Ackee Tree: The Roti That Really Is Bigggggggggg

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Can you imagine eating 1 lb of flour, potato, beef and chickpeas? Well, you can and it comes in the form of a roti from Ackee Tree Restaurant, located in Worthing Food Court.

And when I say 1 lb, I’m not exaggerating. These rotis are BIGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Of course, the beef roti is only one of the options. You can choose from shrimp, chicken, goat and a whole host of other combinations. But regardless of what you put inside, one thing remains consistent: you are getting a serious amount of food wrapped up in that roti skin.

My first Ackee Tree experience

The first time I had a roti from Ackee Tree, I didn’t even know the restaurant existed.

My uncle was taking me somewhere, and because he knew I loved rotis, he mentioned that there was a place that made some really big ones. Naturally, I was interested. When he handed me the roti, I immediately understood what he meant.

It was “bigggggggggggg.”

Not kind of big. Not a little bigger than normal. This was the kind of roti that makes you stop and look at it before figuring out exactly how you are going to eat the thing.

Having grown up and lived in the north of the island, I never really had the opportunity to visit Ackee Tree that often. At the time, they were located in Hastings, so a trip to Ackee Tree was always a bit of a special treat for me. And whenever I went, I often took someone new with me.

Eventually, Ackee Tree became one of those places where you didn’t really need to explain what you were going for. If we said, “Let’s go to Ackee Tree,” we already knew what that meant. We wanted rotis.

So, what do I love about Ackee Tree?

There are actually quite a few things.

Firstly, I love the name.

Ackee Tree is such a uniquely Caribbean—and particularly Barbadian-sounding—name that it immediately stands out.

What we in Barbados call ackee, many Jamaicans and people elsewhere in the Caribbean know as guinep. So the name itself feels like a little piece of home. It is memorable, distinctly Caribbean, and, in my opinion, an excellent choice for a restaurant.

Secondly, and probably most importantly, I absolutely love the taste.

The rotis themselves are delicious. The roti skin has that wonderful balance between being substantial enough to hold everything together while still being enjoyable on its own. Then you add the beef, potato and channa, and suddenly you have all these different textures and flavours working together.

And then there are the sauces.

The tamarind sauce adds that sweet and tangy flavour, while the pepper sauce gives it the kick that I personally want from a good roti. The funny thing is, you could eat the individual components separately and they would still taste good. But when you put everything together, that’s when Ackee Tree really works its magic.

My personal go-to is the beef and potato roti with channa and tamarind sauce. That combination is hard for me to resist.

Thirdly, I love the variety.

One of the things that makes Ackee Tree stand out is the sheer number of combinations you can create. It isn't simply a case of choosing between beef, chicken, shrimp or goat and calling it a day. You also have choices when it comes to the fillings and what you want inside your roti.

You can have an all beef roti, an all chicken roti, an all potato roti. You can add channa. You can play around with the sauces.

So even if two people go to Ackee Tree and order “a roti,” they could end up with two completely different meals. And if you’re anything like me, once you find your favourite combination, you’re probably going to stick with it.

But there’s more than just rotis.

This is where I have to admit something slightly embarrassing. I have never bought anything from Ackee Tree other than a roti. Not once. And that’s not because they don't have other options. Quite the opposite. Their menu extends beyond rotis, including rice bowls and other meals.

I once went there with a friend who ordered a goat bowl. He didn't have to give me a review. He didn't have to tell me how good it was. I simply noticed that every time he goes to Ackee Tree, he gets the goat bowl. That tells me everything I need to know.

So while I remain loyal to my beef and potato roti, I probably need to expand my horizons a little and actually try some of the other things on the menu.

And finally, the staff.

A restaurant can have great food, but the people behind the counter can make the experience so much better. Martyn and his wife have always been friendly faces to see whenever I visit. There is a warmth and welcoming feeling about the place that makes you feel comfortable.

And I think that matters because when you find a place where the food is good, the portions are generous, the people are friendly, and you can walk in knowing you're going to leave satisfied, you tend to keep coming back.

And that is really what Ackee Tree has become for me.

It started with my uncle telling me, “These rotis are big.” I tried one, then I took other people. Then those people wanted to go back. And somewhere along the way, Ackee Tree became one of those places that I associate not just with food, but with the experience of discovering a good local spot and wanting other people to experience it too.