Check Out Kaya’s Bold Menu of Jerk Spice and Island Flavors

The city’s dearth of Caribbean restaurants is now lessened by the opening of Kaya, the restaurant from Oakland chef Nigel Jones and Daniel Patterson. It’s replacing Alta CA, Patterson’s restaurant known for its takes on modern California cuisine, with a flavorful menu of Jamaican spices and other delicacies from warmer climates.

Jones, a native of Jamaica, also owns Kingston 11 in Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood, which serves classics like jerk chicken, oxtail stew, and salt fish fritters. Some of those signature dishes have made the trek across the bay, in addition to some new options like black pepper crab, and piri piri chicken. There’s also soft-serve, one of the desserts for which Alta was known, but with a Caribbean twist: chocolate habanero with pomegranate molasses and lime delivers a flavorful punch.

And along those lines, punch bowls are also new to Jones’ menu from Alta Group beverage manager Aaron Paul. The Rude Boi bowl serves four (or can be ordered as a single serving) and features white rum, cucumber, soursop, and midori.

Check out the full menu below:

Kaya is open for dinner Tuesday- Saturday from 5 p.m.- 10 p.m.; late night Thursday-Saturday from 10 p.m.-1 p.m.; happy hour Tuesday-Friday from 4:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.; brunch Saturday from 10 a.m.- 3 pm. and Sunday from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.; reservations available here.

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