Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine: Authentic Island Flavors in NYC

Authentic Caribbean Flavors in Times Square – Jerk Chicken, Oxtail & Island Recipes

In the fall of 2020, when most of New York felt uncertain and quiet, Jasmine Gerald decided to open a restaurant in Times Square.

Not next year. Not “when things calm down.” Right in the middle of it.

Founder Jasmine Gerald opened Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine with one clear intention: to bring a slice of paradise to a city that desperately needed light.

Jasmine immigrated from the U.S. Virgin Islands at 14. Her roots run deep, not just in Caribbean culture, but in hospitality. Her mother managed a fine dining French restaurant in St. Thomas, so restaurants weren’t abstract dreams in her world. They were lived experiences. Family affairs. Hard work. Pride.

Before stepping into the restaurant industry herself, Jasmine built a career in beauty. But sometimes your next chapter finds you unexpectedly. After a client casually suggested opening a restaurant together, the idea took hold. It wouldn’t let go. And with her family behind her, especially her mother’s experience guiding her, Jasmine took the leap.

Opening during COVID could have been a disaster. Instead, it became a statement.

She didn’t just want to survive that moment in New York, she wanted to help bring the city back to life.

And somehow, she did.

Located on West 46th Street, Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine feels like a warm exhale the moment you walk in. Vibrant blues, oranges, and greens wrap the space in island energy. Floral accents soften the room. The music hums. For a second, you forget you’re steps from Times Square.

But what makes this place special isn’t just the décor. It’s the menu and the story behind it.

Every dish is rooted in the Caribbean diaspora: Dominica, Antigua, St. Thomas, Trinidad, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and beyond. These aren’t trend-driven plates. Many of the recipes have been passed down through Jasmine’s family for generations.

When she curated the menu, she chose dishes from islands she personally loves — jerk chicken inspired by Jamaica, curry shrimp from Trinidad, stew chicken from the Virgin Islands, empanadas influenced by Puerto Rico. It’s not one narrow interpretation of Caribbean food. It’s a celebration of its diversity.

Some of the restaurant’s most-loved dishes include the rich, fall-off-the-bone Oxtail, the creamy Coconut Salmon, and the ever-popular Jazzy Pasta. But if you ask Jasmine? Her heart belongs to the Escovitch Fish — bright, bold, and layered with flavor. She will also proudly point you toward the Jerk Wings, Chicken Empanadas, and the homemade Bread Pudding that tastes like someone’s grandmother made it with love.

And then there are the drinks.

Fruit-filled cocktails add to the island mood, with fan favorites like the “Scandal” Rum Punch, Island Gyal, and Coco Breeze leading the way. They are vibrant, strong, and unapologetically fun, much like Jasmine herself.

Since opening, the restaurant has become more than a neighborhood spot. It’s drawn locals, tourists, and even celebrities like DJ Khaled, Gaten Matarazzo, Vanessa Williams, and Idris Elba. But status isn’t what defines its success.

What defines it is courage.

A Black-owned business launched during one of the hardest moments in modern New York history. A woman who trusted her vision when logic said “wait.” A daughter honoring her heritage and her family’s legacy through food.

Today, Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine stands as a reminder that bold moves, when rooted in purpose, can change everything.

You don’t just go there for dinner.

You go to feel transported.

You go to taste generations of tradition.

You go to support a founder who bet on herself when it mattered most.

And once you visit, you understand exactly why it worked.