Jamaican Pizza Jerk

I happened upon Jamaican Pizza Jerk myself one day while walking around on Commercial Drive. I was staying in the Kensington area temporarily and on an afternoon stroll I couldn’t help but notice this supremely legit-looking little Jamaican spot. I took a peek at the menu and was even more convinced. They even had my favourite Jamaican dish! I was excited to return for dinner.

We did so on a Friday evening and the tiny place was bumpin’. It’s certainly quite a hole-in-the-wall, but in the best possible way. It feels like a little beach shack cantina in Jamaica. The Reggae tunes were pumping and the walls are covered in Jamaican memorabilia. The vibe is extremely warm and laid-back, and if you don’t look out the window to the outside, you’ll probably be able to convince yourself that you’ve been magically transported to Kingston or Ocho Rios. They really only do take-out and a handful of people were standing around waiting for their to-go containers. There was a steady flow of customers picking up food during our entire visit. They do, however, have one single table available and two seats at the counter, should you prefer to eat in. We chose this option and snagged the lone table and the cheerful and friendly staff were happy to accommodate our eat-in situation (even bringing our food over to us instead of calling out our order).

They have a fridge stocked full of “island drinks,” some housemade, and carry many brands that you can find in Jamaica, such as Ting and other Caribbean pop beverages. I was excited to find a tetra pack of Grace Peanut Punch ($4.00) and happily grabbed one of those. I also started with a Patty ($3.50), a must. I had wanted beef, but unfortunately they were all out and I had to settle for chicken. If there’s one thing that I remember fondly about the week that I spent in Jamaica, it’s munching on patties while laying on the beach each day. These also remind me of growing up in Scarborough, Ontario (shoutout to Fahmee Bakery!!). This particular version was pretty good and obviously homemade. A tad heavy on the pastry side, but the filling was delicious and well-seasoned. I loves me a steamy hot pocket of deliciousness! I still would have preferred a nice spicy beef version though. The peanut punch was amazing! It’s literally just peanut butter and milk, almost like a milkshake. How is this not more mainstream?!

You’ve probably noticed the word “pizza” in this restaurant’s name, and they do make pizzas. They sound pretty interesting too, a Jamaican take on the usual pizzas that you know and love. But I wasn’t here for the pizza. I was far more interested in their more traditional Jamaican-style meals. Namely, their Ackee & Saltfish (Jamaica's National fruit with West African origins - $15.50), the favourite dish that I had mentioned earlier. This dish is made to order which means that while it may take a bit longer, it’s hot and fresh! Served with rice and peas that is cooked in coconut milk and spices, along with homestyle coleslaw. And mine showed up with plantain on top as well! This dish was excellent and just as good as any version that I’ve ever had. The tender ackee had taken on the familiar “scrambled egg” texture and the saltfish was deliciously toothsome and, well, salty! Mixed with some bright and fresh vegetables, I wished that my bites would never run out. The rice seemed a little bit bland, but the sweet fried plantain was a welcome addition. I also enjoyed the coleslaw on the side for a bit of cool crunch. This meal truly was legit.

I am so happy to know that there’s a place in my city to get real Jamaican food! And I haven’t even tried the Jerk Chicken (da realest!) yet!! They also offer specialty dishes on certain days of the week, like Oxtail on Wednesdays and Saturdays or Rundown Mackerel on Saturdays. So many more delicious thing to try! I will be back. This place is going to be like a secret that I keep in my back pocket.

One of my favorite places in vancouver!. I LOVE pizza Jerk!

My partner and I have tried many things on the menu and have loved all of them. Highlights for us are :

the irie bowls- Peter Tosh is my fav with habanero and calaloo
Roti- Best veggie Roti in town, My partner says the jerk is amazing
akkee and saltfish
Jamaican patties

The food is fresh, clean, flavourful. You can feel the love in it. Dont forget to ask for spicy if you like heat!!

Also a great place for vegan and vegetarian options that are super delicious!

A few disclaimers: the atmosphere is super laid back, if you are in a hurry dont come here and expect to pop in and out. The chef makes everything from scratch....which is well worth the wait! Also they are not licensed.

Patties!. I know Pizza is in the name but when I sampled some.......... not for me. I guess I'm a purest. However I'm from Toronto and we have a large Jamaican community. We have Patties in almost every grocery and donut shop so I feel like I know a good patty just by looking at the meat and texture of the pastry. These are awesome patties and Chef Bounty makes a mean Curried Goat too! Prices are very reasonable. On a hot day I would recommend take out and if your dining in it's very casual service in true Rasta styles!

Fantastic eats!. Sampled the Jerk Chicken, Brown Stewed Chicken, the Chicken Jamacian Patty, and the "Kapone" Irie Bowl. All of which were outstanding. Spicy, but not so much to make it painful. Atmosphere was pleasing, the place was spotless, and the Staff was very friendly and courteous. I give it a two thumbs up.

Where Jamaican Pizza Jerk excelled above the others, was in the side salad, rice and beans. The salad had an awesome tangy dressing and great fresh crunch. The rice had a coconut flavor which Lo Pan enjoyed but Mao Yin is a rice purist and prefers hers straight up. The weakest part of the meal was the veggie patty which was so-so. Service was slow but the host was the genuine article and quite the cook. The menu was also the most interesting of the bunch including daily specials like goat curry, cow’s foot, and brown stewed chicken. Definitely recommended for some quality inspiration to jerk it.