The Jerk Spot is open at Budd Dairy Food Hall, injecting Carribean flavor to Columbus. Credit: Jack Like | Lantern Reporter
Getting a taste of the Caribbean may be a welcome change for Columbus residents looking for an escape from the cold and dreary Ohio winter.
The Jerk Spot, an authentic Jamaican restaurant that offers dishes like rasta pasta, jerk chicken and oxtail, opened a stand at Budd Dairy Food Hall — located at 1086 N. Fourth St. — Feb. 4. The Jerk Spot owner and chef Troy Wheat said the restaurant’s opening was extremely rewarding, as this has been a passion project of his for many years now.
“I’ve been cooking Caribbean food for probably about 20 years,” Wheat said. “I’ve always had a love and a passion for it, but within the last year, I’ve really been putting the menu together and going full force.”
According to Budd Dairy general manager Jeremy Hughes, discussions between the Budd Dairy team and Wheat about opening a restaurant had been ongoing for years. Hughes said The Jerk Spot was exactly the type of restaurant the food hall had been looking to add.
“[Wheat] has the pedigree as a chef, but also has the ability to work with a team,” Hughes said. “He got to be a part of some of the initial steps of putting this together a few years back.”
Hughes said within The Jerk Spot’s first week of operation, the restaurant has already been wildly successful, as its cuisine is a new experience for many locals.
“It’s a robust flavor,” Wheat said. “If you’re looking for something that’s gonna tantalize your taste buds, try Jamaican. I’m happy to be here to bring that Caribbean vibe and flavor to Columbus.”
Wheat said The Jerk Spot specializes in jerk cuisine, a hallmark of Jamaican cooking known for its bold, smoky flavors and signature spice blends. He added that his most popular dish is his oxtails.
“Jerk food consists of jerk chicken, stew, oxtails and red snapper,” Wheat said. “The bestseller is the oxtails. I smoke them in-house and I put a lot of love on my gravy.”
Hughes said when Budd Dairy Food Hall opened in 2021, the goal was to offer the Italian Village neighborhood a space to experience a diverse and vibrant selection of food from different cultures.
“With over 18,000 square feet, 600 seats throughout the building, there’s a little something for everyone,” Hughes said. “It really is a spot where everyone has an opportunity to explore something that they love, and that includes our 10 different chef partners and the amazing different cuisines they offer.”
Hughes said though the food hall’s primary goal was to offer customers a new dining experience, it was also designed to give businesses like The Jerk Spot a platform to launch, providing small business owners and local restaurants a place to start.
“One of our four pillars that we kind of had [in] our DNA was to be a culinary incubator,” Hughes said. “We’re looking for restaurant owners and entrepreneurs who just need that extra little something. A food hall offers the ability to bring your brand and your food at a much lower price point.”
The Jerk Spot is open Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday-Wednesday from 4-9 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
For more information about The Jerk Spot, including its menu, visit its Toast webpage. For more information about Budd Dairy Food Hall, visit its website.
