Authentic Jamaican flavors and thumping reggae go hand-in-hand amid Miss Lily’s bright orange booths, retro artifacts and Formica-topped tables. Wide-open windows overlooking buzzy Houston Street add to the allure. A well-stocked bar and bins filled with produce set the mood for enjoyable classics brought to you at the hands of glam servers.
Start with jerk chicken that is insanely moist yet nearly black with intense spices, served with a Scotch bonnet sauce that will have your mouth tingling for hours. Then cool down with Melvin’s “body good” salad tossing kale, radish, celery and apples in a citrus-ginger vinaigrette. For the Jamaican Specialties—think curried goat, oxtail stew and callaloo—to a boozy rum cake, this Caribbean queen reigns supreme.