Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen

Tucked into a restored 1890s row house on Portland, Chubby’s brings a polished take on Jamaican home-style cooking to the middle of the King West fray. Co-founders Janet Zuccarini and Angela Lawrence worked with Partisans and Wendy Haworth to overhaul the space, resulting in a two-storey layout that manages to feel breezy and tropical despite the neighbourhood’s usual intensity. Chef de Cuisine Dadrian Coke runs the kitchen, focusing on traditional Caribbean flavours that lean into modern, lighter preparations without losing the soul of the original recipes.

Start with the jerk chicken, which gets the wood-fire treatment, and grab a side of fried plantains or rice and peas to round it out. The oxtail stew and curry goat are standard orders if you’re looking for something heavier, and the rum-heavy cocktail list—or a glass of sorrel punch—is pretty much mandatory. It’s a loud, social room that fills up fast, so while they take walk-ins, you’ll want to book a table if you’re heading there on a weekend. Between the two floors and the pair of patios, it’s a reliable spot for group dinners when you want to avoid the typical King West club vibe.