Chadon Beni / Coco Cafe

What is Chadon Beni / Coco Cafe? Anchoring the corner of Queen Street West and Shaw Street, Chadon Beni is owner Ross Milne's lively Trinidadian tapas and cocktail bar, paired seamlessly with Coco Cafe, the casual Shaw-facing takeout window operated by his brother. The space radiates island energy with vibrant wall murals, upbeat soca soundtracks, and warm, low-lit seating spanning an intimate dining room, a cocktail bar counter, and a breezy sidewalk patio. By day, neighbours queue at the booth for warm handheld street foods; by night, the room shifts into a spirited Trini-fusion lounge.

Chadon Beni / Coco Cafe Menu & What to Order Every dish leans heavily into bold Caribbean herbs and spices, spotlighting the serrated, pungent culantro leaf from which the restaurant takes its name. Essential daytime orders include the Coco Cafe hot doubles packed with spiced channa and sweet-tart chutneys, while evening tapas stars include rich coconut curry crab dumplings, bake and shark (or shrimp), and shrimp-stuffed "sholourie" pholourie. Plant-based and lighter palates can turn to taro-leaf callaloo soup, grilled curry corn ribs, and BBQ jackfruit sliders. Wash it down with a glass of house-brewed sorrel, a stiff Trini Rum Punch, or the tropical Nylon Pool cocktail.

Know Before You Go Reservations for dinner and weekend drinks can be booked through Tock, while the Coco Cafe takeout counter and patio operate primarily on a walk-in basis. Takeout doubles and pastries from the window run during daytime hours, whereas the main restaurant kitchen fires up in the late afternoon Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays). The 501 Queen streetcar drops you right at Shaw Street, making transit simple as street parking along Queen West fills fast on weekends.