Jerk Shop Go has been a great addition to the downtown food scene, providing some much need variety. It's located at 213 S. Fifth Street next to Springfield Vintage. Jerk Shop Go is touted as "Caribbean flavor with a twist" and is owned by young entrepreneur Kadejia Berkley. She is a triplet, and the three sisters opened a restaurant in Macomb while attending Western Illinois University. That location closed after the sisters graduated, and Berkley moved to Springfield to start an internship at the Statehouse. In the meantime, the sisters focused on retail sales and were able to get their products placed in a number of grocery and convenience stores across the Midwest, including several locations in Springfield. But Berkley said she couldn't pass up a chance to open another restaurant, and our readers are grateful.
Jerk Shop uses traditional jerk cuisine in inventive ways. Early in the morning, you can smell the deliciousness wafting out of the shop as they prepare for the day. They often have festive music blasting as well. One of our favorites is the jerk potato - which you can get with chicken, beef, tilapia or shrimp. It comes loaded with cheese, sour cream, onion, cilantro, lettuce and chives. The prices are very reasonable and the portions on the larger size. Other notable dishes are the jerk egg rolls, which come with chicken, beef or shrimp and the jerk chicken Philly, which comes topped with provolone, mayo, green pepper and onion. For those watching their waistline, Jerk Shop offers a jerk salad which comes piled high with a protein of your choice. For those with a heartier appetite, Jerk Shop offers the "pick three" platter which comes with your choice of main entrée, two side choices and a drink for only $10. That's a great bang for your buck as Jerk Shop already has generous portion sizes.
Jerk Shop definitely packs a punch when it comes to flavor and spice. We don't think there is a bad dish in the house. Jerk Shop also participates in Grubhub, Doordash and UberEats so you can get it delivered right to your door without ever having to leave the house or office for those looking for a tasty alternative to their everyday meals. Be sure to follow them on Facebook as they often post pictures and videos that will make your mouth water.
