Jamaica / Food & Drink

Jamaicans know how to enjoy themselves, and their love of chilling and partying has ensured a vibrant mix of venues. The bars are lively and in tourist spots such as Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios, there tends to be a good combination of tourists and locals at nightspots that range from loud and lively clubs to cool and classy bars. Those wanting a quieter time can seek out jazz clubs and the like where the emphasis is still on the music - a feature so important in Jamaican life - but in softer, more mellow surroundings. In Kingston, the night-time scene is more multi-faceted to cater for a greater choice of tastes and demands, but away from the main towns in the countryside, the bars are quieter and more basic, sometimes little more than rickety shacks.

Surprisingly, for such a large and popular island, Jamaica does not have much of a restaurant scene. With so many tourists staying in all-inclusive hotels and a small local market, there is limited business to go round, but despite this there is a sprinkling of eateries serving international fare. Alternatively there are cheaper fast-food outlets or, for a local flavour, jerk centres serving the spicy barbecue meats for which Jamaica is famed.

The island’s rum heritage is well-established, dating back around 500 years and encompassing buccaneering pirates and Spanish and English colonialists. Today the island is still home to a working sugar estate and rum distillery where visitors can see how the so-called “pirates’ drink” is made.

For more information about restaurants and nightlife on Jamaica, including our recommendations please select a Food & Drink category below or from the side menu.