He said they do try to stay away from making bowls during these hours.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Agnes officially opened its doors at 613 E. Fifth St., in the former location of Corner Kitchen, in July.
The Caribbean restaurant was previously located at the Wympee building on East Third Street for the last four years.
“It was a smaller space,” Daniels said. “We didn’t have the space that we have now where you can actually dine in, nor did we have a bar.”
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The new space has a designated area for carryout orders and third-party delivery pick-ups at 263 Wayne Ave., next to Luna Gifts & Botanicals.
Agnes is known for its oxtail, coco bread sandwiches and brown sugar lemonade.
“The meal that we sell the most is our... oxtail bowl. It comes with rice and peas and cabbage,” Daniels said. “We also have other bowls like our lamb bowl and our chicken bowl and our turkey bowl.”
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Something unique that the restaurant serves are coco bread sandwiches.
“Coco bread is a Caribbean bread. It’s like a sweet bread,“ Daniels said. ”On them we put fish... oxtail cheesesteak, lamb cheesesteak, (and we) just have a variety of meats. We also have a veggie one as well."
The restaurant also offers rasta pasta that’s described as “a creamy, vibrant dish infused with bold Caribbean spices, sautéed bell peppers, and a velvety sauce, perfectly blending tropical flair with ultimate comfort food vibes.”
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Agnes is named after the owners’ mother, Mary Agnes Gibbs Estremera. She was born in Grenada, West Indies, and spent her early years in Trinidad and Tobago.
In the late-60s, she moved to Puerto Rico and by the mid-70s, she settled in Brooklyn, N.Y. with her husband and eight kids.
“Known for her incredible cooking, Mrs. Agnes started selling dinners and baked goods to earn extra money. Her delicious food gained fame throughout the Brooklyn Bed Stuy community, attracting both locals and celebrities,” the restaurant’s website states.
In 2002, she opened Agnes Caribbean Kitchen across from Central State University’s campus. That restaurant operated for four years.
Jose Estremera, who operates the restaurant with his brother, Harvey Sims, decided to honor her legacy and keep her dream alive by reopening as Agnes All Natural Grill in 2011 on North Keowee Street.
Since then, they’ve operated in different spots throughout downtown Dayton, as a food truck and inside the Dayton Mall food court.
“A lot of people travel to the Caribbean and they can’t get back, but they can come to Agnes and get that same experience they had,” Estremera said.
MORE DETAILS
Agnes is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday.
The restaurant reopens at 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and stays open until 2 a.m. for the late-night crowd.
For more information, visit eatagnes.com or the restaurant’s Facebook or Instagram pages (@eatagnes).
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