Jamaica House Set to Reopen in New Location Next Tuesday

A long-time restaurant serving authentic, scratch-made Jamaican cuisine in the VCU area for decades has moved down the block to a larger, more inviting space with more seating and an expanded menu. Jamaica House Restaurant, a staple of the Monroe Park Campus and Downtown Richmond since 1994, is reopening its doors Tuesday, September 8th.

The restaurant’s new 2,100-square-foot home at 416 W. Broad Street evokes the quaint charm and character of the original location, with major improvements including additional seating for up to 40 people, a larger takeout window, and a bar.

“Moving into this fantastic new space gave us a great opportunity to try some new things and expand our offerings a bit,” said Carana Ives, owner of Jamaica House. “Not only do we have more seating and an expanded kitchen, but we’re now able to add some customer favorites from Carena’s Jamaican Grille and try a few new traditional dishes as well. It was also a chance to create a long-overdue, comfortable dine-in experience that we really lacked in our former home.”

The interior of the space, designed by Richmond-based Campfire & Co., is bright, fun, and fresh with colorful textures and tones as well as island-inspired fixtures and upholstery, giving the restaurant a relaxed, approachable feel. “We were excited to help Carena and (son) Randolph create a new space and updated brand for Jamaica House that transports guests and celebrates Jamaican culture and the art of authentic, slow cooking,” said Lauren Stewart, Co-Founder, Campfire & Co.

Staples of Jamaica House, including the restaurant’s famous curry goat, jerk chicken, and oxtails, remain, alongside new menu additions inspired by Ives’ sister restaurant, Carena’s Jamaican Grille in South Richmond. New dishes include Appleton Rum-glazed baby back ribs, fresh salmon in a creamy coconut sauce, spicy jerk wings, and a chickpea and butternut squash bowl over fresh spinach and rice.

The general contractor on the project was Chris Pollack with UrbanCore Construction, and Sarah McInerney with Walter Parks Architects led the design. Boulevard Creative developed the restaurant’s new website, which will launch later this week.

Jamaica House is located at 416 W. Broad Street and is open every day from 11:00 AM until 9:00 PM. Online ordering and curbside takeout are available.