Jerk chicken is a staple of the Afro-Caribbean community in the UK.
Growing up I loved tucking into the hot and spicy chicken of my parents and grandparents, seasoned with searingly hot peppers and spices that could only be procured from an obscure market stall.
As a student late-night jerk chicken was a go-to street food after a night on the town, so you couldn’t get tips for a great jerk joint in London from anyone better.
Here’s my roundup of 9 of London’s best Jamaican Jerk spots.
London’s 9 Best Jamaican Jerk Spots
Ditch the Nandos, cos jerk is the reel deel! Here are 9 spots I visit for satisfying jerk chicken every time I’m in London:
9. The Jerk Drum, Soho (@thejerkdrum)
My, my, my! The Jerk Drum is a great London spot for chargrilled jerk chicken or jerk pork smothered in jerk sauce and served with classic sides like rice & peas.
They have nailed the authentic taste, and if I’m broke I can always buy a delicious Jamaican patty!
Address: Berwick St, London W1F 0PJ
8. Joyce’s Jerk Joint, Soho
Joyce’s Jerk Joint is the successor to Mr Jerk, one of London’s original Caribbean restaurants and a well-known destination for the clubbers and theater-goers of London’s West End.
Inside the shop is an impressive lineup of photos of UK and US celebrities that have eaten there, like the boxer Lennox Lewis, and Pharell Williams.
Address: 189 Wardour Street, Soho, London, W1F 8ZD
7. Tasty Jerk
This is my personal recommendation for a delicious jerk chicken meal that is 100% authentic.
Yes, you have to venture deep into South London, near the Sainsbury’s in Crystal Palace, but my, it’s worth it. This is where the reel Londoners eat!
Address: 88 Whitehorse Ln, London SE25 6RQ
6. Jerk + Grind
Jerk+Grind is a family-run street food restaurant that operates out of a classic Airstream trailer in Shoreditch.
They do decent jerk and curry chicken wraps and moreish rice and peas, plantain, and mac ‘n’ cheese.
Address: Calvert Ave, London E2 7JJ
5. Mama’s Jerk, Fulham
Man, this jerk ticks all the right boxes and is the perfect lunch spot if you’re in West London.
The best order is the jerk chicken box that includes a mean coleslaw. Their roti wraps are good too!
Address: 49 Fulham Broadway, London SW6 1AE
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4. Jerk Island, Brixton
This old-school jerk joint is another Londoner’s choice.
Yes, it does look a little shabby, but it’s highly underrated! My favorites are the jerk chicken, curried goat, callaloo, coleslaw, dumplings…well, all of it! The extra coconut cream in the rice is a nice touch too!
Address: 206 Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8SA
3. Tastebox, Finsbury Park
Tastebox has been a Finsbury Park staple for years and attracts lots of Arsenal football fans come match day.
They serve beautifully grilled jerk chicken, plus a packed menu of Caribbean classics like fried fish, brown stew chicken, and ackee and saltfish.
Address: 4a Gillespie road N5 1LN
2. Jerk Spice
Chingford’s Jerk Spice is a Caribbean grocery store that serves delicious jerk takeouts.
They have a lot of specials and you can pick up a jar or two of jerk seasoning to make your own jerk chicken at home!
Address: 66 Old Church Rd, Chingford Mount, London E4 8DB
1. Mint Street Jerk
Mint Street Jerk is an absolutely delish jerk joint. I’m not ashamed to say I went back for seconds and thirds of their delicious jerk chicken, flame grilled, just the way I like it!
Address: 11 Union St, London SE1 1SD
London’s 9 Best Jamaican Jerk Spots
Where is jerk chicken most popular?
Jerk chicken gives ackee and saltfish a run for its money Jamaica’s most popular dish. Though jerk chicken is not Jamaica’s national food, it is a favorite of all Jamaicans including the Windrush generation that settled in the UK and brought Jamaican jerk with them.
Why do Jamaicans eat jerk chicken?
Jerk seasoning is part of the culinary tradition of Jamaica. The seasonings and spices of jerk chicken were used by West African slaves brought to Jamaica and indigenous Arawak Indians to cure and preserve meat. The strong spices and peppers may also have disguised and tenderized inferior tough cuts of meat that were served to slaves. The recipe for jerk seasoning has been handed down via oral tradition through the generations.
Why is jerk chicken so good?
Authentically prepared Jerk chicken is seasoned for hours with freshly made marinade and cooked over coals in an old-school oil drum grill. The smoky and peppery flavor hit you get from this chicken is amazing. And it ain’t jerk unless you have the fiery kick of scotch bonnet peppers taking over your tastebuds.
Is jerk chicken really hot?
Yes! Real jerk chicken pulls no punches as it is seasoned with a pungent paste that contains the Caribbean scotch bonnet pepper which has a heat rating of up to 350,000 Scoville units, 40 times the heat of jalapeño pepper.
Should jerk be spicy?
Yes man! Any jerk that isn’t leaving you red-faced or gasping for water ain’t the real deal. The key ingredients my grandma used for her jerk seasoning included scotch bonnet peppers, pimento, thyme, nutmeg, garlic, and black pepper, all pounded in a pestle and mortar!
Is jerk chicken fatty?
Jerk chicken is a healthy food that shouldn’t be excessively fatty as it is grilled. A 100g portion of jerk chicken contains 233 calories, with 13.9 grams of fat. If you want to eat jerk chicken as part of a low-calorie diet, eat chicken breaks that have been seasoned and grilled with jerk marinade.
What does jerk mean in Jamaican?
In Jamaican patois, jerk refers to the act of seasoning chicken or meat with the classic scotch bonnet seasoning. You can ‘jerk’ meat as well as eat ‘jerk’.
How do you eat jerk chicken?
It all depends on whether you opt for jerk chicken as a street food or a sit-down meal. You are free to eat jerky with your hands or a knife and fork. But if you eat from a great Caribbean restaurant with authentic hospitality, you’ll never eat it alone! Jerk chicken can be served with rice and peas, Jamaican dumplings, bammy, coleslaw, and (my favorite), a side of fried plantains.
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Rounding Up
London is one of the best places outside of JA to tuck into great jerk chicken and pork.
For me, jerk will always be the ultimate street food and one piece is never enough. Whatever your reason for being in London, yuh nyah leave til unno nyam a lickle jerk!
