Adding the right seasonings can make or break a meal, and no one knows that better than Jeff Bacchas. So when the native of Negril, Jamaica, opened his Long Island eatery, he named it Spices Negril Restaurant & Lounge. The menu is a tribute to the power of a little creative spicing. The popular jerk chicken wings are marinated and sautéed in a blend of more than seven herbs and spices, and a goat dish gets its kick from being slow-cooked in a spicy curry sauce. Even the "rasta pasta"—penne with peppers, onion, and garlic—comes topped with blackened seasoning. Diners can balance their meals with a sweet island cocktail, such as the Peach Schnapps–based Jolly Jamaican.

Of course, the other way the restaurant spices up its meals is with live entertainment. The lounge hosts calypso and reggae performers throughout the week, including DJs and the reggae band Inner Roots.