Where and What to Eat in Negril

One of the first things on most visitors’ minds, especially first timers, is “Where do we go to eat?” The good news is, there are many fine places to eat, from Jerk chicken road-side vendors cooking from their modified metal drums, to fine dining restaurants found throughout Negril.

Local Cuisine

Most resorts in Negril have restaurants on the property, but there are also many independent “local” restaurants that cook up wonderful local dishes like ackee and saltfish, a wonderful breakfast combination served with dumplings or Johnnycakes, fried or boiled bananas, plantain, yam and Callaloo (a Jamaican version of a vegetable very similar to spinach).

Some other local dishes you’ll find:

• Curried Goat
• Chicken
• Lobster
• Fried and Brown Stew Chicken
• Fish (caught locally), like Snapper, Mackerel, and Swordfish
• These can be pan fried, Escovich, brown stewed, or filleted

There is also a local fish dish called Run down. Run down typically consists of fish, reduced coconut milk, yam, tomato, onions and seasonings. Traditionally, the dish is served with side dishes of dumplings and boiled green bananas. The dish is also sometimes accompanied with baked breadfruit – a fruit with a starchy consistence reminding you of bread. Run down is typically available in Jamaican restaurants. The name appears to originate from the manner in which the fish is thoroughly cooked until it falls apart, or "runs down”.

Taste of Home

Restaurants offering breakfast will also offer all the “American” favorites including eggs and bacon, omelets, etc. Be sure to try the banana pancakes which have been a local favorite for many years. You'll also find great pizza, fish and chips, Jamaican patties, hamburgers, burritos, tacos, sweet and sour chicken, jerk pork and for some unknown reason Negril restaurants almost always have the best French Fries in the world.

There are also restaurants of different types of cuisines, like you would find at home, including Thai, Chinese, Italian, Seafood, German, Vegetarian, International, Mexican, and Pizza.

Negril’s Local Restaurants

Here are a few places we’ve tried that we like, to name “a few”:

Beach Side

• Café Goa
• The Boat Bar
• Mama Flos
• 3 Stars
• Keney's Chinese
• Sun Beach Restaurant
• Janette’s De-lish Delight
• Sweet Spice
• Sweet Spot
• Pilot's Juicy's Restaurant and Grill
• Bourbon Beach
• Sea Breeze
• Fries Unlimited
• Montana’s
• Sing U Thai and Vietnamese
• Drifters Jerk Centre
• Miss Sonia's
• Woodstock
• Roots Café at Roots Bamboo
• Alfred's Ocean Palace
• Kamara's
• Rasta Alo Vegetarian
• Firefly Restaurant
• Margaritaville
• Ossie's Jerk Centre

Cliff Side

• Chicken Lavish
• Swordfish
• Sunset After Dark
• LTU Pub
• Best in the West
• Sharks
• Ahh Bee's
• Ras Rody
• Murphy's
• Mi Yard
• German Bar
• Pablo's
• Erica's
• Sips and Bites
• C&D's Country and Western Bar
• On The Rocks
• Corner Bar
• Rainbow Arch
• Mango Tree Bar and Restaurant
• De Bar and Grill
• And many more!

Resort Restaurants

Many fine restaurants are found at resorts, such as:

• Country Country
• Travellers
• Beach House Villas
• Coral Seas Beach
• Bar-B-Barn
• Luca's Lobster House and authentic Italian pizza at Sunrise
• Kenney’s Italian Restaurant
• Xtabi Restaurant
• Sea Star
• Rick's Café
• Ciao Restaurant at Samsara
• Canoe
• Negril Treehouse
• Negril Palms
• Kuyaba
• Chill Awhile at Idle Awhile
• CocoLaPalm Restaurant
• Presley’s Seafood Place
• Pushcart at Rockhouse
• Penny's Seafood House

Fine Dining

Some of the more refined dining includes extensive menus with wine selections. These are usually located in the more upscale resorts such as:

• Ivan's at Catcha Falling Star
• Rockhouse Restaurant
• La Vendome at Charela Inn
• Blue Mahoe at The Spa Resort
• The Lodge at Tensing Pen
• Bongos at Sandy Haven Resort
• Zest Restaurant at The Cliff Hotel

Eat Your Heart Out

Rest assured that no matter where you eat the food will be freshly prepared, the service friendly and the prices very reasonable. Be sure to allow time for the food to be prepared. There is no rush in Negril – everything is prepared fresh to order. So just relax, and enjoy a drink in the sunshine and salty air, and your food will “soon come.”

Something we missed?