THE manager of a newly opened Caribbean restaurant in Taunton has thanked locals for giving Islands an “amazing welcome”, saying the reception has been “better than I could have imagined”.
Islands, located at 14 Bath Place, has become a favourite with locals after just weeks of serving customers. The restaurant has received only five-star Google reviews since opening its doors at the end of April.
The family-run business, owned by Taunton locals Emma and Richard Cummins, serves authentic Caribbean food, including their “iconic” Curry Goat and Jerk Up Chicken. Also on offer are cocktails, drinks, and desserts including rum cake.
Emma, Islands' manager, said: “I thank the community from the bottom of my heart, it’s been amazing, so good. Thanks for being patient with us as we learn our new systems with the kitchen and the tills.
“The reception has been so good, we’ve been so blessed, really it’s a relief. I painted the whole place myself, and we had paper up at the windows to keep it a surprise. I’d be in here painting late at night, and I'd hear people stopping and saying ‘oh it’s going to be a Caribbean wow, that’s so amazing’, so hearing that is really encouraging.
“Everyone is saying we’re so happy to have you in Taunton and loving the food. It has been incredible, better than we could ever have imagined.”
The restaurant is doing a “soft launch”, which will last another couple of weeks. Emma explained: “We’re doing a soft launch for the first four weeks, and then we will expand our menu a little bit with seasonal dishes.”
Starting a restaurant has been a lifelong dream for Emma, who owned a Caribbean catering company in London for ten years. During that time she fed parties, film crews, and weddings of up to 300 people.
Emma said: “I've always romanticised having a restaurant. So when I met my husband Richard in 2016, we shared our dreams and I’d always discussed that and thought that would be amazing.
“We’ve looked at premises and always toyed with the idea, but when we saw this place walking past we were like WOW. It’s such a nice space and a quirky building.”
Islands serves lunch and dinner and offers a taste of the Caribbean, with a range of favourites from the Caribbean. They source Caribbean spices, seasonings, fresh herbs, and other ingredients from wholesalers in Bristol and London. Their Ice Cream is provided by Styles Farm in Minehead, they're also looking to use more fresh produce from local suppliers.
Emma said: “Our chef is Bajan, Michelle, who is great. My heritage is from Jamaica and my husband is from Barbados, so he’s Bajan. We’ve got dishes from different parts of the Caribbean.
“My Jamaican grandmother, Olive, was a fantastic cook. She sold her infamous Jamaican cakes, buns, patties and dishes like oxtail with butterbeans from our family home in London and was very entrepreneurial and I think I get that from her.
“My husband’s family are also very food-orientated as well. In the Caribbean, flavoursome delicious food is a common theme. Family and friends regularly gather and all bring their favourite dishes to share, so that’s another thing we will be adding to the menu — a sharing platter, so you get a few different dishes to eat together, like tapas style. You’ll be able to choose 5 items for a delicious taste of the Caribbean.”
Islands’ vibrant decor is a joy, with local artist Georgina Peters’ painted mural of the Caribbean map. Inside, Islands’ logo has been sprayed on the wall by Taunton-based artist Sam Gaden, who runs Aerosol Art.
The restaurant plans to host monthly DJ nights, with plenty of rum punch flowing. Islands has a team of six employees, including Nick, the front of house, Michelle, and Jins in the kitchen.
Islands is open for lunch and dinner, every day except Monday. They’re open from 12pm until 10pm Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday. Then Friday and Saturday from 12pm until 11pm.
Bookings can be made by phone or messages via their socials, on Facebook or Instagram, until their website with table bookings is up and running — 50% of the restaurant is reserved for walk-ins.
Islands currently offer takeaways and will offer deliveries in the near future. Updates will be announced via their socials.
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