Shanta Restaurant
A no-frills Indo-Guyanese pit stop near the Suriname ferry crossing
Why Go
Tucked into No. 61 Village on the last stretch of Guyana's Corentyne coast, Shanta is the kind of small family kitchen most Suriname-bound travellers rush past ΓÇö and then wish they hadn't. If your ferry to South Drain leaves in a few hours (or you've just come off the crossing from Nickerie), this is a warm, unfussy detour where the curry comes out fast and the prices stay village-level.
The Experience
Don't come here expecting a designed dining room or a menu in three languages. Shanta is a modest roadside spot along the Corentyne Highway, the kind of place that fills up with sugar-belt workers at lunch and quiets down by dusk. Order at the counter, grab a plastic chair, and let the smell of frying puri and slow-simmered curry do the rest. It's a good window into the Indo-Guyanese half of the Guiana border culture ΓÇö the same Hindustani roots you'll meet again in Nickerie, just cooked on this side of the river.
What to Try
Anything roti-based is the safe move: dhal puri with chicken or duck curry is the classic Berbice combo, and you'll usually find fish curry or channa (chickpea) on rotation when the catch or the crowd calls for it. Ask what's freshly cooked that hour rather than reading the board ΓÇö this is a kitchen that rotates by demand, not by menu.
Insider Tip
If you're catching the Canawaima/South Drain ferry to Suriname, eat here first ΓÇö the terminal side has almost no real food, and prices in Suriname jump the moment you clear customs. Bring small Guyanese dollars in cash (cards are unlikely) and, if you can, order a roti to go for the boat.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Lot 237, No. 61 Village, East Berbice-Corentyne, Guyana ΓÇö roughly 20ΓÇô30 minutes' drive from the Moleson Creek ferry terminal to Suriname. Hours are informal village hours (typically lunch through early evening; closed or reduced on Sundays is common in the area) ΓÇö call ahead or ask your driver to check. Cash only should be assumed. Very casual dress; no reservations.
Pair It With
- 101 Suites Guide — A convenient Suriname-side base once you've cleared the ferry, if you're overnighting near Nickerie before pushing on to Paramaribo.
- 88 Car Rental Suriname Guide — Pick up wheels on the Suriname side after crossing ΓÇö pairs naturally with a last Guyanese meal at Shanta before the border.
- Aanansi ATV Tours Guide — If you're building a cross-border itinerary, an ATV day in Suriname's interior is a fun contrast to the flat coastal drive that Shanta sits on.