One of Cherokee Street’s newest restaurants, My Marie Restaurant, opened doors in early September. Located just a couple doors down from our friends at STL Style House, My Marie (3147 Cherokee Street) offers a menu of authentic Haitian cuisine in a warm, inviting and casual space.

From coconut curry shrimp, jerk chicken and griot pork to Hatian-style meat patties, stewed oxtail and lamb, My Marie’s menu sings with Caribbean flavors, which is a welcome addition to the city’s restaurant scene.

The first My Marie Restaurant opened in Cape Girardeau in 2019, but St. Louis city’s Haitian community and vibrancy brought the family to open a second location on Cherokee Street this year.

While the menu has many offerings, Marie and customers have their favorites. “My two favorite dishes on the menu are the Haitian Oxtail and Jerk Chicken,” Marie says. ”Those are the most popular.” 

My Marie Restaurant’s Haitian Griot // Photo by Zack Gzehoviak

Another noteworthy item on the menu is the Haitian Griot, which is a deep fried, seasoned pork dish. “If you are from Haiti, then you know griot,” Marie says. The pork is served with a side of fried plantains and pikliz, which can best be described to Missourians as a hot, pickled coleslaw.

Born and raised in Haiti, Marie Louis Jeune, 39, found her passion for cooking at a young age. She attended culinary school in Haiti and has been working in kitchens since she was 19. When a catastrophic earthquake struck the country in 2010, leaving millions of people without their homes, Marie and family left Haiti for the US. Her husband’s upbringing in Cape Girardeau, Missouri led them back to the states.

“I love cooking,” says Marie. “I love to make people happy.”

Now offering delivery, My Marie’s hours are Tuesday - Thursday and Sunday from 11am to 7pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11am to 8pm. 

For the latest updates, follow the restaurant’s Facebook page.