Where to Get Roti in NYC: A Straight Answer

What roti actually is, the difference between dhalpuri and buss up shut, how to order curry goat, chicken, or channa and aloo, and where to find the best roti in New York.

You want roti. Good call. Here is what it is, how to order it, and where to get it in New York City.

Roti is a Trinidadian and Guyanese dish built around a flatbread wrapped around curry. It came to the Caribbean through Indian indentured laborers in the 1800s and became its own thing. In NYC, the roti shops cluster where the Trini and Guyanese communities are, mainly Brooklyn and Queens.

The Two Rotis You Need to Know

Roti the word means both the bread and the whole wrapped meal. When you order, the shape and style matter.

• Dhalpuri roti is a soft flatbread stuffed with ground yellow split peas. It is the classic wrap. The curry goes inside and you eat it like a big folded parcel.
• Buss up shut, also called paratha roti, is a flaky torn up bread that looks like a rumpled shirt, which is where the name comes from. It comes on the side and you tear pieces off to scoop up the curry.

If you want it neat and portable, get dhalpuri. If you want to sit and scoop, get buss up shut.

What Goes Inside

The curry is the point. Common fillings include:

• Curry goat, the classic, rich and a little gamey in the best way.
• Curry chicken, easier on the wallet and always solid.
• Curry channa and aloo, chickpeas and potato, the vegetarian move and a great one.
• Curry shrimp or duck at some shops.

Most places let you mix, so channa and aloo with goat is a common order. Say how spicy you want it and whether you want the bone in or out for goat.

Where to Get It in Brooklyn

Brooklyn's Little Caribbean, along Flatbush, Nostrand, and Church Avenues, has roti shops throughout. This is a strong place to start.

Where to Get It in Queens

Queens, especially Richmond Hill and the areas near Jamaica, is the Guyanese and Trinidadian core of the city. Some of the most serious roti in New York is out here.

How to Order Like You Know

A few tips so your first order goes smoothly.

1. Pick your bread first, dhalpuri or buss up shut.
2. Pick your filling, and say bone in or boneless for goat or chicken.
3. Say your heat level. Pepper is usually served on the side or stirred in on request.
4. Ask for extra pepper or extra sauce if you like it wet.

Roti travels well, so it is a great takeout order. Use the lists above to find a shop near you and go get one.

Written by See The Five · kept current from the directory, last checked 2026-09-07