Sonia Thomas, owner of Sonia’s Homestyle Cooking, is a smart businesswoman who focuses on consistency and great customer service. (Photo: Stacey Belnavis)
Sonia’s Homestyle is open daily from 7:30am to 9pm and is located at 17 Central Avenue in Kingston. As soon as the restaurant opens, patrons start arriving to dine on their favorite Jamaican dishes. A look at the parking lot shows how serious Sonia’s Homestyle patrons are about their food. The restaurant prides itself on offering dine-in, take-out, curbside pickup and delivery. They’re leaving no stone unturned.
Once inside, it’s impossible to escape the warmth of the staff who pride themselves on providing guests with an authentic Jamaican experience. It really makes you feel special! The restaurant owners renovated the dining area during the pandemic and now feature several quaint dining spaces that can accommodate dining parties of various sizes. The décor stays true to the restaurant’s ethos, with the colors of the flag and other antique artifacts adorning the interior.
We were quickly shown to a table and had a good time perusing the menu, and our server also offered us some complimentary local fruit.The Saturday breakfast menu is as follows:
•Stewed chicken
Salted mackerel and callaloo
Salted fish and callaloo
Liver and Callaloo
Cabbage and salted fish
Salted fish and vegetables
Salt fish and okra
The side menu includes:
•fried gyoza
Salt fish fritters
•banana
•yam
•sweet potato
•boiled gyoza
Breadfruit (roasted, fried or boiled, depending on the season)
*Ackee and salted fish are available on Thursdays and Sundays.
We both chose our favourite, callaloo and salt fish, served with yellow yam, boiled banana, fried dumplings and salt fish fritters. I ordered the scotch bonnet pepper which was delicious. The callaloo is always steamed to perfection and is delicious on its own, but the chef must give it extra love. I also tried the Otaheite apple juice for the first time and it was fantastic.
Then came the best part: introducing Sonia Thomas and her daughter, Tamara Gibbons. We’re so excited! A smart businesswoman with over 30 years of experience in the industry, Thomas embodies integrity and a dedication to exceeding customer expectations. Gibbons is quietly following in her mother’s footsteps to ensure Sonia continues to be the best.
Regular customers agree: In fact, most have been coming every week for over 20 years, and some even live overseas and have heard about the great food here.
Sonia Thomas has made a name for itself as an authority on traditional, consistently delicious Jamaican cuisine, with exemplary service and affordable prices – truly a Jamaican gem.
What’s better than breakfast or lunch at Sonia’s? Dinner at Sonia’s! The restaurant recently added weekend dinner, making it even more popular in Kingston. Dinner is served Friday through Sunday from 6pm to 9pm. Come try it out!
