Mrs. B's Reggae Cafe
3103 Broad Street Chattanooga, TN
-Julian Robinson Parks-
Located on Broad Street in the interior of Chattanooga, Mrs. B's Reggae Cafe is the cities first Jamaican themed restaurant. It is cozy, fragrant, and inviting.
The restaurant is actually named after owner, Marilyn Forysthe's, mother. Mrs. B was instrumental in teaching Marilyn. Evidence of this can be seen inside the display which showcases traditional rum cakes, caramel rum cakes, blueberry cheese cake, and more. Behind the display are the kitchen double doors where more flavor filled Jamaican/Caribbean food is made.
Since Opening Mrs. B's has built a cult following of fans who stop by to check out the daily specials on the chalkboard, sample the made-from-scratch creme brulee, and enjoy favorites like the reggae roles.
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Chef Neville Forsythe, Marilyn's husband, is part to blame. Neville is said to have a nac for building instant camaraderie with his super friendly attitude.
The history of Mrs. B's stems back 30 years when Chef NEville was working at the Fairyland Club on Lookout Mountain. He also cooked for hundreds of sailors aboard a Navy missle destroyer, ran the popular, but now closed, Chef's Underground Cafe, and oversaw therapeutic diets for local healthcare providers. With Marilyn wanting to expand her then season rum cake business, the couple decided to open Mrs. B's Reggae Cafe.
From the exterior, it was hard to be certain the restaurant was even open, but with the first crack of the door, a wall of delicious aroma hit us. This combination of smoke and spice left no doubt of the tastes in store and that somebody in there was cooking away. You might even wonder why you can't see the palm trees and the Caribbean out the window once you settle down at a table with soft reggae setting the mood.
The inside is painted in deep maroon with bright, golden yellow trim. Everything is spotless. The building exterior is in good shape, but the parking lot looks a little worn. I expect that'll be one of their next updates, so just park there, go in, and eat. There are eight two-person tables, four four-person tables, and a single table for six.
