Jamaican Cook Shop

This longtime Mesquite institution serves some of the area’s best Caribbean food, including lovely beef patties with vivid yellow flakey pastry crusts, lively bone-in curries and tender jerk chicken with eye-opening spices. The rice and peas (that’s Jamaican for rice and beans) are terrific, too.

Top pick: Excellent jerk chicken comes in heaping portions; there’s plenty to share.