OTHER CITIES: 
The Best Roti in Toronto
- Posted by Tim
- Filed in Best of Toronto
- August 25, 2008
Toronto, perhaps more than any city in the world, is blessed with an abundance of great roti. It's a fixture at street festivals, big events like Pride and Caribana and is almost a competitive sport in neighbourhoods like Parkdale and parts of Scarborough.
For those who indulge, the question of who makes the best roti in Toronto is taken very seriously and allegiances run deep and often divided between a certain East-Indian variety to the more common Caribbean styles.
For carnivores, a great roti begins and ends with the quality of the goat, beef or chicken inside. But many places also create some amazing vegetarian varieties, mixing well seasoned combinations of spinach, squash, chickpeas, potatoes and other vegetables. While it's a less common menu item, some restaurants also make a shrimp roti. And at one spot in Scarborough that's been making roti for more than 30 years they offer healthier substitutions like spelt.
It's also a general rule that the best roti can be found at places that actually specialize in it. Some restaurants on this list offer a full-featured Caribbean menu, table service or are better known for their jerk. But size of premises doesn't necessarily equal quality so it's worth venturing to the smaller shops where both variety and taste usually come out on top.
Gandhi Roti
Gandhi's is probably the most unique roti of the bunch and for some that's a reason why it's the best. The roti here is East-Indian influenced and everything is made fresh in an open kitchen for everyone to see. The only downside is that wait times can be a bit long as the place is so darn popular. More...
Bacchus
For those who prefer a Barbadian and Guyanese style roti, Bacchus is arguably the best in the city. It's one of a handful of Parkdale roti shops that does brisk business and offers a good selection of vegetarian options. It's licensed too! More...
Island Foods
Island Foods is a long time player on the Toronto roti scene and has three locations stretching from Don Mills to the Grange Food Court to King and Dufferin. The style here is Trinidadian which results in flavours that are a bit more subtle than Gandhi and a package that places more emphasis on potatoes than Bacchus. More...
Drupati's
Drupati's just might be the unheralded King of Toronto's roti and could have easily been higher on this list. Located in a strip mall in Rexdale, this Trinidadian style roti shop is also famous for their doubles. More...
Curry & Roti
Curry & Roti has been making roti for more than 30 years on Lawrence Avenue in Scarborough. The menu features lots of vegetarian options such as eggplant, pumpkin, spinach and channa; as well as goat, shrimp, lamb, beef and chicken for the carnivores. They're also the only roti place in Toronto to offer spelt as an option. More...
Mother India
From the same owner as Gandhi, some might wonder why this Parkdale offshoot isn't higher on the list. Two reasons - while the wait might be shorter here, the atmosphere doesn't measure up and the spice levels of the roti are held back a bit unless you make a special request to make them Gandhi hot. More...
Reyanna's Roti Shop
Another Scarborough gem, Reyanna's is one of the few places to have duck roti on the menu. Prices are also very reasonable with all veggie varieties available for $5 including tax. More...
Caribbean Roti Palace
The Annex isn't known for being a roti destination but if one restaurant were to be the exception it would be the Caribbean Roti Palace on Bathurst. The usual suspects - goat, chicken, beef, squash, spinach, eggplant - are all available here along with doubles and aloo pie. More...
Pam's Roti
Pam's recently moved a few blocks west into larger digs but they still still serve up Bloor Street's best - and biggest - rotis. For vegetarians, the list of ingredients is more extensive than most with okra making an appearance on the menu. More...
Vena's Roti
Across the street from Pam's, Vena's rotis are comparable in their freshness, variety and size; with the main difference being that Vena's tend to include a little more sauce. More...
Ritz Caribbean
Ritz makes chicken, goat, shrimp, veggie and channa roti. Sizes are a bit on the small size considering most cost $7. Pack extra napkins as the rotis tend to be a bit runnier that most places. More...
The Real Jerk
Queen East's lone representative in this list, The Real Jerk is one of the full service dine in spots with a huge list of Caribbean meals on the menu. Unique finds here include the lentil roti but the best bet is to go for the shrimp. More...
Coconut Grove
This hole in the wall near the bus terminal at Dundas and Bay might not look like much but the food is cheap and tasty. A good bet for those on the prowl for halal meat. More...
Ackee Tree
Roti is not the thing to get at the Ackee Tree but only because the rest of their menu is so good. The flavours here are Jamaican influenced which means this is one of the few places you can get some fresh plantain on the side. More...
Albert's Real Jamaican
With their Queen Street location shuttered, Albert's on St. Clair is now busier than ever. But like the Ackee Tree, Albert's is known for a lot more than their roti. Vegetarians won't do well here but for the meat eaters the thing to get is the beef roti which is only available Thursday to Sunday. More...
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