Eats and Drinks
Best Jamaican Restaurant
Caribbean Kitchen
218 N. Liberty St., (410) 837-2274
Either Baltimore has seen an influx of Jamaican émigrés or Baltimoreans are getting wise to what we already knew: Jamaican food rocks. From spicy jerk chicken and curried goat to flavorful fried plantains, hearty rice and peas, and mouth-watering veggie or seafood rhotis, island delicacies are showing up all over town in new restaurants catering to Kingston-cuisine connoisseurs. But the best of the bunch remains downtown's Caribbean Kitchen. The restaurant is tiny, with seats for only a handful of customers at a time, so it's often more convenient to carry out your selections for home or office consumption. But wherever you chow down, you'll enjoy a feast of Jamaican goodness. What makes the Kitchen tops? Primarily, it's the food, which is consistently first-rate and served in generous portions. The prices, of both its island specialties and American lunch-counter staples, are ridiculously affordable. And unlike similar establishments, which serve up attitude alongside their ackee, callaloo, and brown stewed chicken, Caribbean Kitchen's staff is warm and friendly. We highly recommend the curried goat, the vegetable rhoti, and the boneless lake-trout sandwich.
