Jumbi — Restaurant in London

For me, Jumbi is now one of the best restaurants I've been to in London, a place where all your senses are more than satisfied. This place has serious stylee (style)!

The venue is off the beaten path in Peckham, which makes it feel almost secret. You'll then get to the door and walk into a large, airy space of sensory adventure. The decor is calm, funky, cultured, and sophisticated all at the same time; those that work there add to this, as the staff are very friendly and very chilled.

The food is what brought us here, and Jumbi really has evolved Caribbean cuisine like no other, maintaining the essence of the cuisines and flavors. The Jumbo Plantain Nachos (Black Bean) are a very good starter to share, and the use of the fruit rather than tortillas gives Nachos a new look, with the sweetness and crisp of the plantain complementing the light heat from the beans and tasting great when had with the melted cheese.

Following this, we had a Trinidadian staple that was nice to find in a Caribbean restaurant—Trini Doubles; chosen with boneless oxtail, which was a great choice and a new way to enjoy the Trinidadian and Jamaican favorites, which are so moreish! 🤤

These were eaten while enjoying two Rum Punch cocktails during their Happy Hour; each Rum Punch on the menu has a unique stylee, with a different flower in each, and they have many more signature cocktails available. The drinks don't knock you dead, but they'll have you feeling relaxed and wanting another. The mains were then enjoyed with soft drinks and beers from the Caribbean, which is great to see rather than the usual suspects found everywhere else.

For the first chosen main, we had their Big Bowl with boneless oxtail, which was a must, feeling like my birthday and Christmas arrived early. Rather than the typical side of rice & peas, the rice is golden, sweet, and complements the oxtail flavors well. The other main ordered was the Jumbi Lamak Crispy Mackerel; I loved seeing this fish on the menu. I really enjoyed the texture and taste of it with its sides. 😋

The mass collection of vinyl and seeing the sound system speakers are what really adds and defines Jumbi's atmosphere, with tunes you won't hear in many places. I loved hearing the mixture of Lovers Rock, along with some other eclectic tracks, making you pull out your phone to Shazam. No playlist, only a DJ knowing what to do to keep the good vibes flowing!

I'm not done with Jumbi and will return without a doubt; however, I discovered north of the river in Tottenham they have a sister restaurant called Moko that I'll have to visit. Si mi deh, soon come!!!...

I wasn’t there for long so please keep that in mind.

I got there before 10 for free entry. My friend and I came to lounge a little and listen to the fabulous HI-Fi sound system, we’ve seen over social media, before the crowds significantly increase. Also to enjoy the dance set later. I was disappointed to see a not so diverse crowd on the porch and all the outdoor heaters off on a cold rainy day. I’m sure there’s a reason for that. It was just kinda uncomfortable. Also the record lounge section was smaller than anticipated. 1 small 3 person sofa and a 1 person armchair. There were two restaurant chairs available but we just wanted to sit on a more comfortable seat. Especially indoors as it was freezing out. With all due respect the venue isn’t huge and there is an active restaurant. We were willing to wait it out as security said the restaurant would close in 30 mins and get more diverse as the crowds come in.

So I asked the person at the host stand “Hi there, sorry to bother. I was just wondering if you have any idea what vibe the music would be tonight?” With a slight sarcastic smile they bluntly responded “Adult music.” Confused, I asked specifically about genre. They weren’t sure, which is okay. I have a solid idea of the general vibe, otherwise we wouldn’t be there. Just wanted to know if there was anything specific that night. They may have assumed I was much younger than I am. I’m just gunna take it as a compliment😭 It was cold and I actually felt quite disrespected so we ended up just leaving. I live local and have watched Peckham change so much. It just sucked that two black girls couldn’t find anywhere to go on a Saturday night in Peckham. We were really excited too. Felt like a harsh reality check.

Regardless, the spot is gorgeous and I’m glad to see a black owned business running so successfully. The kitchen smelled amazing. I’ve heard nothing but praise about the food so at some later point I’m still definitely coming back for that as planned.

Again we weren’t there for long so my experience doesn’t reflect the...

It was a first-time visit, and we enjoyed the atmosphere. We were peckish but wanted a good feel for the menu, so we picked three starters: The plantain nachos, the channa and lentil doubles, and the oxtail doubles.

The portion sizes should have a warning/advice for newbies; they were massive. Good price-size rapport, but far too huge to be starters, even for sharing. Taste-wise, we were over the moon. The oxtail was succulent and so well-marinated. The chickpeas were delicious, almost creamy, and well-seasoned, as were the black beans on the nacho dish. My friend wasn't a fan of the plantain nachos for personal reasons - he is used to the juicy, fried version. I felt the chips worked well, and I enjoyed eating the ones soaked in the beans’ flavours. The chicken curry doubles were tender and tasty, too. The only thing missing was a good tamarind sauce for my chickpea doubles, and the waiter kindly got me a small pot when I asked.

For drinks, we chose the lime and grenadine punches, which were ready-made. My friend didn't enjoy his. I found the lime punch far too sour, as if it was made with bottled juice. For comparison, my first ever ti-punch - two ‘fingers’ of white rum, sugar, a crushed lime slice, and ice - was simple, but the taste of alcohol and citrus was well-balanced.

The gorgeous eating experience was slightly marred by the tiny glasses of drinks, which in no way warranted the £7.50 price tag. Elsewhere, we would have got more than double the quantity for another £4. It seemed especially mean when dining out in this current economic crisis is almost an act of resistance.

Customer service was good, and the staff were attentive and discreet—an excellent place for mates or dates.

Overall, I think we had a fair taster of the Jumbi experience, and I would recommend at least one visit.

P.s. The leftover oxtail doubles tasted even better the next day when reheated in...