Although it is important to support Black businesses every day, I decided that in the spirit of Black History month, I would highlight some hype-worthy Black-owned restaurants in the Atlanta area. If these recent warm days have you ready for spring break, I have the perfect Black-owned Caribbean restaurant for you to feel like you’re on a getaway island: Negril ATL.
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of celebrating my friend’s birthday at this downtown restaurant. Located in a renovated firehouse from 1907, Negril ATL has a rustic exterior. Their first location was started over 10 years ago in New York’s Upper East Side and the Atlanta location opened in 2018. Negril ATL specializes in authentic Caribbean cuisine with an innovative Southern flare. As a Jamaican-American, one of my favorite things about my culture is the food and the Jamaican dishes offered on the menu definitely caught my eye.
I started off my lunch experience with a Ting, which is a popular grapefruit soda in the Caribbean. For appetizers, we started off with two dishes. The first one was Jamaica’s national dish, the Ackee & Saltfish Spring Rolls, which were a favorite among the table. Ackee is a yellow fruit that is poisonous when raw, but when cooked, it is edible, soft and delicious. The dish consisted of fried spring rolls filled with ackee and saltfish and a sweet chili sauce for dipping. The filling was savory and perfectly seasoned: all I wanted was more. I can confidently say that it was a great innovation of a traditional dish and a must-try. The second appetizer that we tried was the Oxtail Wrap with Jamaican Festival. This plate had a lettuce wrap with shredded oxtail inside and fried sweet dough called “festival” on the side. The tenderness of the oxtail and the crunch of the festival made this dish quite delectable.
After getting off to a great start with the appetizers, I was eager to get to the main course. My favorite meal was the Brown Stew Chicken, which was accompanied by rice and fried plantain. The chicken was flavorful and so tender that it was falling off of the bone. It was a mix of sweet, savory and spicy, and I promise you that I finished the entire plate. In terms of authenticity, it was not your typical stew chicken but it was delicious regardless. The rice was fluffy and the sweet and the crispy plantain was the perfect side.
In second place was the jerk chicken and waffles. For the waffles, you had the choice between red velvet or pineapple, and we went with the red velvet. The chicken was juicy and well-seasoned; however, it was not jerk chicken by any means. I couldn't taste the seasoning or the cooking technique that goes into making chicken “jerk” style. However, the fluffy and buttery waffles definitely made up for the chicken.
Lastly, we had the Oxtail Pasta. It was a cream-based sauce with mushrooms and shredded oxtail. I was apprehensive about this dish at first because I have never had oxtail paired with cream sauce before, but I was simultaneously intrigued. The taste was great, but we were slightly underwhelmed by the amount of oxtail on the plate. The meal was 90% pasta and 10% oxtail, which was disappointing considering that the dish was on the pricier side. I would definitely recommend adding more meat to the chef because the creaminess of the sauce and umami from the mushrooms paired well with the oxtail.
In terms of the ambiance and interior, the restaurant was very lively, with a very open space with two levels and outdoor patio dining. As soon as we walked in, the DJ was mixing Caribbean music and Afrobeats, which had everyone in the joint jumping. The natural lighting from the large windows helped to create a relaxed environment. Something I really appreciated were the interactions I had with other diners: we danced and sang together, and enjoyed each other’s company. and it was a lot of fun.
This restaurant is great for those who want to try Caribbean cuisine for the first time or even those who simply enjoy the cuisine. Although not the most authentic, I guarantee that you will have a delicious meal. I will definitely be returning and trying the rest of the menu. Next time you and your friends are in the downtown area, make sure that Negril ATL is at the top of your list.
