Island Foods, the family-owned and operated establishment serving great-tasting Caribbean food, is known for their excellent roti and doubles.

Originally located at King and Dufferin, the restaurant closed in June 2019 due to condo development, just before the pandemic.

Second-generation owner Vicki Sharma, whose parents founded the business in 1974, always envisioned returning to the area—it was simply a matter of timing and finding the perfect location.

With the support of her husband, Anoop Sharma, the two found a new home for Island Foods near Queen and Gladstone.

@blogto Serving the city since 1974 🤤 #ForYou #Fyp #Toronto #TorontoOntario #Ontario #OntarioCanada #Canada #TorontoCanada #TorontoFood #Caribbean #Restaurant #CaribbeanFood #caribbeanTO #restaurantTO ♬ Instrumental - Vibe - pedrin cria

Working with Eric Boulden from Jump Branding and Design, the restaurant design draws inspiration from the previous location while embracing modern elements. The original Island Foods sign from the King West spot is proudly featured on the wall by the kitchen. 

The space is warm, inviting, and tropical, with vibrant pops of colour and bamboo ceilings that transport you to island life.

Similarly, the menu is all about showcasing Trinidadian flavours with many food items paying homage to Vicki's parents, Ruth and Ramasar Sawh.

"So the flavours that we have are how my mom remembered food in Trinidad when she was young. So while it might be a little different today, the flavours that she remembers from growing up are the same," shared Vicki. 

Highly known for their homemade rotis and largely portioned bowls, there's something for everyone. 

One of the most popular and well-loved menu items is the Boneless Chicken Roti ($10.75). Tender chicken breast is seasoned in a creamy yellow curry and paired with fork-tender potatoes.

The in-house dhalpouri roti is thin and soft, with layers and layers of tender, flaky dough—ideal for soaking up the rich sauces, curries, and slow-cooked fillings.

The vegan Vegetable Roti ($8) is equally delicious. It's packed with chickpeas, spinach, potatoes, and more of their deeply flavorful curry.

While the curry is mildly spiced, you can add one of their three hot sauces to kick things up. 

The Original award-winning hot sauce, developed by Ruth, combines scotch bonnet peppers with Caribbean spices. It earned bronze at the 2019 World Hot Sauce Competition in Louisiana.

There's also Fresh Lime, a variation on the original scotch bonnet recipe, enhanced with bright citrus notes of lime.

My favourite of the hot sauce trio is the Tamarind Sweet and Spicy. True to its name, this sauce offers a delightful balance of tangy, sweet, and spicy flavours (though it's not overly hot). It's made from the pulp of tamarind fruit. 

The platters come with rice, curried potatoes, mixed vegetables, and your choice of main. If you're going the Vegetable Dinner (2 choices for $10, 3 choices for $10.75) route, I recommend including chickpeas.

Filling and a great source of protein, the chickpeas are coated in a thick curry and have an inherent nuttiness and warmth. Other tasty vegetable options include cooked spinach, eggplant, or extra potatoes and mixed veg.

Aside from the vegetable mains, I also sampled the Shrimp Curry ($12.95), Oxtail ($13.75), and Boneless Goat Curry ($12.95).

The shrimp curry was my favourite of the three. The shrimp were juicy, and the curry sauce was robust and aromatic—I wanted to ladle it over the entire rice platter.

The oxtail offered a rich, beefy flavour. The meat, a true delicacy, fell off the bone effortlessly, and the gravy it comes in is irresistibly good. 

The boneless goat is another tried and true customer favourite. Tender and delicious, it’s a quintessential dish that embodies the essence of Caribbean cuisine.

With big, bold flavours and generous portions that are well worth the price, locals are thrilled to have Island Foods back in the city.

"The community's been really happy to have us back. So it's been nice. It's the legacy. Once in a while, my parents will come, and people are always so happy to see them," Vicki tells blogTO. 

Island Foods is located at 8 Gladstone Avenue.