Discover the flavorful side of Berlin with this hidden gem: an exclusive guide to Berlin's most delicious Jamaican cuisine.
Berlin, the vibrant city known for its diverse culinary landscape, now hosts a growing Jamaican food scene. Jonele Watts and Elvis Ololo, who started running three food trucks in the city in 2022, are among those bringing a taste of Jamaica to Berlin.
The city, which has just one brick-and-mortar Jamaican restaurant and a smattering of food trucks and pop-ups, is seeing an increase in the presence of Jamaican cuisine. Sweet Jamaica Hermanplatz, open daily, is one such establishment that has established a strong footing in the city, promoting Jamaican cuisine consistently [1].
Pop-up or event-based Jamaican food offerings, such as jerk chicken wings, pepper shrimp, and vegan fried plantains with Jamaican soffritto, are also becoming common, suggesting grassroots or small-scale growth opportunities [5].
Germans, familiar with Bob Marley, reggae music, and jerk chicken, are slowly warming up to the unique flavours of Jamaican food. However, initial challenges such as finding the food too spicy and facing unwelcoming neighbours have gradually evaporated over time [4].
Barbara Saltmann, the owner of Ya-Man, Berlin's only Jamaican restaurant, first arrived in Germany in the 1970s. Despite having no prior experience in the restaurant industry, she took over Ya-Man from its previous owner in 2008. Saltmann, who prefers to have direct contact with her customers, sells good vibes along with soul food like oxtail and curry [3].
Saltmann aims to make her customers leave satisfied and happy, reflecting the Jamaican ethos of serving happiness alongside food. She goes easy on the chilli and offers complementary hot sauce on tables for those who want a spicier meal. Interestingly, Ya-Man does not offer delivery through apps like Wolt as it has enough traffic without it [3].
Watts and Ololo, on the other hand, offer variations of their dishes to cater to German preferences, such as jerk chicken served with bread or for kids with French fries [2]. Their food trucks offer jerk chicken, saucy curry chicken, and beef stew, among other dishes, attracting enthusiastic diners who enjoy dishes like jerk chicken, rice, plantains, and ackee and saltfish.
The duo is currently scouting permanent locations for a restaurant, with a vision of a casual vibe, possibly in Kreuzberg or Schoeneberg [2]. As of mid-2025, the Jamaican restaurant scene in Berlin shows some active presence and interest but limited public information on widespread expansion or detailed future plans [1].
Further monitoring of local restaurant news and social media from Jamaican eateries in Berlin would be needed for updates on expansion trends beyond this current snapshot. Germany, with its large number of tourists visiting Jamaica, occupying the fifth place on the list of countries that send the most tourists to the Caribbean island, seems to be embracing the flavours of Jamaica, one dish at a time.
References: [1] [Link to the source] [2] [Link to the source] [3] [Link to the source] [4] [Link to the source] [5] [Link to the source]
The increasing popularity of Jamaican cuisine in Berlin can be attributed to the growing presence of establishments like Sweet Jamaica Hermanplatz and food trucks run by Jonele Watts and Elvis Ololo, offering a taste of global cuisines. As Germans adapt to the unique flavor profiles of Jamaican food, they are also embracing sustainable living through support of local, home-and-garden grown ingredients in their food-and-drink choices. With the city's rich and diverse lifestyle, it's no surprise that global cuisines like Jamaican food are finding a warm welcome in this vibrant city.
