Smiles, Spice and Everything Nice! Poughkeepsie’s Montego Bay Is Open For Business
Noleen “Denise” Leak is originally from Jamaica. Born in Spanish Town, she moved to Montego Bay before moving locally to Poughkeepsie. After living in the area for 15 years, Denise said, “When the opportunity presented itself to have the restaurant, I said to myself I’d like to do something like this. There’s not many Jamaican restaurants, certainly not in this area. And for that reason I said let’s try to create a place where people can just sit, dine, and have wonderful authentic Jamaican cuisine. And ta-da!”
And that it is. Montego Bay is Poughkeepsie’s newest spot for casual dining. The relaxed environment paired with welcoming staff and exceptional food have already put Montego Bay on the map. Since opening their doors two weeks ago, the team at Montego Bay has yet to publicly advertise. They have received a steady amount of foot traffic and are already beginning to get repeat customers.
6 Raymond Avenue has been home to other Jamaican restaurants in the past. Before Montego Bay it was Island Empress, which helped make the transition process relatively easy for Leak and her team. After collaborating with longtime family friend Chef Mike, the two worked together to open the restaurant in just about two months time. Leak attributes the timeliness to the fixtures that were already in place from the previous restaurants. The kitchen was in great shape, leaving flexibility for Leak and her family to make the space their own. They painted, changed the glass, and added new technology to make the space a modern, yet comfortable oasis.
Chef Mike is the culinary genius behind the traditional food. Leak said, “He is an excellent chef. He takes everything to the next level. It is his gift.” Their menu features traditional Jamaican cuisine and tastes like a spicy dream! The portions are generous and the pricing is very fair. Leak is looking forward to being able to serve alcohol on her menu. “We are about 80% of the way done. We have applied to New York State for our liquor license and so we are waiting for that to come through. A lot of our authentic cuisine is served with alcohol.”
With Leak’s managing experience and Chef Mike’s culinary talent, the two are looking forward to bringing Montego Bay to its full potential. Once the liquor license comes through, they will serve traditional Jamaican drinks, as well as add their delicious “signature jerk burger” to the menu.
Stop in and say hello for a big smile and an even bigger plate of goodness.
