Authentic Jamaican Fusion Restaurant • Poughkeepsie, NY

Where Culture, Flavor &
Community Meet.

Authentic Jamaican cuisine, family recipes, and Caribbean hospitality served on Main Street in Poughkeepsie.

385 Main Street·Poughkeepsie, NY·Catering & Private Events

Lunch Special·Mon – Fri·11AM – 2PM·Starting at $8.99

See Lunch Menu

4.8

186+ Google reviews

Featured For

Hudson Valley's most soulful
Caribbean kitchen

Trusted By

Corporate teams, family celebrations, weddings and rehearsal dinners, and private gatherings across the Hudson Valley.

What Guests Are Saying

Soulful food. Familiar warmth.
Always remembered.

“This restaurant is a hidden gem! We tried the jerk shrimp and brown stew chicken, both dishes bursting with flavor. Despite being busy cooking several to-go orders, Michelle was very sweet and took the time to chat with us. The dining area is private and beautifully decorated. A must-visit spot in Poughkeepsie!”

Victoria Guglielmo

Google Review

“The kindest woman, Michelle! She opened her restaurant to us on New Year's Day while they were closed and cooked us the best meal. My boyfriend and I are vegan and she was very accommodating. The food was delicious and her hospitality was very special and welcoming. The restaurant was very clean and comfortable. We will come back again.”

Angelic Lopez

Google Review

“Incredibly great food nestled away here in Poughkeepsie. I've had Jamaican food all over and none of these spots can compete with Empire Fusion. The restaurant is spotless, the owner is very nice, and her food is out of this world. I got the oxtails, peas and rice, sweet plantain, and steamed veggies. Everything tasted amazing.”

Yardley Keshinover

Google Review

The Empire Table

Signature dishes,
island-deep flavor.

Five plates that anchor the menu, from open-flame jerk to slow-braised oxtail and our coconut-rich vegan classics.

Signature

Jerk Chicken

Pimento-wood marinade with scotch bonnet, charred over open flame and finished with rum-jerk reduction.

House Classic

Braised Oxtail

Slow-braised two hours with butter beans, allspice and a deep, glossy gravy. Served with rice & peas.

Traditional

Curry Chicken

Authentic Jamaican curry chicken, slow-simmered with island spices and tender potatoes. Served with gungo peas & rice and steamed cabbage for a true Caribbean classic.

Plant-Forward

Vegan Caribbean

Choose from Caribbean Scrambled Tofu, Curry Chickpea Stew, Trini Jerk, BBQ Chickless, Black Eyed Peas Savory Stew, or Chickpea & Heart of Palm Cakes. Bold Caribbean flavors, completely plant-based.

Coastal

Island Seafood

Escovitch Snapper, Kingfish, Fried Fish, Jerk Shrimp, Curry Shrimp, Garlic Shrimp, and Coconut Shrimp. Fresh island seafood prepared with bold Caribbean flavor.

View Full Menu

Daily specials and seasonal plates announced on Instagram, @empirejamaicafusionrestaurant.

Stay Home Tonight

Order delivery
tonight.

Hot, fresh Caribbean food delivered to your door. Pick a partner and we’ll handle the rest.

Hours and menu availability vary by platform. For catering or same-day large orders, call us directly.

Our Story

We cook the way our
grandmothers cooked —
with the whole heart.

Empire was born in the kitchens of Kingston, Jamaica, and raised here, on Main Street, in the Hudson Valley. Every plate carries the rhythm of a Sunday afternoon back home: pots simmering, music low, family arriving without warning.

We’re not a fast-food shop. We are a community table. We take our time. We season with patience. We serve our neighbors the food we serve our family, and we treat them like family when they walk in.

That’s what Caribbean hospitality means to us. That’s what we bring to your wedding, your boardroom, your birthday, and your Tuesday night.

— Michelle, Chef & FounderEmpire Jamaica Fusion

Empire Jamaica Fusion ribbon-cutting ceremony at 385 Main Street, Poughkeepsie — Michelle Gibson with team and community members

Catering · Hudson Valley

Caribbean catering,
built around your night.

From intimate dinners to corporate events of 300+, we bring soulful Jamaican cooking to your space. Fully staffed, beautifully presented, tuned to your guest count, dietary needs, and the feeling you want in the room.

Corporate luncheons & office gatherings
Weddings, rehearsal dinners & receptions
Birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations
Family reunions & community gatherings
Buffet, family-style or plated service
Vegan, vegetarian & dietary-friendly options

Call (845) 849-0497

Empire Jamaica Fusion catering buffet — Jamaican entrées, sides, and fresh tropical punch set for a private event

Capacity10 – 300+ guestsDelivery, buffet & full-service

Empire Jamaica Fusion private dining room — warm burgundy walls, candlelit tables, intimate seating

Private Events

Quiet luxury,
unforgettable nights.

Reserve our dining room for an evening built around your guests. Custom menus, the right playlist, warm light, and the kind of service that turns a celebration into a memory.

Birthdays & Milestones
Intimate dinners for 12 – 60.
Engagements & Showers
Cinematic, soft-lit private rooms.
Corporate Off-Sites
Hosted programs, custom menus.
Memorials & Reunions
Held with quiet warmth and care.

Speak To A Host

Vegan Caribbean plate at Empire Jamaica Fusion

Vegan · Fusion · Caribbean

Real Caribbean cuisine,
fully plant-based when you want it.

One of the few kitchens in the Hudson Valley cooking vegan Caribbean food the proper way. Slow, deeply spiced, and plated like everything else on our table. No after-thought salads. No bland tofu.

Plant-Based, Island-Built

Curry Chickpea Stew, Trini Jerk, BBQ Chickless, and Black Eyed Peas Savory Stew. Bold, satisfying, and fully plant-based.

Fusion Without Compromise

We blend traditional Jamaican technique with modern fine-dining presentation.

Honest, Fresh, Local

Sourced from Hudson Valley farms where possible. No shortcuts, no fillers.

In The Room

A cinematic look
into our world.

View Full Gallery

Empire Jamaica Fusion dining room — warm burgundy walls, candlelit tables, intimate seating

Empire Jamaica Fusion ribbon-cutting ceremony at 385 Main Street, Poughkeepsie

Empire Jamaica Fusion braised oxtail in rich gravy with butter beans, rice and peas

Empire Jamaica Fusion catering buffet — Jamaican entrées, sides, floral centerpiece, fruit punch dispenser

Say Hello

Tell us about
your evening.

A few lines is all we need. Michelle and the team read every note, and we’ll write you back within a business day with ideas, dates, and the next steps.

Call: (845) 849-0497
Email: Empirejamaicarestaurant@gmail.com
Visit: 385 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

Catering & Private Events

Bring the flavor of the
Caribbean to your next gathering.

From weddings and corporate gatherings to intimate dinners, let’s build something around the night you’re planning.

Where Culture, Flavor & Community Meet.

Soulful food. Familiar warmth.Always remembered.

Signature dishes,island-deep flavor.

Jerk Chicken

Braised Oxtail

Curry Chicken

Vegan Caribbean

Island Seafood

Order deliverytonight.

We cook the way ourgrandmothers cooked —with the whole heart.

Caribbean catering,built around your night.

Quiet luxury,unforgettable nights.

Real Caribbean cuisine,fully plant-based when you want it.

A cinematic lookinto our world.

Tell us aboutyour evening.

Bring the flavor of theCaribbean to your next gathering.

Where Culture, Flavor &
Community Meet.

Soulful food. Familiar warmth.
Always remembered.

Signature dishes,
island-deep flavor.

Order delivery
tonight.

We cook the way our
grandmothers cooked —
with the whole heart.

Caribbean catering,
built around your night.

Quiet luxury,
unforgettable nights.

Real Caribbean cuisine,
fully plant-based when you want it.

A cinematic look
into our world.

Tell us about
your evening.

Bring the flavor of the
Caribbean to your next gathering.