One of the things I miss about the Toronto area is the wealth of Caribbean restaurants. Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved mowing down dishes like jerk chicken, oxtail, plantain, and rice and peas. It seems like in the GTA, there’s a different restaurant with this delicious food on every corner.
Vancouver is definitely lacking in this department. Maybe its the lack of Caribbean representation in the population? Either way, there seems to be a massive opportunity for one of these restaurants to leave their mark in the city.
This isn’t to say that there isn’t any good Caribbean restaurants in the city. You just have to be a bit more…selective. Here are the top five (not that there are much more than five) places I’ve checked out, with an honest review of each:
#5. Riddim & Spice, Commercial Drive, Vancouver
This place checks all the boxes as far as the types of food that they offer. You can find all the cultural favourites that you would expect. However, I’d be lying if I said the quality was anything but average.
The location is great, but I won’t be returning here again.
Verdict: 2 beef patties out of 5
https://www.instagram.com/p/CqgDDfqJnSu/?hl=en
#4. Calabash Bistro, Carrall St, East Vancouver
This place gets major points for the venue itself. It’s a great dining experience and a cool spot to go for drinks as well, despite being in a pretty rough part of town. I really wanted to love this place, but honestly, the food quality was pretty mediocre.
Verdict: 2.5 beef patties out of 5
#3: The Patty Shop, Macdonald St, Vancouver
Alright alright, now we’re talking. This place is more of a bakery than a restaurant, but they offer Jamaican beef patties that really hit the mark. One thing that would take this place to another level is the inclusion of coco bread with their patties, as this is a staple in authentic Jamaican patties.
Verdict: 3 beef patties out of 5
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnLdcCeKljH/?hl=en
#2: The Lion’s Den Cafe, 15th Ave, Vancouver
The Lion’s Den is one of two places in the Lower Mainland that comes close to offering authentic Jamaican cuisine. Jerk chicken, goat curry, veggie curry and more represent a solid Caribbean side of the menu. They also offer a more traditional North American breakfast that is very reasonably priced.
The space itself is also pretty cool, with an old school style and colourful vibes and décor throughout.
Verdict: 4 beef patties out of 5
#1: Di Reggae Cafe, King George, Surrey
Di Raggae Cafe has the most authentic and delicious Caribbean food in the Lower Mainland. The space itself is nothing extravagant, with a small, mostly take-out restaurant tucked into the busy King George Boulevard.
This place takes the top spot on this list due to the food quality. All I needed was a single bite of their jerk chicken to know that I had finally found what I was looking for. Their jerk chicken sandwich was also exceptional, along with all the classic Jamaican dishes you would expect. They also boast several meat-less curry options for vegetarians. This place is definitely worth the trip out to Surrey.
Verdict: 4.5 beef patties out of 5
📍Di Reggae cafe 😎 Surrey 😎 pic.twitter.com/ouUaOQBXQB
— Desiree Gabriel (she/hers) (@desireegabriel_) November 4, 2021