Things to do in Kingston, Jamaica: An Art + Dinner Date Idea | Jamaica National Gallery and 105 Water Lane Restaurant Review
It doesn’t matter how long y’all have been together, dating each other is still so important to keeping that spark alive. And one thing about me and mine? This spark gonna be blazing every time.
The way most dates start: the girl sees a cute place on social media and the guy follows.
The place that caught my eye was 105 Water Lane, a new rooftop restaurant in downtown Kingston’s up-and-coming art district. The artiness of the area made me think, why not turn our Sunday afternoon into a creative’s dream? So, we decided to start at the National Gallery, which is close by and, as it turns out, is free on Sundays.
Somebody made us late, so we got there with only the last 30 minutes to spare. Naturally, we made the most of it — checking out the exhibits and taking photos of each other like we were on a Pinterest board.
There were definitely a few pieces that stood out to me, but the visit felt more like a first introduction than a proper deep dive into the collection. I found myself thinking, “Okay, I definitely need to come back here when I have more time.”
Which, in hindsight, isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes the best first visit is the one that leaves you curious enough to want a second.
Thankfully, our next stop was only about five minutes away. And what better way to end an afternoon of art appreciation than with food and drinks?
Right on Kingston’s Art Walk is 105 Water Lane. You could stop and take in more of the beautiful murals along the way, but we were famished, so straight up to the rooftop we went.
We were hoping to sit on the second floor or rooftop to take in better views of Downtown Kingston, but the wind was giving freak storm. Despite that, the aesthetics of the restaurant were fitting for the art district, and for a little while, it really made you forget you were in downtown Kingston.
I hope one day this kind of atmosphere becomes the norm for my country’s capital.
We settled in for some Caribbean food with a twist and yapping - well per usual I yapped and he listened. We had curry goat with saltfish tostones - I loved these tostones- it was a unique twist, and everything was seasoned right and gelled well together. I had the salmon bowl, which was good nothing to rave about, his burger however was my favorite the patty was clearly homemade, juicy and flavorful and the seasoned fries nice crispy and drinks to round things out.
The food was really good, and there was something particularly satisfying about sitting down after wandering around the gallery and simply enjoying the moment — no rushing, no itinerary, just “What should we order?” followed by “Okay, let’s get that too.”
The bill did make us pause for a little second — about J$17,000 — so I’d say this is more of a special date than a casual dinner. But the food, drinks, and ambience made for a lovely way to end the day.
And honestly, that’s what I liked most about this little outing.
It wasn’t about doing something extravagant. It was about doing two simple things together and letting the day stretch a little.
Art. Food. Drinks. A little wandering. A little flirting. A little “Where should we go next?”
Basically, the perfect excuse to dilly-dally with your favorite person.
Art, food and good company, perfect day spent✨️,gonna have to addthe restaurant to my to visit list✍️✍️