Montego Bay Dining
The Native restaurant
Dining in Montego Bay varies from fine dining (with fare ranging from
Jamaican to international) to casual eateries enjoyed right off the beach.
If you are interested in dining at an all-inclusive where you're not
a guest, call about a night pass. Most Jamaican all-inclusives sell both
day and evening passes which allow non-guests to come on-property and
enjoy the amenities. (Plan on about $75-$100 per person for a night pass
including dinner, tips, drinks and evening entertainment.) Everyone comes
out a winner. You get to try a new restaurant and the resort tempts you
to book your next vacation with them.
Belfield 1794
Barnett Estate
This elegant restaurant, located on the 3,000-acre Barnett Estate near
Montego Bay on Granville Main Road, is operated by Elegant Resorts International.
The open-air restaurant features a view of the city and a menu that combines
a taste of Jamaica and the Caribbean. After your meal, enjoy a leisurely
stroll over to the great house. The restored historic house is open to
visitors; guided tours are available before or after dinner. Menu selections
include spicy ackee tomato salsa on smoked marlin, plantation salad, jerk
pork Belfield, steamed fish Port Royal, sweet potato pudding.
Kit Kat Restaurant
Verney's Tropical Resort
Leader Avenue
This delightful restaurant offers visitors a real taste of Jamaican home
cooking. It is located in the modest Verney's Tropical Resort, a small
property with a hilltop view of the city. The open-air restaurant features
genuine Jamaican dishes (with real amounts of Jamaican spice, not watered-down
versions for tourist tastes).
Margaritaville
Gloucester Avenue
You dont just visit Margueritaville for the fooda stop here
is more for the party atmosphere. Casual dining is the order of the day:
American favorites like burgers and pizza top the list. The food is just
an excuse to come use the extensive facilities, which include a waterslide
that plummets from the upstairs bar right into the sea and giant TV screens.
Nightlife is busy here.
Marguerite's
Gloucester Avenue
For all the casualness of its next door neighbor, Margaritaville, Marguerites
offers something elegant and special. The two eateries may be yards apart,
but in atmosphere they might as well be at opposite ends of the island.
The specialty of the house at this seaside restaurant is the flambéed
dishes, such as Tijuana shrimp flambéed in tequila and Grand Marnier.
The Native
29 Gloucester Avenue
Tucked under a sprawling Poinciana tree, this open-air eatery is a wonderful
place to step away from the packaged fun of the resorts and watch Montego
Bay life roll by. We came to The Native for a lunch buffet, an impressive
spread of salads, rice and peas, jerk chicken, snapper, and other island
delights. Offered every Friday and Sunday, this noon buffet is popular
with vacationers and locals alike. And if you cant make it for the buffet,
order up the Boonoonoonos Platter for a sample of lots of local specialties.
The Pork Pit
27 Gloucester Avenue
Jerk chicken, spare ribs, steam roast fish, sweet potatoes, roast yam,
festival and cold coconut water star at this fast-food eatery thats
a favorite with local diners. Located across from Walter Fletcher Beach.
Order up a plate and then grab a place at one of the picnic tables on
the open patio for a real Jamaican meal. Like the menu here, seating is
simple and no frills. However, for real Jamaican jerk, this is the place
to go in Montego Bay.
Richmond Hill Inn
Union Street
The view from this restaurant alone makes the trip to Richmond Hill Inn
worthwhile. The open-air restaurant serves up a variety of continental
and Jamaican fare, all enjoyed with a beautiful view of the city lights
and the bay.
Round Hill
West of Montego Bay on North Coast Highway
Dining at Round Hill is an elegant (and expensive) experience in which
you are served by candlelight under the stars. Dishes such as grilled
mahi mahi with fennel and orange salad, duck and sausage cassoulet, or
crab salad with fresh coconut are on offer. Fresh seafood is featured
nightly. Saturday is the dressiest night at Round Hill; jacket and tie
are required. Mondays are casual with a beach barbecue and bonfire. On
Wednesdays, dinner is la carte, while on Friday they feature a Jamaican
menu followed by a Jamaican folkloric performance.
The Royal Stocks English Pub and Steakhouse
Half Moon Village
We recently enjoyed a lunch here while attending a Jamaican tourism convention
held at the Half Moon Conference Centre, just steps away. Both indoor
and outside seating are available in this traditional English pub that
serves steaks, lobster and seafood as well as pub fare. The bar has a
full selection of traditional ales. When youre ready for fun, theres
a sports bar (with darts and skittles). Call for free transportation if
youre not staying on property.
Sakura Japanese Restaurant
Half Moon Village
North Coast Highway
The black and white decor of this restaurant, in keeping with that throughout
Half Moon, hints at the elegance found inside. Proof of the many cuisines
Jamaica offers, this restaurant features hibachi grill-top cooking right
at your table. With his flying knives, the chef will prepare a meal of
seafood, steak or chicken thats as good as the show itself. Reservations
required.
Seagrape Terrace
Half Moon, North Coast Highway
This open-air eatery sits right on the beach and serves up Caribbean cuisine.
Both buffet and la carte service are available at lunch; dinner is la
carte only. In the evenings, the atmosphere is lively with dancing and
floor shows. A Jamaican beach barbecue is offered on Monday and Friday
nights and you can try local specialties then dance to the sounds of a
steel pan band.
Town House
16 Church Street
Moderate to Expensive
Built in 1765, this restaurant and tavern features brick walls decorated
with local artwork. You can dine inside or on the verandah. Offerings
run the gamut from red snapper papillot, spare ribs and stuffed lobster
to shrimp, steaks, pastas and Jamaican dishes, including many curried
entrées. Open from Monday through Saturday for lunch and daily
for dinner, the restaurant offers free round-trip transportation from
local hotels.
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