📍 Tropical Joes – 1000 Gerrard St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1Z3
🌍 Country: Jamaica 
🔥 Must-try dish: Jerk Chicken
🪑 Seating: Indoor seating only as it’s in a food court.
👍 The high: The menu is simple and approachable, and everytime we eat there, it tastes the exact same. I love reliability.
👎 The low: There isn;t the opportunity to chat with the staff and learn about the restaurant;s story because it’s in a busy food court. 

Toronto is known for its Caribbean food, and with a large Jamaican community in the city and surrounding areas, there’s no shortage of spots to grab a taste of the islands. But, like Chinese cuisine in the city, quality can vary widely. Nowhere is this more obvious than with Jamaican staples like patties and jerk chicken, two of the most iconic (and addictive) dishes.

That’s where Tropical Joe’s comes in. Tucked inside Gerrard Square Mall, it’s one of three east-end locations bearing the same name. It may not have the aesthetic of the more Instagrammable joints, but this place is all about the food, and it delivers. In fact, visitors from abroad have been known to trek to Leslieville just to try it.

And with the recent heat wave making Toronto feel extra tropical, it only made sense to lean into the weather and indulge in a proper Jamaican feast.

Joe keeps things simple, which is a good thing. You can order mains à la carte or as part of a combo with rice and peas. With three or four people, you could easily sample the entire menu and share everything family-style.

Jerk Chicken Roti
Like a Margherita pizza at an Italian restaurant, jerk chicken is the gold standard for judging a Jamaican spot. And Joe’s passes with flying colours. The chicken is boneless, buttery-soft, and clearly slow-cooked. Each bite melts in your mouth and hits every corner of your taste buds with a smoky, well-balanced seasoning. Whether you get it roti-style (which comes with potatoes and dlatbread), with rice and peas (the classic), or solo (still amazing), this is the dish to order.

Jerk Pork MealB
The jerk pork is just as delicious, if not a touch more interesting, since pork is less common on city menus. It’s juicy, well-seasoned, and slightly denser than the chicken, making it pair especially well with Joe’s fragrant rice and peas. That side dish, by the way, might just be the best rice in the city – aromatic, flavourful, and deeply comforting.

Oxtail Stew
A favourite for many, the oxtail is rich, tender, and full of depth. It doesn’t quite outshine the jerk meats, but it absolutely holds its own. The meat clings to the bone just enough to make each bite satisfying, and the thick, savoury sauce is perfect over rice or scooped up with roti.

Chickpea Curry
For a plant-based option, the chickpea curry delivers. More like a stew in texture, it’s rich, spiced, and deeply flavourful without feeling heavy. It leans slightly healthier than the meat dishes and pairs beautifully with a soft, warm roti for dipping.

Coco Bread and Pattie
No Jamaican meal is complete without a spicy patty tucked inside soft, pillowy coco bread. We went for the spicy version, and it brought the heat. While the patties aren’t made in-house, don’t hold it against Joe, they’re still awesome, and everything else is made fresh and in-house daily.

Joe’s follows the mall hours, and the kitchen closes at 7 p.m., but don’t be fooled. That’s often when some of the freshest batches come out. Throughout the day, food is constantly coming out of the kitchen and always fresh. Occasionally, there are combo deals that include a drink – do yourself a favour and get the Ting, a grapefruit-flavoured Jamaican soda that’s not always easy to find.

Don’t let the food court setting fool you. Tropical Joe’s is the real deal, and every bite proves it. It’s worth the detour, the lineup, and the no-frills vibe. So if you’re craving something bold, comforting, and packed with Caribbean flavour, Joe’s has you covered.

Get tropical this week with Joe, you won’t regret it.

Eat with you soon,

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)