A Caribbean restaurant menu in the US often leans Jamaican: jerk chicken or pork, curry goat, oxtail, ackee and saltfish, beef patties and rice and peas. Jerk gets its heat from Scotch bonnet peppers, and rice and peas is red kidney beans and rice cooked in coconut milk[1]. Many menus also list Cuban, Trinidadian, Puerto Rican or Dominican dishes, so check which island a plate comes from, then pick a size and ask how hot it is today.
Typical menu
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Examples vary by restaurant. Confirm ingredients, portions and dietary needs with staff.
Jamaican mains
- Jerk chicken — Chicken seasoned with earthy spices, aromatics and fiery Scotch bonnet peppers[1], then grilled until charred and smoky. Usually the hottest item on the menu; often sold as a quarter, half or whole bird. Jerk pork follows the same style.
- Curry goat — Goat meat stewed in curry and spices until tender[1], usually cut into bone-in pieces. Rich and warming with medium heat; eat slowly around the small bones and use the gravy to moisten the rice.
- Oxtail — Seasoned oxtail cooked until tender with spices and broad beans[1], in a deep, glossy gravy. Mild to medium heat and very rich; the bones make a portion look larger than the meat it holds.
- Ackee and saltfish — Jamaica's national dish: ackee fruit sautéed with salt cod, onion, tomato and sweet pepper, often mistaken for scrambled eggs[1]. Soft and savory; often a breakfast or brunch plate with fried dumplings or festival, mild unless pepper is added.
- Escovitch fish — Fried fish topped with peppers, carrots and onions pickled in vinegar and salt, which make a light sauce[1]. Crisp, sharp and bright; whole fish has bones, and the heat of the peppers varies by kitchen.
- Brown stew chicken — Chicken browned, then simmered in a dark, savory gravy with onion, thyme and peppers. Tender and usually much milder than jerk, a good choice if you want Jamaican flavor without much heat.
Sides, breads and patties
- Rice and peas — Rice cooked with red kidney beans in coconut milk, with scallion, thyme and Scotch bonnet[1]. The peas are beans. Creamy and lightly fragrant, usually gentle on heat; it is the default side on many plates.
- Festival — A slightly sweet fried dumpling, crisp outside and soft inside, often shaped like a short log. It pairs well with jerk or escovitch fish and softens their heat; usually sold in twos or threes as a side.
- Fried plantains — Ripe plantain slices fried until caramelized at the edges; soft, sweet and not spicy. Often a few pieces come on the plate, and an extra side is an easy way to balance a spicy main.
- Jamaican beef patty — A golden, flaky pastry filled with spiced ground beef, eaten at any time of day[1]. One patty is a snack; many shops offer mild and spicy versions and can sandwich it in soft coco bread for a fuller bite.
Cuban, Trinidadian, Puerto Rican and Dominican plates
- Ropa vieja — Cuban shredded beef stewed with tomato, peppers and onion; tender, savory and rarely spicy. Usually served as a full plate with rice, black beans and fried plantains, enough for one hungry adult.
- Cuban sandwich — Roast pork with ham, sometimes salami, plus Swiss cheese, pickles and yellow mustard, pressed hot on crusty Cuban bread[2]. Crunchy outside, salty and tangy inside; one is usually a full lunch.
- Roti — Trinidadian-style flatbread wrapped around or served with curried chicken, goat, shrimp or chickpeas and potato; menus may name styles such as dhalpuri or buss up shut[3]. Very filling, and heat depends on the pepper sauce.
- Doubles — Trinidad's signature street food: fried flatbread filled with curried chickpeas and topped with sweet and savory sauces[3]. Soft and messy; say how much pepper sauce you want, and order two or three for a light meal.
- Mofongo — Fried green plantains mashed with garlic and chicharrón, crisp pork skin[4], often shaped into a dome and topped with shrimp, chicken or steak in sauce. Dense and garlicky; one order is a full meal.
- Tostones — Green plantain slices that are fried[4], flattened and fried again; crisp and starchy, like thick chips. Often served with a garlic or mayo-ketchup dip, an easy side or snack to share.
How to order on your first visit
Plates often come in small, medium and large sizes with rice and peas or white rice plus cabbage or salad; ask which size makes a full meal. Ask how hot the jerk is today and whether sauce can come on the side. For two, pair one jerk plate with one milder plate such as oxtail or brown stew chicken, and add patties or festival to share.
Different menu styles
Cuban menus revolve around roast pork (lechón asado), ropa vieja and moros y cristianos, black beans and rice cooked together; the Cuban sandwich is a Tampa and Miami favorite[2]. Trinidadian shops focus on roti, doubles and curries[3]. Puerto Rican and Dominican kitchens lean on plantains, from mofongo to tostones[4]. Each island seasons differently, so heat and portions vary.
What to order
- First visit: one jerk chicken plate plus one oxtail or curry goat plate covers both the grilled and the stewed side of a Jamaican menu
- Avoiding heat: choose brown stew chicken, oxtail or a Cuban plate, and ask for jerk sauce on the side if you still want a taste
- Quick lunch: a beef patty in coco bread, a Cuban sandwich or a couple of doubles
- Vegetarian: look for chickpea and potato roti, callaloo or ital stew, and ask whether the beans or rice are cooked with meat stock
- Group of four: two or three large plates with festival, plantains and extra rice and peas to share
Frequently asked questions
How spicy is Jamaican food?
Jerk is usually the hottest dish because its seasoning relies on Scotch bonnet peppers[1]. Stews such as oxtail and brown stew chicken tend to be milder, and many restaurants keep hot pepper sauce on the table. If you are sensitive to chili, ask for the mildest option and taste before adding sauce.
Is rice and peas the same as rice and beans?
On a Jamaican menu the peas are beans, usually red kidney beans cooked with the rice. Cuban moros y cristianos uses black beans and Puerto Rican arroz con gandules uses pigeon peas, so flavor and texture change from island to island.
What comes with a Caribbean plate?
Many Jamaican plates come with one starch and a small vegetable side, typically rice and peas or white rice with steamed cabbage or salad, sometimes with a few plantains. Extras such as festival, mac and cheese or coco bread are usually charged separately, so check before adding them.
Related guides
Sources
- Jamaica Tourist Board. Food. Accessed
- University of South Florida. The Cuban sandwich story: How USF played a surprising role in its rise to fame. Accessed
- Visit Trinidad. Indo-Trinidadian Food in Trinidad with Mark Wiens. Accessed
- Smithsonian Magazine. A Brief History of Puerto Rico's Beloved Mofongo. Accessed