Tired of driving to Philadelphia or Cherry Hill for quality Jamaican food, Winsome Douglas decided to open up her own Caribbean restaurant in Haddon Heights just 10 minutes from her home.
“When I came down here, I noticed that I didn’t have a choice of Jamaican food. The nearest one was over in Philadelphia or like 30 minutes away in Cherry Hill. And, of course, that’s not acceptable because Jamaican cuisine is world-famous. Everyone is used to it, so I thought, ‘I need to get this done,'” Douglas told What Now Media Philadelphia.
Douglas recently signed a lease with Plaza 500 in Haddon Heights to house Irie Mon Jamaican Restaurant and Take-Out at 507 Black Horse Pike. She plans to open on December 1 and is currently renovating the 1,100 sq. ft. space, formerly occupied by Vietnamese restaurant Pho Ha Bac and seafood joint Mad Crab.
“This is five years in the making, and I’m super excited that we’re about to finally get this going,” said Douglas.
The buffet-style take-out restaurant will have a few tables and serve classic Jamaican favorites like jerk chicken, oxtail, and curry goat.
“We will be the premier jerk spot here in South Jersey,” said Douglas. “We have an authentic Jamaican chef, and our seasoning is what makes the food taste as if you’re on vacation in Jamaica.”
Irie Mon Jamaican Restaurant and Take-Out’s decor will have an island vibe complete with reggae music playing over the speakers. There will also be some palm trees and a Bob Marley mural that customers can use to take pictures for the perfect Instagram post.
“Looking ahead, I am ecstatic to open Irie Mon Jamaican Restaurant and Take-Out and bring a fresh new option – the flavorful and authentic taste of Jamaica and the Caribbean to the people of Haddon Heights and the surrounding towns,” Douglas said in a press release.
Douglas’ restaurant will be the fourth in the Plaza 500 shopping center, also occupied by Cutting Room Hair Care and Always Available Locksmith. Irie Mon Jamaican Restaurant and Take-Out’s leasing deal was brokered by Monica Walsh and Mike Gries of Vantage Commercial. As a result, Plaza 500 is once again fully leased.
