Tavel Bristol-Joseph is an acclaimed pastry chef and restaurateur, co-owner of the Emmer and Rye Hospitality Group. He is recognized for his innovative dessert creations and his commitment to mentoring and supporting...
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On our trip to Austin, we really wanted to try one of the restaurants from the Emmer & Rye Group. Was so glad to have picked Canje - the food was well-seasoned & well-cooked (all the meats were incredibly tender & the fried foods were not greasy. We loved trying new flavors & ingredient combos as we don't often eat Caribbean food). Hope to come back and try other menu items.
Service was attentive, and things were well-explained during ordering and while receiving the food. Special shoutout to the front of house team & general manager (Erika, I believe), who all showed incredible grace & kindness to our party throughout the meal and when we were leaving. Thank you, Canje team!!
Canje is hands down the best food I’ve ever had in Austin. Every dish was packed with flavor, but the pink watermelon and the curry were absolutely dreamy—creative, perfectly balanced, and unforgettable.
A huge shoutout to Cal, who made the experience even better. She was incredibly knowledgeable, attentive, and recommended so many amazing options that we probably wouldn’t have ordered on our own. Every suggestion was a hit.
From the food to the service, everything exceeded expectations. If you’re looking for a special dining experience in Austin, Canje is a must-visit. I can’t wait to come back and try more of the menu! 🍉✨🍛
4
Canje was just alright. The place is rowdy, the service is nice, and the staff's recommendation were pretty neat. But the food wasn't a complete home run.
The complementary pink pineapple was pretty good. I'm a fan of pineapple, so this starter was very refreshing. The sweetness, acidity, and spices melded brilliantly, making me devour the fruits quickly.
The Wagyu Beef Suya was easily the best thing I had. The presentation was cute, but the cook on the Wagyu was simply superb. It phenomenally seasoned and juicy, and the surrounding spices gave it a nice kick. The onions weren't too strong to make an impact and were pretty scarce (maybe make them pickled)?
The Wild Boar Pepperpot and Guyanese Roti came together. It makes sense because Rotis go well with a sauce, and it would be a waste to throw away the leftover Pepperpot sauce (apparently they use it to make their Cassareep Ice Cream). However the Pepperpot would've definitely matched better with the coconut rice because the sauce was quite sweet and not viscous. The Pepperpot is extremely similar to Szechuan Braised Pork Belly, so this dish had a very familiar, but welcoming feeling.
I was still hungry so I got the Jerk Beef Patties, but they were just over priced empanadas. I prefer the empanada to be gushing with flavor instead of having a dip. I wasn't impressed by the tastes and sizes, so I was pretty disappointed.
The Tres Leches was also just alright. I've had some pretty good ones, so I might have a preference in how they are prepared. The cake was light, airy, moist, sweet, and had notes of sourness from the seasonal jam. With all of that said, none of it fully delivered. I think the cake could've been at least 50% more sweeter, and the seasonal jam made the dessert more interesting/different instead of more tasty (to me at least).
Overall, I'm satisfied with the 5 dishes that I had and the price that I paid for. Although I had some good bites, I wouldn't give anything I had a strong recommendation. Do I regret coming here? No. Would I strongly suggest others to come here? Also no. I can see the appeal, but it wasn't for me.
5
Canje was a 5 star experience! I had originally booked a table for 2 and messaged them the day before to see if I could make it 3 and they were more than accommodating. Then, I forgot to tell my plus 1 that I booked an outdoor table and he wore jeans so without me even requesting it, the hostess said, “do you think you would be more comfortable dining inside?” Remember this place was already booked on reservations!
The food was outstanding. I, admittedly, don’t know much about Caribbean food but it was all full of flavor and lovely presentation.
Our server was the cherry on top. We told him how much we liked one of the cocktails and he went out of his way to get us the recipe. Somehow I missed snapping photos of the West Indian curry or the Jerk Chicken
5 plus stars from start to finish.
5
Had dinner at Canje. I had no expectations going into the restaurant, but was blown away. We had four people and the waitress recommended 8 dishes.
We started with the Pink Pineapple, Jerk Beef Patties, and Wagyu Beef Suya. All were delicious with the Pink Pineapple surprising the whole table. Our main dishes were the West Indian Curry, Wild Boar Pepperpot and Jerk Chicken with a side of Roti. Where to begin? It was all delicious! The Jerk Chicken has some great heat and brought sweet to my brow.
We finished with the Tres Leches and Stewed Mango Pudding. Their take on the Tres Leches was a little different (not saturated in milk) but good. The pudding was phenomenal! I highly recommend and look forward to coming back.
