If you didn’t manage to escape to the islands this winter, we have good news. You can eat like a Caribbean king or queen right here in Montreal year round. Indulge in the exotic island flavours, full of spice and excitement, at one of these great restaurants in Montreal.
You’ll find great Jamaican food at this BYOB restaurant. Make sure you’re not in a rush when you go – the service runs on Jamaican time, but the wait is worth the effort. The oxtail stew is one of my favourite specialties here, as are the jerk ribs and the salt cod and ackee, the national dish.
The Caribbean Curry House has been a purveyor of great food for over 35 years now. The restaurant’s setting is simple and straightforward but the long list of rotis, curries and rice dishes is impressive.
One of the rare places to enjoy Guyanese specialties, which translate Caribbean fare with a touch of Indian. Start of with a dahl soup and phulouri, then move on to the traditional chickpea and potato curry. The food is nice and hot – they even have their own homemade hot sauce!
Mango Bay has been around a long time and it has an ideal downtown location if you’re looking for island food before a show or a movie. The cocktails are fun and tropical, and you’ll find a big selection of rotis served with options like curry chicken or goat, shrimp, salt fish or veggies.
Don’t be fooled by the quaint and simple decor, the amazing food here makes Boom J’s one of Montreal’s best Jamaican joints. The jerk chicken is cooked on an authentic drum that was imported from Kingston, Jamaica. The curried goat is also popular and I love the coco bread.
You’ll find quite a variety of baked good in this small Jamaican spot. If you’re looking for fabulous Jamaican patties, you can’t go wrong at Mr Pattie. The rotis are quite popular too, as are all the baked goods like coco bread, sweet bread and the coconut tarts called gizarda. This is also a great place to get good ginger beer and unusual sodas.
Valerie took over her mom’s restaurant a little while back and she rocks this place with amazing Trinidadian food and her beautiful personality. My top “must” here is the shrimp and pumpkin roti. Curries are great, as are the fried plantains. Try the exotic fruit juices if they’re available.