Best Jamaican Restaurant Winner: Irie Jamaican Kitchen Runners-Up: UJerk , Callaloo Cafe Credit: Scene Archives
It’s been seven years since chef Omar McKay launched his fast-casual version of a Jamaican eatery on East 185th Street in Euclid. Since 2017, McKay has gone on to open Irie Jamaican Kitchen locations in Old Brooklyn, Akron’s Highland Square and, most recently, Shaker Heights.

Tomorrow, the Jamaican-born chef will open the doors of location number five, this time in Lakewood (13804 Detroit Ave., 216-785-9408).  Set inside a former Georgio’s Oven Fresh Pizza, the restaurant will offer the same great lineup of Caribbean specialties like jerk chicken, curry chicken, curry shrimp and braised oxtail. Those items are served in boxes and bowls with cabbage, plantains and various toppings and sauces. Irie also offers pasta and mac-and-cheese plates topped with those same foods.

The Lakewood shop will be open  11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

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This article appears in May 8-21, 2024.

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.