Best Caribbean restaurants in London

Caribbean food is a mix of cooking styles which reflect its many different regions. Levi Roots, of Dragons' Den and Reggae Reggae Sauce fame, explains: "The Caribbean is a range of very different islands with 30-odd different influences with the main ones being Portuguese, Spanish, French, African and English. It's hard to judge Caribbean food on one restaurant."

So we've rounded up six of the capital's best, from French-influenced Mango Room, to the Afro-Anglo-Caribbean Ace Fusion. Here's where to go to get that carnival feel all year round...

Bamboula Jerk Kitchen
You can't miss Bamboula with its bright yellow exterior, tropical plants and mass of bamboo. As the name suggests, it specialises in jerk dishes —try the Bamboula flamed jerk chicken (£8.25) or the guava-glazed jerk lamb (£9.35). Another favourite is chicken rundown (£8.80), in a creamy garlic, coconut and white wine sauce. Wash it all down with Jamaican-style rum punch or a cup of wonderful Blue Mountain coffee.
12 Acre Lane, SW2 (020 7737 6633)

Caribbean Scene
On the water at Victoria Dock, this addition to London's Caribbean scene has plenty of outdoor seating, a separate bar area and a large restaurant complete with a beach mural and thatched roofs. Try the curry goat parcel with crispy coconut shavings (£15.95) or the brown fish stew (£14.95) made from fresh red snapper in a rich sauce. The place is famous for its cocktails, too. Try the Jamaican Me Crazy (white rum, coconut cream, pineapple juice, crème de banane and lime, £7) and the Guinness punch (a mix of rum, brandy, Guinness and spices). If you feel like a party there's live music every Saturday night. There's also a branch in Stratford.
Royal Victoria Dock, E16 (020 7511 2023)

Ace Fusion
This laid-back restaurant was opened last year by Femi Solomon-Cooper and Sharon Akintunde. It showcases a fusion of Caribbean, African and English food. Start with the creamy West Indian hummus (£4.75) then tuck into curry goat (£11.95) or rum and garlic prawns (£12.95). Beware the Ace Fusion rum punch, though — it's delicious but lethal. Femi will greet you wearing one of the headdresses she has collected from years of taking part in the Carnival.
110 St John's Hill, SW11 (020 7228 5584)

Mango Room
Explore French-influenced Caribbean food at Mango Room. Work your way through the dozens of
cocktails from around the world at the new bar before trying the mouth-watering menu. Starters include grilled scallops on a melon salsa with apple crisps and pomegranate dressing (£7). For main course order the platter of sea bass, snapper, grilled tiger prawns and scallops with papaya sambale and fried cassava (£14). But what the restaurant is really known for is Camden's famous curry goat (£10.50). It comes with scallions, glazed carrots, potatoes and Caribbean spices.
10-12 Kentish Town Road, NW1 (020 7482 5065)

Savannah Jerk
Stop off for a cocktail at the bar first, where you'll find a huge selection of rum to get you in the mood. When you've worked up an appetite, skip over to the restaurant and try the fried pickled fish Jamaican style (£6) to start with and the braised oxtail with butter beans (£9.50), a comforting and substantial one-pot concoction. The restaurant is also known for its rotis, flatbreads filled with mutton, chicken or prawns in a curry sauce with diced potatoes (from £9.50).
187 Wardour Street, W1 (020 7437 7770)

Cottons
Situated on buzzy Exmouth market, the menu at Cottons is varied and includes twists on Caribbean classics, such as mixed jerk fish grill with fried plantain, rice and peas (£13.50) and adobo-rubbed pork knuckle with black-eyed peas, callaloo, hot sauce and corn bread (£12.50). There's a wide range of vegetarian options, too, including roast vegetable curry with sweet potato and callaloo (£11.50).
70 Exmouth Market, EC1 (020 8305 2500)