In Toronto, roti is both a taste of home and a taste of something new, and you can find it from Brampton to Scarborough.
What is roti, and why does Toronto love it?
CBC captured the feeling well: people love their rotis in this town, an overstuffed packet that carries nostalgia and memories of home. You can find roti shops from Brampton to Scarborough and many points in between. Our theory, and it is only a theory, is that roti suits a big city because it travels so well, a quality CBC also noticed.
Two traditions meet in the city, and they are worth telling apart.
What is the Trinidadian roti?
In a 2018 piece, CBC describes two types of roti, both classic Trinidadian fare. One is stuffed with a savoury spiced channa dhal mixture before being rolled out and cooked on a hot tawa. The other is a plain roti rolled out and cooked on the tawa, then beaten with wooden slats to form a crispy, phyllo-like texture. CBC notes that the Trini expression for that crumpled look is buss up shut.
Alongside it comes another Trinidadian favourite, doubles, which CBC describes as two palm-sized pieces of bara, a flat bread, flash fried and sandwiched with a stew of chickpeas, then topped with tamarind and hot sauce. If you have never had one, our pick is to treat it as an appetizer and share.
Doubles, the Trinidadian street snack, wrapped in paper.999real / Wikimedia Commons / CC0
What is a Toronto butter chicken roti?
This is the city’s own twist, and it has a Queen West origin story. CBC wrote in 2020 that the roti made at Gandhi Roti for the previous 25 years truly should be in the running for Toronto’s signature dish. Gandhi Roti opened in the mid 1990s on Queen West, and its chef’s take was inspired by the Caribbean roti. We mention it for the history, not as a stop on our list.
The Toronto version is a different object. CBC describes flour rotis rolled thin and cooked over a large tawa, a flat griddle, until large blisters form. They are filled with a thick meat or vegetable gravy, with butter chicken perhaps the best known, then tucked and folded into an aluminum lunchbox.
Our take is that the two styles are cousins rather than rivals. One is a wrap built on dhal, the other is a thin flatbread folded around gravy, and a curious eater can love both. Try them a week apart and you will taste the city’s conversation between cultures.
Where should you start?
We start in Scarborough. Our list is short on purpose: we include a place only when we can confirm it is open and serving, and we will add more stops as we verify them.
Mona’s Roti is in Scarborough at 4810 Sheppard Avenue East. The restaurant says it was established in 1983 in San Fernando, Trinidad, and extended to Scarborough in 2003. In May 2026, CP24 reported that the restaurant has garnered a passionate clientele thanks to its rotis and doubles.
The draw for first-timers is the room itself. CP24 says part of the appeal is the open-concept kitchen, where customers can see their meals being made to order. The restaurant’s own site promises the same, describing an open kitchen where the art of roti-making comes to life before your eyes.
Our pick is to go with a friend, order two different styles and trade bites. The restaurant has an online ordering page for pickup and delivery if you would rather plan ahead. Check their site for hours and menu.
How do you order if you have never had roti?
Start with a question: do you want a wrap, or something to tear, scoop and share? Ask the team what they would order, and add doubles for the table if they are available.
A tip from us: if you can wait, let it sit for a few minutes. CBC’s 2020 piece on Toronto’s butter chicken roti observed that the roti is incredibly transportable and, like any good curry, gets better after it sits for a few minutes. That is why a roti makes such a good travelling lunch.
A dhalpuri roti with curry shrimp, photographed in Trinidad.Kalamazadkhan / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
How do you plan a roti afternoon?
Treat it like a small expedition. Pick a day when you are not in a rush, because the best part of an open kitchen is watching the work, and that takes a few minutes. Order, find a spot to eat, and take your time with the first roti before you decide on a second.
Roti also pairs well with a walk. If you are in Scarborough already, our Scarborough Bluffs guide is a good way to stretch your legs afterwards. Bring a friend who has never had roti, and let them choose the curry. It is a very good way to introduce someone to a food that means a great deal to the people who grew up with it.
Finally, keep an open mind about styles. Some of us arrive with a loyalty to one tradition, and the city rewards a little wandering. Try the Trinidadian original, then try a Toronto butter chicken roti, and see how the two compare in your own hands.
