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By: Lavanya Kathirgamanathan
Published on October 14, 2022.
Food is a basic necessity that brings people together. One of the many ways you can showcase diversity is through food. Toronto offers many different restaurants that seek to share authentic family and cultural recipes from around the world. Areas such as Little Italy, Greektown, Koreatown, and Chinatown are some of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city where cultural grocery stores and restaurants are located. These neighbourhoods cater towards individuals from their homeland and are an excellent way for all walks of life to try new diverse foods.
Some of the best and most underrepresented cuisines in Toronto are Black-owned Caribbean restaurants. From restaurants, to cafes, bars, bakeries and catering services, you cannot go wrong with a local meal from one of the 135 Black-owned restaurants!
Here are three Black-owned restaurants that have been doing a fantastic job at showcasing their cuisine, offering dine-in or takeout options for customers:
The Heartbreak Chef
Location: 823 Dundas St. W, Toronto
The Heartbreak Chef, located on Dundas Street West, is a place that you do not want to miss out on. Chef and Owner Jerome Robinson started off his career in the food industry as a caterer, which is when he became popular for his famous chicken sandwich.
Robinson opened his first restaurant in Parkdale during the beginning of the pandemic. As businesses were shutting down due to a lack of sales, Robinson decided to open up a spot where people could return for more. His staple item, the fried chicken sandwich, gained him a lot of support from the hungry people of Toronto.
PHOTO CREDITS: https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5WwrHFd28/
Sugar Kane
Location: 699 Danforth Ave, Toronto
This restaurant is filled with energetic vibes that bring Caribbean culture to life!
Sugar Kane initially started off as a catering service, which was called Spiked Punch. As customers walk in, they will be greeted by lively music on Friday and Saturday nights, while their interior design helps create a peaceful and comfortable ambiance.
Sugar Kane is owned and run by three sisters who desired to bring a dose of Caribbean culture to Greektown. Meals such as Uncle Ben’s Salt Fish Cakes were dishes inspired by their father’s ancient recipes. Many of their dishes take on a unique and invigorating twist to elevate traditional recipes—in every bite you feel the taste of the Caribbean culture.
PHOTO CREDITS: https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5WwrHFd28/
Rasta Pasta
Location: 61 Kensington Ave, Toronto
Welcome to Toronto’s Jamaican and Italian fusion cuisine!
Rasta Pasta, located in Kensington, brings your favourite parts of both Jamaican and Italian dishes: jerk chicken and pasta.
Owners Mary Neglia and Magnus Patterson have been running their business since 2014. All of their pasta and meals are homemade and made from scratch.
The names of their dishes are also a fun fusion of the two cultures, which allow the restaurant to achieve a competitive advantage in comparison to their competition. Some of these names include: Dreadlock Pasta and Jamaican Mi Crazy Chicken, and Reggae Lasagna.
PHOTO CREDITS: https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5WwrHFd28/
Nonetheless, when in doubt there are a wide range of cuisines more accessible than you think, ready to take over the city with their unique flavour profiles, hard work, and passionate chef mastery skills. Listed below are some other Black-owned restaurants ready for your support :
Location: 5506 Lawrence Ave E, Toronto
Location: 842 Gerrard St E, Toronto
Location: 876 Yonge St, Toronto
Location: 1410 Victoria Park Ave, North York
Location: 2419 St. Clair Ave W. Toronto
Lavanya Kathirgamanathan is one of the Writers for this year’s publication at Black Voice. She’s a recent graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University, where she studied Journalism and will further her education in Human Resources at George Brown College. Lavanya has experience writing for multiple publications and has her own food blog on social media. Lavanya’s main goal as a writer for the Black Voice publication is to showcase Black excellence within the community, and in the city of Toronto.