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A sign hanging in front of a restaurant reads “El Oriental de Cuba” in pastel colors.
The place to go for Cuban sandwiches.
Terrence B. Doyle/Eater Boston

Where to Eat in the Dynamic Dining Neighborhood of Jamaica Plain in Boston

Cuban sandwiches for lunch, haggis for dinner

by Erika Adams and Terrence Doyle Updated
View as Map
The place to go for Cuban sandwiches.
| Terrence B. Doyle/Eater Boston
by Erika Adams and Terrence Doyle Updated

Jamaica Plain is full of excellent food, as anyone who lives in the neighborhood can attest. The Cuban sandwich at El Oriental de Cuba is the best in the city, while the juicy roast chicken tucked in sandwiches or soups at Dominican spot El Embajador is reason alone to plan a day trip. The broad range of restaurants — including top-notch Indian, Mexican, Lebanese, and Ethiopian stops — means there are practically endless options to explore, but here are 14 top picks to get started.

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Jamaica Mi Hungry

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This Jamaican food truck-turned-permanent restaurant deserves every accolade it has scooped up in its years of serving jerk chicken, sweet plantains, and tender oxtail to the masses. Located steps away from the Jackson Square stop on the Orange Line, Jamaica Mi Hungry is a popular spot for plates piled high with expertly seasoned meats, seafood, and sides like creamy mac and cheese and curried vegetable stew. And of course, no order is complete without adding a beef patty or three on the side.

225 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130
(617) 708-0465
(617) 708-0465
Overhead view of two black takeout containers on a picnic table. One contains jerk chicken with sides of fries and a slaw, while the other contains fried, coconut-encrusted shrimp with mac and cheese, plantains, and a small plastic cup of dipping sauce.
A takeout feast from Jamaica Mi Hungry.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

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Alex's Chimis

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At Alex’s Chimis, there is no wrong order. This Dominican mainstay is a local favorite for its namesake chimis (burgers), orejita (fried pig’s ears), chicharrón (fried pork rinds), flaky pastelitos stuffed with beef or chicken, and a slew of other options. Load up with one of the hefty combo plates for a belly-warming Dominican feast any night of the week.

358 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-5201
(617) 522-5201

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Blue Nile Restaurant

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At Blue Nile, there will be rolls and rolls of injera — use it to scoop up deliriously tasty bites of misir wet, which consists of red lentils cooked in a bebere-spiced sauce with ginger, garlic, and cardamom. Also worth trying at this Ethiopian hot spot: the firfir with shredded injera, and anything with lamb.

389 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-6453
(617) 522-6453

El Oriental De Cuba

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The pork sandwich at El Oriental de Cuba is the best one in the city. The exterior is crispy, and it’s filled with savory pork, tangy pickles, and mustard. For a supersized rendition, try the specialty Cuban with both pork and roast beef, slicked with a special sauce, on top of all the regular ingredients.

416 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 524-6464
(617) 524-6464
A brightly colored, brick-walled restaurant sits on the corner of a street.
El Oriental de Cuba in Jamaica Plain.
El Oriental de Cuba

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Tres Gatos

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Books, records, tapas, and paella? Tres Gatos is definitely the right place for anyone interested in living deliciously. Tres Gatos’ sibling spot in the neighborhood — taqueria Casa Verde — is also worth a visit.

2056, 470 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130
(617) 477-4851
(617) 477-4851

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Chilacates

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The Amory Street location is the original, but Chilacates is also serving tacos, tortas, and more on JP’s Centre Street. Do get the lengua burrito, which is one of the finest in the city.

224 Amory St, Boston, MA 02130
(617) 553-6007
(617) 553-6007
Three tacos in an aluminum takeout container on a picnic table.
Tacos at Chilacates.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

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The Joint

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The Chilacates team also runs the Joint, a rebranded restaurant that was formerly known as a burger spot called Grass Fed. You can still find solid burgers and fries here for dinner, but the ideal time to stop by for those in the know is breakfast. A small menu of pancakes, waffles, breakfast burritos, and huevos rancheros may read as run of the mill, but the expert execution is what keeps the place buzzing before noon every day of the week.

605 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 477-3197
(617) 477-3197

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The Haven

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The Haven is Boston’s Scottish headquarters — now in new, larger digs on Armory Street. Go for the haggis, the deep-fried Mars bars, and, as one might imagine, the very decent scotch selection. Start with something floral and slightly salty from the Highlands, and finish with something sweet and malty from Speyside.

JPNDC Brewery Complex, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
A portion of haggis sits on a bed of mashed rutabaga, garnished with Drambuie butter
Haggis from the Haven.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Also featured in:

Cafe Beirut

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At Lebanese spot Cafe Beirut, start with a feast of dips and spreads that includes the fool moudammas (confited fava beans doused in lemon and garlic), then plow onwards through a variety of kebabs and shawarma wrapped up with veggies and a light, garlicky sauce. If you’re looking to skip meat, the vegetarian mixed grill with smoky grilled eggplant, fluffy pilaf, and halloumi is an excellent choice.

654 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-7264
(617) 522-7264

Noodle Barn

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Vietnamese and Thai fare collides at Noodle Barn, which, true to its name, is stocked with a bevy of Southeast Asian noodle dishes. Find over a dozen noodle soups, thick and chewy udon, Vietnamese barbecue plates with grilled meats and vermicelli, and some non-noodle standouts like a crispy, crunchy banh xeo, or Vietnamese crepe stuffed with shrimp and bean sprouts.

707 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-2299
(617) 522-2299

JP Seafood Cafe

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JP Seafood Cafe has been holding it down on Centre Street since the mid 1990s. The menu is stacked with excellent Japanese and Korean food, so it’s difficult to say where to start. Good bets, though, are the katsu don (fried pork cutlet served with rice, sautéed onions, and sweet-savory Japanese-style eggs), an assortment of sushi and maki, an order of kimchi, an order of mandoo kuk (Korean-style beef dumpling soup), some beef gyoza, and the spicy basil pad thai. And bring, like, 10 friends.

730 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 983-5177
(617) 983-5177

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El Embajador Restaurant

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Follow your nose (and what fellow diners are picking up at the counter) and put in an order for the juicy roast chicken with delightfully crispy, salty skin at El Embajador, a Dominican stalwart on Washington Street. The portions are huge, but the leftovers are just as tasty the following day.

3371 Washington St, Boston, MA 02130
(617) 524-6812
(617) 524-6812

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Tikki Masala

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Tikki Masala serves mostly North Indian fare done very well, from flavorful paneer and curries to blistered naan stuffed with garlic, onion, or chicken. Ordering for two? Go for one of the pre-set dinners designed for two people with a choice of two soups, three entrees, and rice on the side for under $40.

3706 Washington St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 942-2966
(617) 942-2966

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Brassica Kitchen + Cafe

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Not a secret: Brassica’s fried chicken is among the best in Boston. Maybe more of a secret: Brassica also has an outstanding brunch lineup on the weekends. Try the French toast with cornflakes and black apple syrup, or the cheesy eggs and rice with chili sauce.

3710 Washington St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 477-4519
(617) 477-4519

Also featured in:

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Jamaica Mi Hungry

225 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130

This Jamaican food truck-turned-permanent restaurant deserves every accolade it has scooped up in its years of serving jerk chicken, sweet plantains, and tender oxtail to the masses. Located steps away from the Jackson Square stop on the Orange Line, Jamaica Mi Hungry is a popular spot for plates piled high with expertly seasoned meats, seafood, and sides like creamy mac and cheese and curried vegetable stew. And of course, no order is complete without adding a beef patty or three on the side.

225 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130
(617) 708-0465
(617) 708-0465
Overhead view of two black takeout containers on a picnic table. One contains jerk chicken with sides of fries and a slaw, while the other contains fried, coconut-encrusted shrimp with mac and cheese, plantains, and a small plastic cup of dipping sauce.
A takeout feast from Jamaica Mi Hungry.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Alex's Chimis

358 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

At Alex’s Chimis, there is no wrong order. This Dominican mainstay is a local favorite for its namesake chimis (burgers), orejita (fried pig’s ears), chicharrón (fried pork rinds), flaky pastelitos stuffed with beef or chicken, and a slew of other options. Load up with one of the hefty combo plates for a belly-warming Dominican feast any night of the week.

358 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-5201
(617) 522-5201

Blue Nile Restaurant

389 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

At Blue Nile, there will be rolls and rolls of injera — use it to scoop up deliriously tasty bites of misir wet, which consists of red lentils cooked in a bebere-spiced sauce with ginger, garlic, and cardamom. Also worth trying at this Ethiopian hot spot: the firfir with shredded injera, and anything with lamb.

389 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-6453
(617) 522-6453

El Oriental De Cuba

416 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

The pork sandwich at El Oriental de Cuba is the best one in the city. The exterior is crispy, and it’s filled with savory pork, tangy pickles, and mustard. For a supersized rendition, try the specialty Cuban with both pork and roast beef, slicked with a special sauce, on top of all the regular ingredients.

416 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 524-6464
(617) 524-6464
A brightly colored, brick-walled restaurant sits on the corner of a street.
El Oriental de Cuba in Jamaica Plain.
El Oriental de Cuba

Tres Gatos

2056, 470 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130

Books, records, tapas, and paella? Tres Gatos is definitely the right place for anyone interested in living deliciously. Tres Gatos’ sibling spot in the neighborhood — taqueria Casa Verde — is also worth a visit.

2056, 470 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130
(617) 477-4851
(617) 477-4851

Chilacates

224 Amory St, Boston, MA 02130

The Amory Street location is the original, but Chilacates is also serving tacos, tortas, and more on JP’s Centre Street. Do get the lengua burrito, which is one of the finest in the city.

224 Amory St, Boston, MA 02130
(617) 553-6007
(617) 553-6007
Three tacos in an aluminum takeout container on a picnic table.
Tacos at Chilacates.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

The Joint

605 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

The Chilacates team also runs the Joint, a rebranded restaurant that was formerly known as a burger spot called Grass Fed. You can still find solid burgers and fries here for dinner, but the ideal time to stop by for those in the know is breakfast. A small menu of pancakes, waffles, breakfast burritos, and huevos rancheros may read as run of the mill, but the expert execution is what keeps the place buzzing before noon every day of the week.

605 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 477-3197
(617) 477-3197

The Haven

JPNDC Brewery Complex, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

The Haven is Boston’s Scottish headquarters — now in new, larger digs on Armory Street. Go for the haggis, the deep-fried Mars bars, and, as one might imagine, the very decent scotch selection. Start with something floral and slightly salty from the Highlands, and finish with something sweet and malty from Speyside.

JPNDC Brewery Complex, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
A portion of haggis sits on a bed of mashed rutabaga, garnished with Drambuie butter
Haggis from the Haven.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Cafe Beirut

654 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

At Lebanese spot Cafe Beirut, start with a feast of dips and spreads that includes the fool moudammas (confited fava beans doused in lemon and garlic), then plow onwards through a variety of kebabs and shawarma wrapped up with veggies and a light, garlicky sauce. If you’re looking to skip meat, the vegetarian mixed grill with smoky grilled eggplant, fluffy pilaf, and halloumi is an excellent choice.

654 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-7264
(617) 522-7264

Noodle Barn

707 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Vietnamese and Thai fare collides at Noodle Barn, which, true to its name, is stocked with a bevy of Southeast Asian noodle dishes. Find over a dozen noodle soups, thick and chewy udon, Vietnamese barbecue plates with grilled meats and vermicelli, and some non-noodle standouts like a crispy, crunchy banh xeo, or Vietnamese crepe stuffed with shrimp and bean sprouts.

707 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-2299
(617) 522-2299

JP Seafood Cafe

730 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

JP Seafood Cafe has been holding it down on Centre Street since the mid 1990s. The menu is stacked with excellent Japanese and Korean food, so it’s difficult to say where to start. Good bets, though, are the katsu don (fried pork cutlet served with rice, sautéed onions, and sweet-savory Japanese-style eggs), an assortment of sushi and maki, an order of kimchi, an order of mandoo kuk (Korean-style beef dumpling soup), some beef gyoza, and the spicy basil pad thai. And bring, like, 10 friends.

730 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 983-5177
(617) 983-5177

El Embajador Restaurant

3371 Washington St, Boston, MA 02130

Follow your nose (and what fellow diners are picking up at the counter) and put in an order for the juicy roast chicken with delightfully crispy, salty skin at El Embajador, a Dominican stalwart on Washington Street. The portions are huge, but the leftovers are just as tasty the following day.

3371 Washington St, Boston, MA 02130
(617) 524-6812
(617) 524-6812

Tikki Masala

3706 Washington St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Tikki Masala serves mostly North Indian fare done very well, from flavorful paneer and curries to blistered naan stuffed with garlic, onion, or chicken. Ordering for two? Go for one of the pre-set dinners designed for two people with a choice of two soups, three entrees, and rice on the side for under $40.

3706 Washington St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 942-2966
(617) 942-2966

Brassica Kitchen + Cafe

3710 Washington St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Not a secret: Brassica’s fried chicken is among the best in Boston. Maybe more of a secret: Brassica also has an outstanding brunch lineup on the weekends. Try the French toast with cornflakes and black apple syrup, or the cheesy eggs and rice with chili sauce.

3710 Washington St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 477-4519
(617) 477-4519

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