Afrodisiac offers a winning fusion of Jamaican and Creole flavors, thanks to Shaka Garel’s roots in Kingston and his wife, chef Caron “Kay” Garel’s connection to her hometown of Lafayette. The fetching Gentilly cafe offers a menu grounded in Louisiana seafood, Jamaican jerk spice, and layers of bold flavors in dishes like grilled jerk shrimp and Caribbean fries with goat and gravy.

Although Coco Hut has a few tables inside and out, this teeny tiny soulful spot on Bayou Road relies on a brisk takeaway business and a slew of regular locals. Open with an all-day menu Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., specialties include whole redfish with plantains, jerk chicken with plenty of kick, available with red beans and rice and garlic bread on the side. The hibiscus juice is freshly made and garnished with mint leaves, a great summer cooler.

Lisa “Queen Trini” Nelson draws from her Trinidadian roots to serve Trinbagonian island soul food including flavors from sister island Tobago at this sunny, classy spot in Mid City. From oxtail soup to fried fish, rice and peas, and jerk shrimp, she cooks the flavors from her childhood, recipes she learned in her mother’s kitchen. Try the doubles, of course, Nelson’s specialty.

Chef Jackie Diaz channels her husband Richard Rose’s Kingston roots at Jamaican Jerk House where the slow stewed oxtail is legend, a deeply flavored ragu served over pasta or with rice and pigeon peas. Then there’s jerk chicken, perfectly spiced and crispy. The same goes for jerk pork or beef ribs, wings, pork chop, burger, or jumbo shrimp, served with sides like Caribbean spiced mac and cheese and fried sweet plantains.

Alma chef/owner Melissa Araujo’s father was born in La Ceiba, a coastal jewel on the country’s northern Caribbean coastline. Her childhood time there informs her breakfast/lunch menu, which offers soulful platters of refried beans, crema, and queso on homemade tortillas, called fritas Hondurenas or baliadas sencilla, eggs and avocado on those wonderful tortillas, with add-ons like chorizo and brisket.

At Las Delicias de Honduras, the menu is anchored by seafood, including shrimp and conch that pulse with oily garlic and whole fried red snapper that should be a centerpiece for a feast but can make a quick lunch. The must-try baleadas, folded flour tortillas stuffed with beans and cheese and whatever else you want, might just replace breakfast tacos in your pantheon of cravings.

Stewed oxtail is a favorite at Yawdi’s, a friendly spot on Tulane Avenue that does a ton of takeaway. Jerked chicken, curry goat, and brown steamed fish all conjure the flavors of rustic jerk huts on the side of the road in Negril.

14 Parishes is on the move, soon to open a second location in Old Algiers. The Oak Street restaurant opened in 2021, with chef Charles Blake in the kitchen diving into his native Jamaican cooking. Curry goat, jerk chicken, and coconut shrimp are go-to favorites, but the jerk ribs are hard to resist. Try the $75 family meal, two meats and three sides is a good deal for four.

This polished eatery brings island cuisine into the CBD, a higher-end (and pricier) experience than the usual mom-and-pop spot. But worth noting, NOLA Caye delivers a date night vibe, along with generous portions and potent tropical cocktails. The flavorful jerk sea bass, shrimp and jalapeño cheddar grits, and crab and conch fritters are all stellar. Popular for brunch.

Clinton “Johnny” Haughton and his brother Adam from Montego Bay have been hustling as a top mobile kitchen around town for years now. Their wares have been an anchor at Roux Carre, Circle Food Store, and now Deja Vieux food park, and have won top honors at the Jerk Chicken Festival a few years back. In addition to jerk chicken and fish, Johnny’s is known for brown stew chicken, and when it’s on the menu, curried goat.

This Island Paradise dishes West Indian Creole cuisine, with its ties to African, East Indian, and Asian cultures. Doubles are a favorite Trinidadian street food, flatbreads filled with curried chickpeas, a tasty vegan option. Stewed oxtail is cooked low and slow and is some of the best in town, the same for the stewed chicken. Jerked fish and shrimp sizzle with just the right amount of heat.