Online review site Yelp is celebrating International Women’s Day by releasing a national list of standout women-owned businesses to watch, including San Antonio’s Jerk Shack.
Owned by Jamaica-born chef Nicola Blaque, the Jerk Shack was the sole Alamo City business to make the list, although others from Dallas and Austin made the cut.
To determine the makeup of its latest “Ones to Watch” list, Yelp’s data scientists singled out businesses that self-identified as women-owned in its food, beauty and home categories. Yelp then limited the list to three businesses per state and narrowed it further by weighing factors such as national online presence, average rating and review counts.
Since Yelp launched its women-owned business attribute in 2019, more than 445,000 ventures across the country have self-identified using that tag.
The Jerk Shack’s Caribbean favorites — jerk tacos, steamed fish, braised oxtails and curry goat — have earned many accolades. The restaurant has been named one of the best in the U.S. by Eater and GQ, and Current readers have voted it Best Caribbean Restaurant three years running.
Jerk Shack chef-owner Blaque closed her original 117 Matyear St. location last September to focus on opening a brand new spot near SeaWorld with husband Cornelius Massey and executive chef Lionel “Butch” Blache.
The SeaWorld-area Jerk Shack joins Blaque’s Mi Roti, a casual Caribbean-style concept in Pearl’s Bottling Department. Another Jerk Shack is scheduled to open at Hemisfair this summer.
So many restaurants, so little time. Find out the latest San Antonio dining news with our Flavor Friday Newsletter.
Related Stories
This article appears in Feb 23 – Mar 8, 2022.
