Soulful Home-Style Cooking At Anna’s Kitchen

Alpharetta and surrounding area has been flexing its culinary muscles the past couple years. Now, interspersed with the many chain restaurants you’ll find true boiled and baked NY-quality bagels, some of the most varied Indian cuisine our city has to offer, and now one of Atlanta’s best stops for Caribbean fare.

Anna’s Kitchen (11550 Webb Bridge Way Suite 3, Alpharetta Tel: 678.339.9930) is a humble passion-driven bare-bones strip center restaurant. The heart and soul of this little Jamaican eatery is in the kitchen.

Price per dollar, Anna’s home-style Caribbean cooking holds its own against anybody in Alpharetta.

We started with beef patties ($1.75), possibly the best I’ve eaten in Atlanta. Large, so large two could be a substantial meal. Flaky yet chewy pastry, strong enough to not buckle under the weight of beef strips in a dark, rich gravy stuffed generously in the center.

Ackee and saltfish ($12.95), a traditional Jamaican dish, is a beautiful bite of sweet and salty, finishes with a slight singe that paints the tongue. Meant to be sopped up with three extremely dense, doughy dumplings with a lethal crusty, flaky outer layer. Only served Sunday brunch.

Jerk chicken ($7.95 lunch) breast arrives moist wearing dark mild seasoning. The heat is served in a gravy boat on the side for dipping, or dumping. The quality of the chicken is excellent especially considering the meager price tag.

Oxtails ($9.95), sorry, no photo, are served plump and meaty topped with a rich, beefy gravy.

Now that I’m finished talking this place up, let me vent my lone complaint: Service. Our young server was grumpy and sluggish both visits. Luckily, the food makes up for all front of house flaws.