Gabe Roberge
I’m not going anywhere that serves house made ketchup
Taste Maker is a food guide from creatives, artists and professional eaters. Follow → Instagram → Previous Guests
Gabe Roberge is a chef, writer, and content creator based in Toronto, Canada. Making simple, elevated, and vegetable-forward recipes showcasing the seasons.
Where do you live most of the year?
Toronto, Canada!
What do you look for in a restaurant when you walk in?
To put it simply, I’m looking for people who give a shit. Over the years, I’ve developed a very keen eye for these kinds of people. I can tell the second I walk into a place if they give a shit or not. Now, don’t be mistaken, giving a shit does not mean fancy or high budget operations (necessarily) but more a dedication to the guest’s experience. A shared vision amongst every heartbeat in the building that the guest comes first. Leave any and all ego at the door and lean into the details. Warm, comforting, and natural service. A surrounding space that sets the vibe and acts as a supporting character for the entire meal you’re about to have. Food and drink made with intention and conviction. These are the things I look for.
I’m not going anywhere that serves house made ketchup. To me, It says a lot about a place when they just make stuff in house for the sake of saying they did, opposed to doing it for the pursuit of a superior product, no one can beat Heinz, no one.
What is your final meal?
Chicken shawarma from Shawarma Palace on Rideau street in Ottawa, Canada. One of my earliest memories is walking there with my dad and ordering a shawarma with everything on it and a side of garlic potatoes. Accept no substitutes.
3 dream guests for dinner? Why?
Joe Talbot - Lead singer of my fave band (IDLES), coolest mf alive. Excellent taste.
Phil Rosenthal - Who doesn’t want to share a table with this dude?! Good vibes only.
My gf Steph lol ily
Gabe’s Taste Maker Guide
Breakfast: Ruby Rouge, Montreal, Canada
Order: At the top of a hidden mini mall down a side street in Chinatown. A classic dim sum hall with passing trollies serving steaming baskets of gold. Get the cheung fun.
Coffee: Cafe Olimpico, Montreal, Canada
Order: Absolute institution. The lineup could be down the block but you’ll be walking out with a perfect espresso in minutes. Shuffle down the line while watching the dozen old Italian men in tracksuits behind the counter ogle the tiny tv playing their soccer game. Amazing.
Lunch: King’s Noodle Restaurant, Toronto, Canada
Order: Fresh egg noodles in broth with a leg of perfect peking duck, all for only eleven bucks. You honestly can’t afford not to go here.
Special dinner: Joe’s Stonecrab, Miami
Order: Ugh I truly love this place with such a deep passion. Probably my roman empire. Real old school joint performing a masterclass in service. Get treated like the king or queen you are. Perfect stone crab, perfect fried chicken, perfect hash browns, perfect key lime pie. Let the gracious server put the plastic bib on for you.
Casual dinner: Bonnie’s, Brooklyn
Order: Get the char siu mcrib and the MSG martini. I think of this martini on an almost daily basis. Perfect drinks, perfect food, perfect vibes. Take a dance break in the disco bathroom!
Special shoutouts
S&P Lunch, NYC - My happy place, sit at the bar and get a half pastrami with a matzoh ball soup.
Terre Restaurant, St. John’s, Canada - Very good friends of mine so maybe I’m biased but this is a truly special place, deep attention to time and place, spectacular food and drink, spectacular vibe.
Boavista Social Club, Lisbon, Portugal - Very fun little plates and hi-fi listening bar with the best tunes.
Field Guide, Halifax, Canada - Some of my fave people on the planet cooking, pouring, serving, and curating on a world class level.
Portillo’s, Chicago, US - Nothing beats it, get a proper chicago dog in ya for gods sake. Get the chocolate cake shake too.
Contramar, Mexico City - One of the best meals of my life, hands down. Very casual and inviting space serving highly technical and outstandingly delicious seafood through a regionally specific lens. Service goes hard too.