweet carbonated grapefruit beverage. It’s an excellent substitute for soda and goes well with spicy Jamaican meals.
Jamaican Food: Irish Moss Drink
This is one of my all-time favorite Jamaican drinks. It is made from the health-crazed sea moss or seaweed, as most Jamaicans call it.
The punch is blended with sweetened condensed milk making it creamy, and sweet.
Jamaican white rum and spices are also added for a more flavorful punch. Click HERE and visit my blog to learn how Jamaicans make this healthy and delicious Irish Moss Drink.
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
Blue Mountain coffee is regarded as one of the best in the world, valued for its smooth, rich flavor.
When you visit Jamaica, you will more or like be served blue mountain coffee at breakfast.
Hot Cocoa/Chocolate
Jamaican hot cholate/cocoa tea is nothing like what you may find in American grocery stores.
If you have the opportunity to sip on a cup of authentic Jamaican hot cocoa tea, you will never go back to store-bought hot chocolate packets.
Let me take you to my site HERE to learn where you can buy cocoa balls made from real cocoa beans and prepare your own hot chocolate cocoa tea at home to savor the flavor.
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Enjoy Your Time In Jamaica or At A Jamaican Restaurant.
Share Your Thought Below:
What Jamaican food have you tried or will be trying?
© Food Explora 2023 All Rights Reserved.
As a West Indian myself, I know how good the food in in the islands. I’m reading this and I’m jonesing for some home food!!
Davindra, nothing beats a good back a yaad authentic meal. Its never the same here in the US.
I came to see if I missed any special dishes for the times I’ve visited Jamaica and it looks like I’ve practically had everything on the list. The hours I spent at a brunch buffet in Kinsgton can take most of the credit.
I dont know if it’s the seasonings used but Jamaican patties in America trigger skin allergies. I didn’t have an issue when I ate them in Kingston.
I love Jamaican food!!! 💛💚🖤
You are so right Sandra, the patties here in NYC are nothing compared to those in Jamaica. I am surprised they haven’t had a franchise of one of the Jamaican patty restaurants here in the US already.
I used to have a Jamaican roommate and I love when she prepared food for us, since then, I felll in love with jamaincan food, but I haven’t tried their snacks. Reading this makes me want to drive to the Jaimacan store👍😊. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for visiting Janice. Glad you experienced Jamaican food.
Jerk chicken & beef patties are my fav. We have an authentic Jamaican restaurant by me & they have amazing food. Cant beat the flavor!
Most definitely, Morgan.
Jamaican food is so delicious! I’ve tried the jerk chicken with rice and peas and Jamaican patties. All are delicious and I would like to try the other dishes on the list!
Thank you Lisa. Hope you get to explore other Jamaican dishes or foods.
So intrigued by these foods. I want some banana chips and patties. Yum!
Good choices Jamie. Hope you get to try them someday.
It was not such a good idea to read this because there isn’t anything on here I’d not eat or at least have tried with the exception of the coffee. That one has evaded me.
GWT, I feel yah. I am glad you experienced a number of Jamaican foods. Well, try the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee; you will love it also.
I used to really enjoy patties and jerk chicken; the flavours were always so wonderful! This is a great list of foods, you’ve given me some ideas of some new things to try out!
THank you, Molly. Glad you are inspired.
I love patties! Would be amazing if I could make my own one day too!
Liv, nothing compares to Jamaican patties; they are very hard to replicate.
I love eating my grannies Jamaican patties but never learned how to cook it like she does.
Jamaican patties are very hard to copy. But I am sure your granny came close to it. You will have to visit Jamaica to explore the authentic Jamaican foods. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Cynthia.
Yuuummm! There’s so many things on here that I love the sound of. Being a traveler, I’d love to visit Jamaica, it looks like a beautiful place, but lots of the foods you’ve mentioned here make my mouth water, such as the Jerk Chicken, Spiced Buns, and the chippies. Oh and anything with rum in it!
Thanks for the feedback, Lindsay. I hope you will vacation in Jamaica soon and experience the flavors of Jamaican foods.
I just entered food heaven! These dishes all look amazing!
Thank you Marga.
I like the way the patties look like. Never tried before. I love tasting new foods, so your post was very useful to me. Thanks for sharing this wonderful article!
Thank you Nelly. Appreciate you visiting and sharing year thoughts.