Zimbali’s Mountain Cooking Studio
Canaan Mountain, Negril
The staff at Zimbali, a twenty-minute drive east from Negril, hold a theory that Jamaica gets more interesting the farther out you get from the cities, and the eco-friendly retreat makes a strong case. It’s attached to a seven-acre organic farm, and the abundance of Jamaica’s bounty is delivered fresh and prepared exquisitely. The dinner begins with a blended juice made of fruit picked straight from the soil or tree, and then a guided tour of the land that grows the ingredients for the night’s meal. Then sit at the counter and watch the chef create a six-course culinary journey, with bowls of pumpkin soup, jerk shrimp, and perfectly seasoned fish wrapped in banana leaf. Try to snag a table on Wednesday night when African drummers provide live entertainment.