The first restaurant you must go to in your journey to explore Jamaica's food is Houseboat Grill. This quaint restaurant's unique setting aboard a houseboat gives diners an opportunity to dine on the sea--literally and figuratively. Moored in the calm waters of the Montego Bay Marine Park Fish Sanctuary, the Houseboat Grill offers a picturesque setting. In the past, the boat has been a bar, restaurant, green room, and even a setting for a movie. The menu boasts seafood dishes like New Zealand mussels, red snapper filets, and pepper shrimp. The landlubber's choices are excellent as well and include Jamaican-spiced pork medallions, fondue, and expertly seasoned steaks. The menu rotates often, so call ahead to make reservations (recommended) and check for specials.

Recommended for Best Restaurants because The Houseboat Grill is more than just a beautiful setting, and the eclectic menu makes this a gem in MoBay. Amber's expert tip: Don't miss the local bands during happy hour! Come here and enjoy your meal.

• Location: Southern Cross Blvd, Montego Bay Jamaica
• Hours: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
• Tel: +1 876-979-8845
• Website: https://thehouseboatgrill.com/
• Rate: 4.5/5.0 (Source: tripadvisor.com)

Vintage blue and white dinnerware is the perfect canvas for the creations envisioned by the talented sister duo of Suzanne and Michelle Rousseau. Located at Harmony Hall which is a former estate and national monument that dates back to the late 19th century, Summerhouse redefines modern heritage Caribbean dining in a picturesque setting. The building is a stunning marriage of Georgian and Jamaican architecture, with fretwork interwoven with the original stone walls.

Dishes are a similarly delicate combination of recipes from Jamaica’s culinary traditions and the broader Caribbean region. An East Indian mezze platter features baigan (roasted eggplant) and pumpkin and coconut choka (both from Trinidad) served with roti and raita, alongside a redefined pickled herring flambeed in rum. Local sausages and a fancified version of pan chicken - a street corner staple that features chicken grilled in a steel drum pan - are notable proteins, alongside the citrus-infused catch of the day.

• Location: Harmony HallOcho Rios, Jamaica
• Hours: 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM
• Tel: +1 876-858-0031
  
• Website: summerhouseja.com
• Rate: 5.0/5.0 (Source: tripadvisor.com)

Scotchies is also one of the best restaurants in Jamaica. It definitely completes your trip to Jamaica with jerk chicken, and the best place to get authentic jerk is at Scotchies. Upon arrival, you might see a line 20 feet long, but believe it, the wait is worth it. This is one of the best places to get a taste of history to go along with your spicy meal. The method for smoking meat on the logs of Jamaican allspice trees originated from the indigenous communities who were the first inhabitants of the island more than 500 years ago. Throughout the centuries, the jerk marinade has evolved to reflect the current population’s love for spicy, flavorful food. Be sure to order a side of roasted breadfruit, fried sweet dumplings called ‘festival,’ and an ice-cold Red Stripe beer for a truly authentic experience.

• Locations: Falmouth Road, Montego Bay Jamaica.
• Hours: 11:00 AM- 9:00 PM
• Tel: +1 876-953-8041
• Website: http://scotchies.restaurantsnapshot.com/
• Rate: 4.5/5.0 (Source: tripadvisor.com)

A meal at Mi Hungry is not one you will ever feel guilty about. The restaurant’s entire menu is raw, vegan, gluten-free, and surprisingly delicious. So what you’re thinking? This is going to take some convincing. Their pizza is made with a crust of dehydrated nuts and seeds topped with fresh tomato sauce and loaded with fresh vegetables and a creamy cheese substitute made of sunflower seeds. Still unsure? If it can not convince you then the friendly Rastafarian owners will, as they will share their passion for whole foods and health with you. Pair any of their savory dishes with a nutritious juice made fresh every day from all the tropical fruits Jamaica has to offer. I-Wara's restaurant, Mi Hungry Whol' Some Food, located within the courtyard at Market Place, is a one-stop-shop for organic, raw food that will leave you full and satisfied. And that is the reason why Mi Hungry is one of the best restaurants in Jamaica

• Location: Market Place, 67 Constant Spring Rd, Kingston, Jamaica
• Hours: 9:00 AM- 11:00 PM
• Tel: +1 (876) 908-1771
• Website: https://www.jamaicamihungry.com/
• Rate: 4.5/5.0 (Source: tripadvisor.com)

If you go to Little Ochie, pick out your own fresh fish, lobster, conch, shrimp, or crab and have them prepare it with garlic, curry, brown stew, jerked, grilled, fried, and so much more. Then pick out which boat you would like to sit in while eating, yep that’s right, which boat – solidly grounded of course.

As all the food at Little Ochie is cooked to order, once you place your order you will have time to stroll down the beach and see one of the largest and busiest fishing beaches in all of Jamaica. Of course, sometimes there are more birds on the beach than people. Little Ochie is one of Jamaica’s greatest hidden treats, located on the southern coast of the island in a sleepy fishing village called Alligator Pond. Few tourists make it here, perhaps because of the distance from most resorts and hotels, or perhaps the locals just hope to keep it a secret. When you first arrive, the smell of fish and saltwater hit your senses as you watch fishermen drive their boats onto the sand to sell the evening’s catch. The fish is always fresh, made with recipes that have kept the business thriving since its opening in 1989. Whatever you order is sure to be amazing.

• Location: Alligator Pond Alligator Pond, Manchester, Mandeville Jamaica
• Hours: 08:30 AM – 10:00 PM
• Tel: +876(0)610 6566
• Website: https://littleochierestaurant.com/
• Rate: 4.0/5.0 (Source: tripadvisor.com)

After the abolition of slavery in the 1830s, East Indian indentured laborers traveled to British-colonized Jamaica to work on farms and plantations. Many of the families that settled never left, bringing with them traditions, customs, and cuisine that have inspired the Jamaican flavors of today. Indian restaurants are located all over the island, but one of the best, in quality and service, is Tamarind. The restaurant offers both Indian and Asian fusion dishes for vegetarians and meat-eaters. One order of the buttery naan won’t be enough to catch the delicious gravies from their masala and korma dishes. Tamarind Indian Cuisine is one of the finest Indian restaurants located in the Northern Virginia metro area and Sterling. The restaurant is best known for its outstanding Indian cuisine, excellent service with livery, and cultural ambiance. Tamarind Indian Cuisine prepares everything fresh using the best quality ingredients and the freshest vegetables.

• Location: 28 Orchard Village Plaza 18-22 Barbican Road, Kingston Jamaica
• Hours: 4:00 PM - 9:30 PM
• Tel: +1 876-977-0695
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TamarindIndianCuisine/
• Rate: 5.0/5.0 (Source: tripadvisor.com)

Hidden away in the hills of the gorgeous Blue Mountain Range is EITS Café, an acronym for ‘Europe In The Summer’. The restaurant is a refreshing escape from the unbearable heat and noise in Kingston, melding the best of Jamaican and European cuisine. The restaurant is known for its farm-to-table approach, sourcing all of its produce from its own organic garden. Under the covered outdoor veranda, your table will look out to spectacular views of lush forested canopies. You might hear the soft patter of rain on the roof or the gentle beats of reggae being played by locals a few miles down the road. No matter what, the experience will be one you’ll always remember. EITS café is a rustic eatery in the Blue Mountains which serves up an appealing fusion of European and Jamaican cuisine, and it deserves one of the best restaurants in Jamaica. Many of the ingredients are grown on-site at the Food Basket Farm or by neighboring farmers.

• Location: 17 Mile Post Newcastle Road, Irish Town Jamaica
• Hours: 09:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Tel: +1 876-367-8191
• Website: http://www.17milepostja.com/
• Rate: 5.0/5.0 (Source: tripadvisor.com)