During the Easter season, many Jamaicans consume more seafood, especially fish. This increased consumption is probably only paralleled by bun and cheese during this time. With the season upon us, it only seemed appropriate to list the places that granted the best seafood in Jamaica I’ve probably ever had (in no particular order). Whatever you do choose to indulge in here, please ensure that you do NOT consume parrotfish at any establishment; learn why here.
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Some of the Best Seafood in Jamaica
Gloria’s Seafood Restaurant
Renowned for it’s seafood dishes, Gloria’s has been THE well-known eatery of Port Royal for quite a while and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon. Had it not been included as a place with the best seafood, all credibility would probably be lost . Gloria’s has been at the forefront of my mind to go to for your seafood fix from childhood now into adult days. My earliest memory of it might be their fish tea. I remember having it as a Friday night staple at one point in life, and have never enjoyed it nearly as much anywhere else to this day.
Hellshire Beach
This iconic beach still has a number of regular visitors, with a strong pull by the quality of the food. It is simply unheard of to go to Hellshire and not enjoy a customary plate of fish with festival and/or bammy! It’s generally considered one of the top spots to enjoy the best seafood in Jamaica. As a local, it is an unwritten rule that a seafood lunch must be enjoyed here, at least once.
Source: Prendy’s on the Beach (Hellshire)
Kwaamen Falls
Through a guided tour, a hike to Kwaamen Falls was followed by a swim and lunch of roast fish and plantain. Before this, roasting was last on my list of desired preparation methods for fish. Either I’ve never had the right person prepare it, or seafood just automatically tastes better by water! A small fire by the river was set up and the seasoned fish and plantains were roasted. There were so many distinct spices creating a fiesta in my mouth, plus, you just can’t go wrong serving a Jamaican a WHOLE plantain! Can I get an amen?
Booby Cay Island
I’ve eaten lobster maybe a handful of times, if so many, and never really understood the hype surrounding it. An unexpected boat trip to an islet just offshore from Negril afforded a completely enjoyable lobster meal. After choosing the desired lobster from a wire cage on the beach, lunch was served an hour later. A plate was presented holding excellently-seasoned garlic lobster with a side of wheat bread saturated in seasoned sauce. Every bite was slowly savoured, including the bread sopping up all the garlicky goodness! After snorkeling and splashing around at the beach, that lobster meal was the perfect end to a day at sea.
I believe after all this, there is a very strong argument that seafood just tastes better cooked / eaten near a body of water. Can anyone else stand with me to support this theory???
Please leave any suggestions in the comments for best seafood spots, we could all use more 🙂
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I totally agree, that the best open-air lobster I had at Booby Cay island this year. We did the tour with Rasta Mickey and Sons, prebooked via their facebook page. Kwame Falls we visited too and had fresh fish roasted over a fire. It was good too, but we later recognized, that we ate parrotfish. Next time we will ask, before we eat.
Oh yes, I knew they were good when it was the very first time I’ve genuinely enjoyed those 2 meals in particular, after trying them a handful of times elsewhere. I’m glad I helped enlighten you re: the parrot fish, knowledge is power 🙂
I endorse that Hellshire beach unspoken rule ?. Gloria’s and Prendy’s are certainly Jamaican must-eats. I’ve never had lobster but #4 looks very tempting. *scribbles Booby Cay Island on my bucket list*
Went to Gloria’s today actually, first time in years! The trip to Booby Cay was a welcomed surprise; I went through an excursion offered by Rockhouse Hotel but other persons were there from different places around Negril.