Cummin Up

Doan draw mi tongue, a true that Cummin Up offers some of the best Caribbean bikkle south of the river. When it comes to the menu at this little ray of sunshine down Lewisham High Street, it’s hard to think of nuff rival restaurants worthy to start a war with cross all of London. Classic meat dishes like curried goat and rice, traditional Jamaican jerk chicken, exotic fish dishes, a noble selection of ital fare and more are complement this with a leftfield drinks selection and fresh-made Caribbean bakery goods. Once you’ve eaten here, you’ll understand why the troops keep coming back to Cummin Up for more.

Cummin Up’s inimitable Caribbean selection and bold, bright branding means this family of three restaurants (two in London and one pon de beach in Brighton) are hard to ignore. The Lewisham High Street outpost of this soldier flying the flag for dishes from Jamaica to St Lucia, Trinidad, Tobago, and Barbados, starts where it should, at the beginning with the humble, the mighty curried goat and rice. Cummin Up’s jerk chicken gets the popular vote, and a little chilli to warn yuh that it’s hot. Then there’s the list of exotic fish prepared to order: traditional escovitch fish and rice, ackee or calaloo and saltfish.

Unlike many Caribbean restaurants in London, Cummin Up like to make a proper fuss about their ital menu. For dem been livin in the shadow of Babylon too long and don’t know what ital is, put a bit simple it’s a Jamaican and Rastafarian term for vegan. The menu might start with meat, but Caribbean cuisine is famous for its vegan and vegetarian delights: vegetable and chickpea curries, and the classic coconutty Jamaican stew called vegetable rundown. Up early along Lewisham High Street and looking for breakfast? Give Cummin Up’s Morning Rise breakfast a go. Finally there’s Cummin Up’s drinks selection – one of the finest in London if you’re looking for a drink that’s off the beaten track. Try the Stamina Punch or Magnum Force, okra juice or ochi rios, Jamaican Bigga soda or Bubble Up, Mauby and Sorrel Fizzes, the seaweed drink called Irish Moss, peanut or Guinness punch, Baba Roots or soursop juice. Are we talking your language?