Espee Chicken: Suriname's Homegrown Poultry Powerhouse
Fresh-off-the-grill rotisserie chicken straight from the country's biggest local producer
Why Go
Everyone in Paramaribo knows the Espee name — it's stamped on chickens and eggs in supermarkets nationwide — but the Livorno outlet on Ramnarain Oemrawweg is where locals go to grab a whole bird still hot from the roaster, no middleman required.
The Experience
This isn't a sit-down destination restaurant; it's a working poultry counter attached to Espee's operations on the industrial edge of Paramaribo, a short drive south of the city centre. Expect a busy, no-frills local vibe: order at the counter, watch chickens turning on the rotisserie, and walk out with a warm foil-wrapped bundle within minutes. Cars queue at lunch and again in the early evening as families pick up dinner. The staff is briskly friendly, the smell of garlic-and-spice roasted chicken hangs in the air, and prices are the kind that make you wonder how anyone charges more elsewhere. It's a slice of real Surinamese daily life — practical, cheap, and delicious.
What to Try
Order a whole roasted chicken (hele gebraden kip) — Espee's signature — with a side of bara or fried plantain if available. Half chickens and quarter portions are on offer for smaller appetites. Grab a bottle of Fernandes soda (a Surinamese classic) to complete the takeaway. If you're self-catering, the attached shop sells raw cuts, wings, and eggs fresher than anything you'll find in a supermarket.
Insider Tip
Espee is takeaway-first, so plan to eat elsewhere — grab your chicken and picnic at the Palmentuin or take it back to your guesthouse. Go before 12:30pm or after 6pm to skip the office-lunch and after-work rushes. Bring cash in SRD; card machines can be unreliable at neighbourhood outlets like this one.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Ramnarain Oemrawweg 1a2, Livorno, Paramaribo. Location is roughly 10–15 minutes by taxi south of the historic centre — easiest reached by car or rideshare rather than on foot. Cash (Surinamese dollar) is your safest bet. This is a poultry counter/quick-service outlet rather than a dine-in restaurant, so expect fast, functional service and takeaway packaging. Halal poultry (Espee is Suriname's largest local producer, established 1986).
Pair It With
- Palmentuin (Palm Garden) — Grab your Espee chicken to go and picnic under the towering royal palms in the centre of Paramaribo — a classic local move.
- Fernandes Bottling Company drinks — Pair your chicken with a bottle of Fernandes' iconic green apple or ginger ale soda for the full Surinamese takeaway experience.
- Central Market (Centrale Markt) — Combine a stop at Espee with a wander through Paramaribo's bustling waterfront market for a fuller taste of everyday Surinamese food culture.
- Warung-hopping in Blauwgrond — If you're on a food tour of the city, follow Espee's chicken with a Javanese-Surinamese warung dinner across town for a two-cuisine day.
