She started selling food at the airport and the roadside, where people with boats would dock and get their food from Gloria, and that is how the side offerings started. She would go to the seaside with her handbag and her money, waiting for the boats to bring the fish. She would then call her daughter Angela, who is now the manager of the restaurant, telling her to boil the rice and put on the soup and vegetable, because the fish would be coming soon.
Looking out at the sea, there was not a boat in sight, but all of a sudden, a boat would arrive with the fish. Gloria had faith, and that same faith has been adopted by those working at the restaurant.
In 1972, Gloria acquired a physical building for her business, which she called Gloria’s Rendezvous. The restaurant building was originally a shop, and Gloria had a glass counter where she sold biscuits and breads, and a Jukebox in the corner. As time went on, the business grew bigger, and now it is one of the most loved restaurants in the area. Five years after the first restaurant was opened, Gloria opened the second one on a piece of land that she acquired.
Gloria’s is best known for serving fresh food, which they take pride in cooking for their guests. They believe that food should always be prepared and served fresh, and contain natural seasonings only – no bottled seasoning and herbs.
Angela explains that when you freshly prepare fresh fish and season it with fresh herbs, you will have fresh food, and there is nothing better than that.
Gloria’s offers curried, fried, and steamed fish, as well as shrimp and lobster done in different styles, such as garlic, battered, curried grill, and the most famous honey jerk.
This excellent restaurant is often frequented by ambassadors, prime ministers, and members of parliament, as well as movie stars such as Sheryl Lee Ralph, famous boxing promoter Don King, and singer Chaka Khan to name a few.
After Gloria passed away, the restaurant staff and family faced many challenges, including the second restaurant being destroyed by a hurricane. But Angela describes that she wanted to do her mother proud, and keep her namesake alive and running, so they all picked up the pieces and developed the restaurant into the best it could be, and in 2012, they completely rebuilt the first location, and it is now more popular than ever.
