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The Philly region abounds in delicious and satisfying Caribbean and Cajun food.
In the mood for jambalaya, po’ boys, crawfish, jerk chicken or oxtails? Hit up one of a handful of acclaimed spots in Center City, West Chester and New Hope.
Or how about Dominican, Cuban and Puerto Rican fare? Feast on classics like mofongo, chicharrónes, empanadas and more at restaurants in all parts of Philadelphia.
Read on for a guide to authentic Caribbean and Cajun eats — arranged alphabetically by cuisine — in the Philadelphia region.
Traditional Caribbean fare mingles with American eats at West Philly’s 48th Street Grille. The menu includes flavorful options like jerk chicken, braised oxtail with butter beans, curried chicken and homemade ginger beer.
Where: 48th Street Grille, 310 S. 48th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Caribbean and Cuban cooking get a modern makeover at Stephen Starr’s Alma De Cuba. Mojito shrimp ceviche is served with crispy sweet potato, the ropa vieja is made from short rib, and the key lime flan comes with graham cracker ice cream and toasted marshmallow.
Where: Alma de Cuba, 1623 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Trini and West Indian flavors meld at Walnut Hill’s Brown Sugar Bakery. Customers clamor for curry goat roti, oxtail with rice and peas, mac and cheese and a robust selection of pastries.
Where: Brown Sugar Bakery, 219 S. 52nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
Caribbean Delight has been serving up Jamaican cuisine — jerk chicken, ackee, beef or vegetable patties, and curry goat or pepper steak — for more than 30 years. Save room for desserts like rum cake, spice buns and sweet potato pie.
Where: Caribbean Delight, 1124 South Street, Philadelphia, PA
Kensington’s Cibao Fried Chicken Restaurant offers huge plates of Dominican goodness for a small price tag. The traditional fare includes rice and beans with chicken or pork, tostones and more.
Where: Cibao Fried Chicken Restaurant, 3382 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
The appealingly breezy atmosphere at Old City’s Cuba Libre sets the stage for festive eating. Round out a meal of guacamole, empanadas, lechón asada and seafood paella with house-crafted mojitos and decadent tres leches.
Where: Cuba Libre, 10 S. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
Largely a bakery, El Coqui Panaderia also serves savory dishes such as mofongo, pastelillos and carne frita. The sweet allure of pan de agua and other authentic pastries is undeniable.
Where: El Coqui Panaderia y Reposteria, 3528 I Street, Philadelphia, PA
Flambo Caribbean Restaurant serves up an extensive menu of Caribbean favorites like oxtail, vegetable and stew chicken buss-up-shot, callaloo and more. Pro tip: Order the pholourie, which are fried balls of dough served in a sweet tamarind sauce.
Where: Flambo Caribbean Restaurant, 820 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
For a full spread of Puerto Rican favorites, Freddy & Tony’s Restaurant can’t be beat. The North Philly institution offers pastelillos, mofongo, habichuelas, pernil and plenty of combo plates containing all the variations therein.
Where: Freddy & Tony's Restaurant, 201 W. Allegheny Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Plenty of authentic fare awaits at Jamaican D’s truck, typically parked on the Community College of Philadelphia’s campus, and at its brick and mortar location in West Oak Lane. More reasons to visit: generous portions of curry goat, brown stew chicken, and rice and beans.
Where: Jamaican D's, Various locations including 1700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA
A Philly dining landmark, Jamaican Jerk Hut does a brisk business in traditional delicacies like jerk chicken, oxtails, curry chicken and goat.
Where: Jamaican Jerk Hut, 1436 South Street, Philadelphia, PA
Dinner comes with a taste of nightlife at Ibis Lounge. Reggae and dancehall music accompany platters of stew chicken, curry shrimp and callaloo, along with fresh, tropical juices like passionfruit and mauby.
Where: Ibis Lounge, 5420 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Affordable, huge platters of jerk and curry keep fans coming back to Little Delicious. This cash-only spot also serves up plantains, potatoes, cabbage and rice.
Where: Little Delicious, 4821 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
This Puerto Rican catering company now has a takeout spot in Reading Terminal Market, offering island-inspired street food. Don’t miss the plentiful selection of empanadas, paella, rellenos de papas and more.
Where: Loco Lucho's Latino Kitchen, Reading Terminal Market, 51 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA
There’s no need to choose between the overlapping cuisines at Center City’s Mixto. Cuban vaca frita meets Colombian churrasco meets Peruvian-style stir fry at this fun and always-bustling restaurant.
Where: Mixto Restaurant, 1141 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA
The kitchen at Parada Maimon in Callowhill dishes out Dominican food — and lots of it. The beef patty, yellow rice with black beans, fried plantains and pasteles earn high marks among local ex-pats.
Where: Parada Maimon, 345 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Island cuisine comes to the mainland at Reef Restaurant & Lounge. The restaurant’s specialties include snapper with mango sauce, jerk chicken cheesesteak and coconut shrimp.
Where: Reef Restaurant & Lounge, 605 S. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
The oxtails are a must at Sunday’s Best in West Philly. The Jamaican takeout kitchen also serves a mean jerk chicken, along with rice and peas, cabbage and curry goat.
Where: Sunday Best, 41 N. 52nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
A long-running favorite in El Centro de Oro, Tierra Colombiana serves a delicious bounty of regional foods. Colombian arepas and Dominican mofongo with shrimp and pork are just a few of the many options.
Where: Tierra Colombiana, 4535 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Top Taste turns out top-notch Jamaican specialties in Mill Creek. On the menu: pepper steak, snapper, sour chicken and turkey wings. Two sides (think mac and cheese, candied yams and cabbage) come with each order.
Where: Top Taste, 40 N. 52nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
Twin locations in Reading Terminal Market and 30th Street Station make it hard to miss Beck’s Cajun Cafe. New Orleans specialties such as muffuletta, alligator sausage po’ boys and beignets make the eatery hard to resist.
Where: Beck's Cajun Cafe, Various locations including 51 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Nestled inside the Booth’s Corner Farmers Market, Cajun Kate’s specializes in takeaway Creole cuisine. Dishes like crawfish pie, gator on a stick, crispy Cajun mac and cheese and pralines are the real deal.
Where: Cajun Kate's, 1362 Naamans Creek Road, Garnet Valley, PA
A neighborhood bar with Louisiana leanings, Catahoula serves up rich and decadent flavors. The bounty includes bourbon peppercorn steak, fried catfish, shrimp and grits and molasses pecan pie.
Where: Catahoula, 775 S. Front Street, Philadelphia, PA
A West Chester institution opened by former glam metal rocker Donny Syracuse, High Street Caffe has been known to host famous musicians. However, one need not wield a guitar to enjoy the etouffée, voodoo crawfish and cajun pierogies.
Where: High Street Caffe, 322 S. High Street, West Chester, PA
The flavors of the Gulf meet gastropub cookery at the Khyber Pass Pub. Muffuletta, gumbo and all manner of po’ boys (even vegan fried chicken!) accompany modern spins on the hurricane and Sazerac.
Where: Khyber Pass Pub, 56 S. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
Named for its Louisiana-born owner, Marsha Brown’s restaurant evokes her favorite childhood flavors in a distinctive former church in New Hope. On the menu: oysters, jambalaya and custard, plus steaks and an extensive wine list.
Where: Marsha Brown, 15 S. Main Street, New Hope, PA
The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia) and overnight hotel accommodations.
Where to find crispy chicken, barbecue ribs, grits and shrimp, and more...