Indian Roti Kitchen: We visited one of Vancouver's low-key gems

You may or may not have tried it, but you’ve likely heard of a delicious delicacy that’s not too common in Vancouver: butter chicken roti. 

A twist on Caribbean roti sandwiches, which themselves are inspired by traditional South Asian flatbread, butter chicken roti is a uniquely Indo-Canadian invention that’s part elevated fusion cuisine, and part late-night street eats.

The result is a delicious vessel for spicy curries like butter chicken and vindaloo, well suited to late nights and after-work cravings alike.

Despite its popularity in other parts of Canada, mainly Toronto, this morsel has struggled to find a foothold outside its place of origin, and few if any places outside Ontario’s capital city can claim to offer authentic butter chicken roti.

For us in Vancouver, though, we have Indian Roti Kitchen.

Located in the bustling Cambie Village neighbourhood, this destination opened in 2013 with a vision: bringing butter chicken roti to the West Coast.

Max Hill

The restaurant is tiny, and can easily be missed by those who aren’t in the know.

It only offers takeout, and its deceptively simple menu may seem unfamiliar to native Vancouverites. But Indian Roti Kitchen is one of the best-kept secrets in the city.

Their extensive selection of roti, from the classic butter chicken to creamy tikka masala and veggie options like aloo gobi, has something for everyone.

Max Hill

In the interest of journalism and science, Dished picked up three roti: a classic butter chicken, palak paneer, and aloo gobi.

Medium spicy is a good fit for all but the most robust palates: it’s akin to a full spicy selection pretty much anywhere else.

The portions are huge, and come freshly wrapped in crispy roti, ready to be taken home and savoured — or devoured in one sitting.

The butter chicken was the standout, with perfectly tender chicken and flavourful curry sauce. The palak paneer and aloo gobi were also delicious, especially the former’s generous chunks of soft cheese which paired perfectly with the spinach sauce. 

Max Hill

A single roti is more than enough for a meal, and a second helping the next day only improved the flavour as the roti soaked up the butter chicken sauce and deepened its spicy perfection.

One year shy of its tenth anniversary, Indian Roti Kitchen is a pioneer of fusion cuisine in Vancouver, and as far as we can tell remains one of the only places in the city to get your authentic roti fix.

Hopefully, butter chicken roti will one day take off locally more widely, but until then we recommend heading to Cambie Village to satisfy your craving.

Indian Roti Kitchen

Address: 2961 Cambie Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-876-3767