The top 5 new Caribbean restaurants in Toronto

Caribbean restaurants in Toronto offers a taste of island life whether it's sunny or snowing outside. Satisfy your cravings for comforting fare featuring jerk chicken and roti along with a few fusion remixes that meld brunch-time staples or incorporate influences from across the globe.

Here are my picks for the top new Caribbean restaurants in Toronto.

Street Shak
The flavours of Barbados are in the spotlight at this Queen West eatery where fish cakes and bakes, jerk chicken dinners, oxtail poutine, and roti packed with curried meats are on the menu. Don't miss the seared fish sandwich that aims to replicate the famous offering from Cuz's Fish Stand in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Island Hot & Spicy
Curry goat, akee and chicken roti are popular picks from this Caribbean joint. There are also a lot of vegetarian options. The small restaurant near Queen and Jarvis is still relatively young, but the original location on Weston Road is well established.

T Dot Jerk
This take out spot on Roncy specializes in Caribbean staples. On the menu, find roti and jerk chicken dinners. Portions are huge and offered at excellent value.

Tito Ron's
Kensington Market's El Gordo food court is home to this vendor that deals in Filipino and Caribbean foods. This mashup results in dishes like jerk chicken lumpia and roti packed with adobo chicken.

Windup
This Trinidadian eatery on College Street is home to comfort foods like salt fish cakes and open-faced curried goat roti. The brunch menu features oxtail Benedicts, cornmeal waffles with jerk chicken, and French toast laced with spiced rum.

What did I miss? Add your favourite new Caribbean restaurants in the comments.

Photo from Street Shak by Jesse Milns.