Welcome to the best places in Jamaica, where the best part of the experience is not just staying inside the walls of a resort, but seeing the real beauty that the island has to offer.
Sometimes, it is a small road leading into the hills, the sound of running water getting louder as you approach, and a simple meal being prepared by someone who has built a life around the beauty of the place.
That is exactly what you find at Pretty Close in Gordon Town, St. Andrew, where Ramo, a Rastafarian man with a passion for cooking and the natural surroundings, has created a small riverside kitchen that offers visitors something wonderfully different.
There are no elaborate dining rooms or polished resort walls here. Instead, the setting is Jamaica itself.
A Kitchen Beside the River
Getting to Ramo’s spot in Gordon Town takes you away from the familiar tourist landscape and into the hills of St. Andrew.
Driving through Papine to the hilly Gordon Town, the surroundings immediately begin to change. The mountains rise around you, greenery stretches in every direction, and the sound of the river becomes part of the experience.
Then there is Ramo’s kitchen, positioned right alongside the water.
It is the kind of place where you do not need much decoration because the scenery does the work.
Ramo explained that the idea came to him after seeing the beauty of the area. Rather than simply admiring the surroundings, he decided to create something of his own.
“I create my own little business,” he said.
And that simple statement says a lot about the spirit behind the place.
What started with an idea has become a small food experience where people can sit, eat, and enjoy the natural surroundings at the same time.
The Food Is Simple, Jamaican and Fresh
Ramo keeps his menu focused on fish and vegetables, giving visitors a chance to enjoy familiar Jamaican dishes in an entirely different setting.
Among the food served are fried fish, breadfruit, fried plantain, Ital stew, rice and peas, and Jamaica’s national dish, the ackee and saltfish.
There is something particularly enjoyable about eating these foods outdoors, with the river flowing nearby and the hills surrounding you.
The fried fish brings that familiar Jamaican flavour that needs very little explanation. Pair it with fried breadfruit and some fried plantain, and you have the kind of combination that feels immediately connected to the island.
Then there is the Ital stew, reflecting Ramo’s Rastafarian approach to food and cooking. So if you’re a vegan, you would love this dish.
For visitors who have mainly experienced Jamaican cuisine through hotel buffets and restaurant menus, eating a meal like this in a natural setting can feel completely different.
It is not just about what is on the plate; it is where you are eating it.
Fresh Coconut Straight From the Shell
One of the little moments that makes the experience memorable is the fresh coconut.
Ramo takes a green coconut and opens it right there, allowing you to drink the coconut water fresh from the shell.
After drinking the water, you can scoop out the soft coconut jelly inside.
It is a simple thing, but it captures something about Jamaican food culture that can be difficult to recreate once you leave the island.
There is a difference between drinking coconut water from a bottle and having a freshly opened coconut placed in front of you.
Imagine you are sitting beside a river in the Jamaican hills, surrounded by trees and mountains, while eating food that has just been prepared and drinking from a coconut that was opened moments earlier. It does not need much explanation.
The River Is Part of the Dining Experience
Perhaps the biggest attraction at Pretty Close is something that cannot be put on a menu: the river.
As you eat, the water continues moving beside you. It becomes the background music, replacing the sounds you would normally hear in a restaurant.
The trees provide shade, and the surrounding mountains give the area a sense of being tucked away from the busier parts of the city, and that setting changes the pace of the meal.
You are not rushing through lunch before getting back to a tour bus; you can actually sit down and take in your surroundings.
For someone visiting Jamaica, that can be one of the most memorable parts of the experience.
A Different Way to Experience Jamaica
Jamaica is famous for its beaches, resorts, nightlife, and beautiful coastal towns, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying those things, but the island has much more to offer beyond the places most visitors already know.
In communities such as Gordon Town, you can experience another side of Jamaica: one shaped by mountains, rivers, local food, and people creating their own opportunities, and Ramo’s kitchen is a small example of that.
He had a vision and saw something beautiful in the area, and decided to build a business around it. Now, visitors can sit beside the river, enjoy a Jamaican meal, and spend a little time experiencing the environment that inspired him in the first place; that is what makes Pretty Close interesting.
It does not feel like something designed specifically to impress tourists; it feels like a place that grew naturally from the community and its surroundings.
Why Ramo’s Pretty Close Is Worth Knowing About
For travellers looking for things to do in Gordon Town, St. Andrew, Ramo’s riverside kitchen offers an experience that combines Jamaican food with the natural beauty of the hills.
You get a meal, you get fresh coconut, you get the sound of the river, and you get to meet Ramo, the Rastafarian man who decided to turn his vision for the beautiful riverside location into his own little business.
Sometimes, those are the experiences that stay with you long after the vacation is over.
Not necessarily the biggest attraction or the most expensive restaurant, but the unexpected afternoon when you found yourself sitting beside a Jamaican river with a plate of food in front of you, mountains in the distance, and fresh coconut water in your hand.
Ramo at Pretty Close is a reminder that some of Jamaica’s most interesting experiences are found when you venture beyond the usual tourist path.
And if you find yourself exploring the hills of St. Andrew, Gordon Town may just give you a reason to slow down, sit beside the river, and enjoy Jamaica one plate at a time.
TripTipsJa Travel Tip
If you plan to visit Ramo at Pretty Close, Gordon Town, St. Andrew, it is worth confirming the current opening days, hours, nd menu before making the trip, since small independent food spots can operate differently from conventional restaurants.
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