A Beloved Jamaican Food Truck Finds a Permanent New Home

A popular food truck known for its jerk sandwiches, fish fritters, rum-soaked plantains, and other West Indian dishes has officially landed a permanent spot in Acres Homes.

Over the past few years, Jamaica Pon Di Road has gained a loyal following by crisscrossing Houston, serving up Caribbean food from Conroe to Katy. Now, the restaurant, helmed by Jamaica native Gareth Powell, has a landed a brick-and-mortar at 2213 S. Victory Drive. The restaurant opened in early August.

Chef G, as Powell is known, was born in Clarendon, Jamaica, and learned to cook at an early age from his grandmother. He attended culinary school in Northern Jamaica, and started working in the kitchens of five-star resorts on the island.

After moving to Houston, Powell first started with a catering business, which he founded in 2013. He then launched Jamaica Pon Di Road in 2017. The truck, which serves up classic Jamaican street food, quickly gained a loyal following, popping up at breweries, festivals and other locations in North Houston.

That menu carries over to the new restaurant, with dishes like jerk chicken nachos, peas and coconut rice, braised oxtails, curry goat, and an “Insane Bolt burger”, topped with a jerk-spiced patty, sharp cheddar, island aioli, and served on a sweet bun.

Powell and his wife Danielle are also active members of their community, working with a ministry that provides school supplies and clothing to Powell’s hometown of Clarendon. Chef G also uses the food truck to feed members of Houston’s unhoused population, working with Church Under the Bridge at Saint Charles Street in the Third Ward once a month. The couple also hope to start an outreach program for hungry and unhoused folks in Acres Homes.

Jamaica Pon Di Road’s restaurant hours are 10:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily. The restaurant is located at at 2213 S. Victory Drive in Acres Homes.