excellent food every time, more importantly super clean, quick service that is always smiling!…read morethese young people got it right! happy to give them my money to them every time! i cant wait to try the ox tails. nothing else to say other than it makes me smile to buy great food from a smiling face! -JOSHUA SPOERNDLE PS jerk chicken with cabbage is great for your soul

The taste was there, it was flavorful and delicious. I would rather have the mixed veggies as an…read moreoption, especially for breakfast (lighter). The service was excellent, the guy behind the counter was very pleasant and helpful.

Brand new Jamaican restaurant in Middletown! I had a lunch…read moreportion of ox tails and rice along with a coconut cookie for dessert. The food was so delicious. I'm thrilled to have this restaurant in town. It was a beautiful Spring day, so I took my food to go to eat outdoors, but there was plenty of inside seating. The gentleman who did my order was great, explaining the sizes. Looking forward to returning!

Excellent meal. I had the jerk chicken, along with peas and coconut rice. Spicy but not too much…read morefor my wimpy taste buds. Looking forward to going back and trying the ackee for breakfast! Check it out.

In this food bar, stainless-steel food trays inside a glass case enable you to view exactly what's…read moreon the daily menu. You choose to fit your appetite. The large combo platter comprises your choice of seven dishes, the medium platter is five choices, and the small is three. The five items depicted in my photo of my medium-size plate are, clockwise from the top, grilled tofu, steamed broccoli, baked sweet potatoes, sautéed green beans with red peppers, and curried potatoes. The above descriptions double as the simple names of the dishes. The food does not masquerade behind pretentious titles, nor does it appear flamboyant or pretend to be fanciful. What you're served are affordable and generous portions of delicious and nutritious food. Real food. Americans call this natural food. In the Rasta lexicon, natural foods are redefined as Ital foods. As you might adduce from the photo, the café's two owners are Rastas, and their cuisine is authentic Jamaican Rastafari Ital. "Ital" is derived from the word "vital." To provide "vitality," Ital food on your plate differs little from how it looks on the farm. Ital food is usually vegan, but not always. Only four of the five Rasta cafés in Connecticut and nearby Worcester are strictly vegan. As there is no Board of Ital Cuisine to issue certifications, Ital cooking does vary with the territory. The Ital food served at Caribbean Style Vegan is, as its name attests, always vegan. It also is always nourishing, colorful, and skillfully prepared. Nothing is ever too spicy or too salty or too sweet or too oily or overcooked or undercooked. Grilled in a spicy barbecue sauce, even the jerk tofu is humanely spiced. With just the medium platters, I always feel satiated but never bloated, evidence of the frugal use or total absence of oil. Never drowned in oily sauces, the veggies remain visually recognizable and inherently flavorful. Caribbean Style Vegan stands as my favorite of the seven Ital cafés in which I have dined both stateside and in Jamaica. At the two Ital cafés that I visited in Kingston, neither served any mock meats. Yet at some cafés in the U.S., their varieties of mock meats almost equal their numbers of veggie dishes. I am mystified that in our corner of New England they serve so many highly processed mock meats, a concession to the American lust for meat. In contrast, Caribbean Style Vegan upholds a higher standard. It serves only a single mock meat. Grains, beans, greens, and root vegetables predominate. Most veggies are steamed; a few are sautéed; none are deep-fried. My kind of food. For in-house dining, you'll find two sunlit tables along the south-facing wall of plate glass window. Still, the café is more conducive for takeout. I have witnessed a steady flow of regular customers who sometimes place multiple orders of takeout meals to deliver to their families waiting at home. Yet even when other customers wait in line with you, the wait is always short. Their social media accounts is seldom updated. So view only their website. Yet, the website menu is viewable only during open hours. To place an online order or simply to view the website menu, you must wait until 12 noon, Wednesday to Saturday.

The best food! It's so hard to find good vegan food with big portions at a fair price and these…read moreguys hit the mark every time without fail. We always have full, happy bellies with leftovers to enjoy the next day. The food is consistently amazing and the staff/owners are wonderful! We choose this place over any local vegan option nearly every time and happily make the 30 minute drive without hesitation! A must try even if you aren't vegan

I'm extremely picky when it comes to food , even more when it comes to door dash it takes me…read moreforever to pick and order ! I have to go on web sites and research everything! Service was extremely fast , arrived still hot . The food was best I've had in awhile, jerk chicken, curry chicken, cabbage and veg , Rasta pasta, rice and peas , plantains . Me and my wife really enjoyed all of it . It was very spicy, but not so much that you done keep going back for more ..I've eaten in many restaurants in the Caribbean and this is just as good or not better than what I've had .. I will definitely be eating here again!

I ordered on grubhub and it came in 45 mins. The jerk sauce taste like bbq which I personally do…read morenot like. Without the sauce it is ok. I would order again but a different dish next time.

Miss Nelson gave off such a lovely vibe to myself and cousin while ordering food. She let us know…read moreabout the flavor profiles and what to expect when we tasted the food. 10 stars across the board we had great service. We didn't wait long for our food and everything was great. We look forward to coming back to try something else on the menu. She had so many options of food that you could eat chicken seafood you name it it was there I felt like we walked into my grandmother's or my auntie's home to eat she smiled the whole time we were there she laughed with us and just gave great energy. The food was very flavorful just the right of spice salt and everything else. If you're looking for a great place to get authentic tasting Jamaican food look no further you won't be disappointed

First time customer the food was not good....Rice was slumped up ,watery cabbage no seasoning…read more Etc... I am very disappointed

Pretty good, i got the oxtail and the Rasta pasta. The oxtail was good, they gave a nice amount of…read moregravy. The Rasta pasta needed flavor though. The sauce was bland.

I ate the food so quickly because it was so good! So happy to have found this spot. I purchased the…read moremedium sized oxtails dinner with cabbage and rice and peas. I will definitely be back.

I love going to Sandra's for the convenience, but my favorites have fallen off. String beans tough,…read moreno flavor. Smothered pork chops too much salt. Caribbean rice, too salty. White rice too mushy, Mac & cheese lacks a rich cheesy kick. The last time I had the cabbage, there was no flavor. Nonetheless, I am grateful for this place because I don't like to cook anymore. I just doctor the food e.g. rinse off that salty gravy & add more cheese to the Mac. Add sweet pickles to the potato salad. Make it work.

Sandra's Next Generation has been my absolute staple in the community for over three decades…read more Sandra Pittman has been cooking in this same location since 1989, and I've been eating here consistently since 1995. It is, without question, the best soul food in the state. I have no problem running down I-91 from Hartford just to get my food because the quality and taste are on a level that nobody else can touch. Don't let the neighborhood fool you; this is a masterclass in authentic cooking. Sandra and her husband Miguel have been running this place for over 30 years, and that level of dedication shows in every single dish. The food has the kind of soul and precision that defines the elite dining scene in Connecticut. If you want the real deal--the standard that every other soul food spot is measured against--this is the only place to go. It's a class act that has stayed true to its roots for over 30 years.

Friendliest service I've seen for a business of this size gave me a piece of oxtail because I said…read moreI never had one before so generous and proud to be from Jamaica which was so cool always smiled and the food was really juicy ans fatty almost fell off the bone

I'm new to the area and I decided to place an order. The food was generously served and…read moreexceptionally tasty! Flavor tun up! Blessings Sister Maxine

I was excited to have a Jamaican spot in East Haven, but Hot Roostah was just... meh. I've tried…read morethe jerk chicken, Rasta pasta, oxtail dinner, and beef patties nothing really stood out. I love Jamaican food, but with other great options nearby, I'm not sure this will become a favorite.

I tried the oxtail Rasta pasta prior to this visit and explained to the cashier that the amount of…read moreoxtail was not enough the last time and I also explained for this price of $15.99 each, they should be giving more since there's only one size! I also said I'd pay for more oxtails if anything! She claimed to understand but nothing was different. This place is over priced and the food has no taste! I'm from NY and normally I'd throw the food back at them! I have a family to feed and I definitely will never go back there!

Came here on a weekday as a party of 6 and we really enjoyed the variety of flavors and textures…read morethroughout the meal. The following are what we ordered to share for the entire table: Tuna tartar: this was a refreshing start as the yellowfin tuna with tomato, ginger, soy, sesame, and aioli, served with crispy wonton for some much needed crunch. The combination of savory, creamy, and fresh worked really well. Pulpo: the octopus was nicely grilled, with a tender texture and a subtle char, paired with potato foam, sweet piquillo pepper, tomato, capers, and paprika. The flavors were well balanced without feeling overly heavy. Grilled salmon: was cooked perfectly making it tender and moist. It was also paired with sweet potato, carrots, soybeans, poppy seeds, lemon confit vinaigrette, balsamic, and basil. The sweet and tangy elements gave the salmon plenty of flavor while still letting the fish shine. Cornish hen: comforting and hearty, served with potato confit, pickled brown beech mushrooms, tomato confit, and a garlic-lemon sauce. The pickled mushrooms were a particularly nice contrast to the richness of the chicken and potatoes. Duck confit: The flavors were balanced by parsnip purée, green apple, apple paste, fennel, lavender, and citrus gastrique, with brioche adding another layer of texture. However, the meat was a little dry and probably one of our least favorite dish of the night. Cochinillo: the highlight of our meal. It was rich and satisfying dish. The roasted boneless suckling pig was tender with beautifully developed flavor, paired with lemon, thyme, honey-port sauce, Parmesan dauphinoise potatoes, and a light mesclun salad. The acidity from the lemon and salad helped cut through the richness. The skin was also very crispy giving a satisfying crunch. Overall, Olea does a nice job balancing richness with acidity, sweetness with savory flavors, and soft textures with crunch. The dishes feel thoughtfully composed without being overly complicated, and there was something different and interesting about each course. The portions are also very generous. Our server was friendly and attentive. The restaurant was also spacious and comfortable. This was a really enjoyable dinner in New Haven we would definitely return when we are back in town.

Another amazing meal. We have been coming to Olea since it's opening…read more It was and has remained our absolutely favorite restaurant in New Haven! We always celebrate our anniversary and birthdays here. We have always had amazing meals and wonderful service. We prefer the tasting menu which offers smaller portions of multiple dishes allowing us to enjoy the great variety of chef Manuel Romero's wonderful creations. Each time we come the experience is amazing. Over the years we have enjoyed each new dish as it is presented beautifully. Flavors meld creating real enjoyment. There is nowhere I would prefer to dine. Service is attentive without hovering. So glad we discovered this gem all those years ago and so happy to have been able to be there as the menu has continued to be varied and always delicious. Thanks to all of the staff for the wonderful experience over the years