One of Vancouver’s most talked-about Trinidadian food shops is shutting its doors after a short but bright run on Commercial Drive.
Baby Dhal Roti Shop on Commercial Drive has closed for now, chef and owner Dana shared in an emotional Instagram post.
“This chapter is ending in a way I never wanted or expected, and if I’m being honest, I’m heartbroken,” Dana wrote.
“I poured everything I had into this place. The long days, sleepless nights, sacrifices, stress, love, and passion. Baby Dhal was never just a restaurant to me.”
In the post, Dana pointed to a difficult business situation rather than a slow patch at the counter as the reason for the closure.
“Sometimes in business, things happen that are out of your control. Even when the business is doing well, even when you’re fighting with everything you have, one wrong partnership or decision can change everything.”
Earlier this year, she had publicly responded to a Google review about inconsistent hours, explaining that she had lost access to her own Instagram and website “due to some serious complications with a troublesome business partner” and was running the entire operation solo.
Baby Dhal opened in August 2021 and quickly became one of the most loved Trinidadian spots in the city.
The menu leaned into Trinidadian street food and curries, with handcrafted doubles, aloo pie, pholourie, Buss Up Shut and Dhal Puri roti, plus house-made Mabby and Sorrel drinks.
Many regulars routinely ranked it as the best Trinidadian food in Vancouver.
The Commercial Drive unit also carries its own legacy.
The space was previously home to Jamaican Pizza Jerk, run by the late Chef Bounty for more than two decades.
When Baby Dhal opened in 2021, Dana and the team called it an honour to “carry the torch” of the space’s Caribbean roots.
Dana has framed the closure as a pause, not an ending.
“Baby Dhal is not gone. This is a rebuild. A reset. A temporary pause before a stronger comeback. I’ll be back with a fresh start and an even bigger story to tell.”
Baby Dhal Roti Shop joins other recently closed food spots in Vancouver, including La Cerveceria Chinatown, Popeyes Downtown, and Manna Sushi.
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Address: 2707 Commercial Drive, Vancouver BC