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Every Queens Restaurant Marcus Samuelsson Visits on ‘No Passport Required’

Where to find Guyanese pine tarts, roti, and more

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In this episode of No Passport Required, chef and host Marcus Samuelsson visits Little Guyana in Queens to learn more about the community and sample some of Guyanese cuisine. Guyanese food is the product of a transcontinental, migration-driven history. Indentured servants from India were sent over to work on Guyanese sugar plantations, bringing South Asian influences to South American soil. From there, the influence of British colonialism and of neighboring Caribbean countries continued to shape the culture and cuisine.

Today, a Guyanese-American community thrives in New York City, spanning the length of Liberty Avenue in Richmond Hill. These families respect and value their Guyanese roots, and they embrace their home in Queens, building businesses that are designed to endure for generations to come. Here are the locations featured in this episode, listed in order of appearance.

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Sybil's

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Raymond Mohan, chef and owner of Lolo’s, takes Samuelsson to Sybil’s for a quintessential Guyanese spread. Owner Viburt “Cooky” Bernard cooks up dishes like blood pudding and pepperpot, a spiced meat stew eaten with plait bread. His son, Brien Bernard, describes the Guyanese pine tart, a traditional pineapple-filled pastry and one of Sybil’s bestselling items.

Sonny’s Roti Shop

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NYPD Inspector Deodat “Deo” Urprasad introduces Samuelsson to Sonny’s Roti Shop, where Indo-Guyanese and Indo-Trinidadian cuisines share space on the menu. They dine on doubles — fried flatbread topped with curried chickpeas — while discussing the importance of diversity and inclusion in the law enforcement sector.

Singh's Roti Shop & Bar

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Shivani Collado manages Singh’s Roti Shop, which combines Caribbean, Indian, and Chinese culinary influences into one very popular menu. At night, the restaurant adopts an entirely different atmosphere, bringing in live reggae and calypso music that people can eat, drink, and dance to.

Mazi Nightclub

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JonOne is a DJ at Mazi Nightclub, threading elements of traditional Indian and Guyanese music into EDM mixings to form what he calls Caribbean dance music. Jon and his family invite Samuelsson over for dinner and talk more about preserving their culture through music, dance, and food.

Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Temple Canteen

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According to Samuelsson, this Hindu temple serves up some of the best vegetarian food in all of New York City in its basement food hall. At Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, people of all religious identities are welcome to participate in prayer services and eat Indian and Caribbean foods like roti and potato curry.

Sybil's

Raymond Mohan, chef and owner of Lolo’s, takes Samuelsson to Sybil’s for a quintessential Guyanese spread. Owner Viburt “Cooky” Bernard cooks up dishes like blood pudding and pepperpot, a spiced meat stew eaten with plait bread. His son, Brien Bernard, describes the Guyanese pine tart, a traditional pineapple-filled pastry and one of Sybil’s bestselling items.

Sonny’s Roti Shop

NYPD Inspector Deodat “Deo” Urprasad introduces Samuelsson to Sonny’s Roti Shop, where Indo-Guyanese and Indo-Trinidadian cuisines share space on the menu. They dine on doubles — fried flatbread topped with curried chickpeas — while discussing the importance of diversity and inclusion in the law enforcement sector.

Singh's Roti Shop & Bar

Shivani Collado manages Singh’s Roti Shop, which combines Caribbean, Indian, and Chinese culinary influences into one very popular menu. At night, the restaurant adopts an entirely different atmosphere, bringing in live reggae and calypso music that people can eat, drink, and dance to.

Mazi Nightclub

JonOne is a DJ at Mazi Nightclub, threading elements of traditional Indian and Guyanese music into EDM mixings to form what he calls Caribbean dance music. Jon and his family invite Samuelsson over for dinner and talk more about preserving their culture through music, dance, and food.

Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Temple Canteen

According to Samuelsson, this Hindu temple serves up some of the best vegetarian food in all of New York City in its basement food hall. At Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, people of all religious identities are welcome to participate in prayer services and eat Indian and Caribbean foods like roti and potato curry.

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