Ninth Square Market Too Caribbean Style

had jerk tofu, curry tofu, mac n cheese, dumplings, and greens. all delicious, especially the jerk tofu

In this food bar, stainless-steel food trays inside a glass case enable you to view exactly what’s on 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 food is usually vegan, but not always. Only four of the five Rasta cafés in Connecticut and nearby Worcester are strictly vegan. 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. To place an online order or simply to view the website menu, you must wait until 12 noon, Wednesday to Saturday.

Food is excellent, though the full menu is often not ready at once, especially if you arrive right at opening

Insanely good!

First time having Caribbean food. Homemade food at a very reasonable price. Highly recommended!

Honestly the food is a 5 stars but the staff, every time I've gone, seem to hate being there. Maybe I'm just misinterpreting but the vibes were off.

What a gem. I had no idea this place was here and am so grateful I found it. The jerk tofu was incredibly delicious as was the curried broccoli. This is now on my New Haven food map and it conveniently on the way to the train station. 100% will return. Loved the family atmosphere and the prices were incredibly fair and the meal (3 items) was super filling. Thank you for an amazing experience!

The best food I've had in Connecticut and it's not even close! Incredible prices too. I could eat the jerk tofu every day and never get tired of it.

Delicious experience. I bought the vegan fish patty and the jerk plantain patty. Both were very good, having a clean distinct taste. The crust flaky and crispy.

First day closed half a hour early, second day closed a hour early when they close 8pm both days I’ve gone. They haven’t answered the phone both days aswell calling before I left to go, food is amazing and options are superb! Hours are false and rarely answers the phone🫤

I had some of the best vegan food around. I will be frequently this place. If you ever are in new haven, stop by, it's worth it.Peace

This place is so so yummy. The jerk tofu is one of most delicious things I’ve ever had. Healthy, filling, and tasty.

Don’t be fooled by the humble appearance.. this place has hands down some of the best food in New England. All of the options are fantastic and the taste is out of this world.

The pizza is great in New Haven. But you gotta get food from here!! Amazing flavor, absolutely delicious! Great tunes and easy vibes. A must in New Haven!

This spot is a hidden gem to get healthy food that is also really tasty - from vegans to meat eaters will enjoy the experience!