Sew's Roti Shop
Nickerie's beloved morning roti stop, where the curry pot starts steaming before sunrise.
Why Go
In a rice-country town where breakfast is a serious matter, locals crowd the counter at Sew's for one thing: pillowy, freshly-griddled roti wrapped around slow-simmered curry that tastes like somebody's grandmother is still in the back.
The Experience
Sew's is the kind of hole-in-the-wall Indo-Surinamese roti shop that Suriname does better than anywhere else on earth, and Nieuw Nickerie ΓÇö with its deep Hindustani roots ΓÇö is arguably where the tradition sings loudest. The room is unfussy: a few plastic chairs, a glass warmer, the hiss of dhalpuri (yellow-split-pea-stuffed flatbread) being cooked to order on the tawa. Orders move fast, mostly to-go, wrapped in butcher paper that soaks up curry oil on the walk home. By late morning the regulars have cleared out, by 1pm the shutters come down, and if you're not there early you're not eating. Come hungry, come with cash, and come knowing that this is breakfast the way rice farmers, market vendors, and taxi drivers have been eating it in western Suriname for generations.
What to Try
The classic order is roti kip (chicken curry roti) with a side of aloo (curried potato), kousenband (long string beans), and a boiled egg tucked inside ΓÇö everything gets scooped up with your hands, no cutlery needed. Ask for masala kip if you want the deeper, drier spice-rubbed version. Duck roti (roti eend) is the connoisseur's pick when available. A cold Fernandes soft drink ΓÇö Suriname's own citrusy soda ΓÇö is the correct beverage.
Insider Tip
Show up before 9am on a weekday. The curry is at its freshest, the roti is still coming off the griddle in a steady rhythm, and you'll dodge the late-morning market rush when they occasionally sell out of the chicken. Point at what you want in the warmer if your Dutch or Sarnami is shaky ΓÇö nobody minds, and everyone eats the same thing anyway. Bring small SRD notes; card is not a thing here.
The Practical Stuff
Julianastraat, Nieuw Nickerie. Open MondayΓÇôSaturday roughly 7amΓÇô1pm, closed Sundays and often gone by early afternoon once the day's curry runs out. Cash only (Surinamese dollars). Mostly takeaway with a few seats; no reservations, no menu card ΓÇö just walk up and order. Phone +597 231-934. A five-minute drive or ride from central Nieuw Nickerie hotels.
Pair It With
- 101 Suites Guide — A convenient Nieuw Nickerie base ΓÇö grab your roti to-go and eat it on the balcony before heading out to explore the rice fields and Bigi Pan.
- 597SpeedUp Watertubing Guide — Fuel up on a proper roti breakfast before a morning on the water ΓÇö Sew's opens early enough that you can eat and still make an activity start time.
- Aanansi ATV Tours Guide — An off-road day through Nickerie's backroads deserves a hearty carb-and-curry start; pack an extra roti for the trail.
- 4x4xJankie Guide — Rent your wheels, then make Sew's your first stop before pointing the truck toward the coast or the Corantijn River.