There are restaurants you stumble upon in New York. Then there are restaurants tucked down a tiny East Village alley that somehow become one of the hottest reservations in town.
Welcome to Kabawa NYC.
Located at 8 Extra Place, Kabawa is the Caribbean restaurant from Barbadian chef Paul Carmichael and Momofuku. The intimate restaurant occupies the former Momofuku Ko space, but don’t expect the old minimalist tasting-menu vibe. Kabawa has transformed it into something warmer, louder and considerably more tropical.
The concept is deeply personal to Carmichael, who draws from his Barbadian upbringing while exploring the broader Caribbean. Rather than focusing on one island, Kabawa pulls influences from across the region, with dishes reflecting the Caribbean’s complicated history of Indigenous, African, European, Indian and other culinary traditions.
And here’s one detail that makes Kabawa particularly fun: the restaurant is essentially built around its open kitchen. Much of the seating wraps around the cooking area, turning dinner into something closer to culinary theater. You can watch the team assemble dishes while the soundtrack leans into Caribbean music.
The three-course prix fixe menu currently runs $150 per person, with choices ranging from pepper scallops and cassava dumplings to black bass with curry, goat with spicy scallop Creole and the enormous Puerto Rican-inspired chuletas can can. Desserts include coconut turnovers and birthday flan.
Next door, Bar Kabawa keeps the Caribbean party going with daiquiris, patties and a more casual atmosphere.
So if you’re searching for Kabawa NYC, Caribbean restaurants in NYC, or East Village restaurants, remember the most important part:
It’s down the alley.
Because apparently New York’s best dinner parties don’t need a giant sign.
