When I think about Jamaican patties, I think about junior high. And those three years were awful; I wouldn’t wish them on my worst enemy. But patties got me through it.
I was the shortest kid in school, relentlessly teased by older students. The boys wouldn’t let me sit with them during homeroom, so I found a spot with the more sympathetic girls (the origin story for gay boys everywhere, if there ever was one). My skin resembled a Dr. Oetker pizza 10 minutes into the oven: greasy and bubbling beneath the surface. Somehow, despite all that, my grades and extracurriculars earned me a nomination for valedictorian, though no one told me the nominees were gathering for a photo out front. I only realized it when I saw the photo printed in the yearbook.
The one bright spot? As silly as it sounds, it was the first time I had a Jamaican patty.
Which Jamaican patty is the best? Vote for your favourite.
Wilson, KelseyOur school sat across from Cliffwood Plaza, just south of the Markham border in North York, where there was an outpost of George’s Tastee. I knew it back then as a Chinese bakery — familiar and economical, the perfect place to eat my feelings. The guy behind the counter gave off a protective uncle vibe. Maybe it was all in my head, but I felt like no one would mess with me while he was around.
One lunch break, I noticed other students bypassing the pineapple and sausage buns at the front and heading straight to the counter for these golden-brown, half-moon-shaped things. I followed. I didn’t know anything about Jamaican patties — not their history, not their deep roots in the city. But I knew how that first one felt: the warm paper bag crinkling under my fingers, the heat pressing through, the steam snaking out with the first bite, and the unmistakable scotch bonnet burn in the gravy. I hadn’t tasted anything like it. It cost just a dollar back then, which meant I could pocket $15 of the $20 my dad gave me for lunch each week. The patty made going to school much less of a drag.
Two hours. Six stops. Lots of snacks. How to make the most of a two-hour Presto fare window.
Two hours. Six stops. Lots of snacks. How to make the most of a two-hour Presto fare window.
I know I’m not the only one with a patty story. Because in ѻý, patties aren’t just a snack — they’re part of the daily rhythm of life. They’re good because you can buy one with the change at the bottom of your bag. They’re delicious because you can grab one in 30 seconds on your way to the subway. They’re satisfying because walking out of a bakery with a frozen box feels like a small win.
In 2024, customers lined up down Eglinton and Oakwood to celebrate the then reopening of Randy’s Patties in Little Jamaica — one of ѻý’s beloved spots.
Nick Lachance ѻý StarThey’re also baked into ѻý’s history. Feb. 23 marks the day, 40 years ago, when a group of local patty vendors pushed back against outdated federal food-labelling laws — and won the right to keep calling them “patties.” It was a small but symbolic victory that hinted at the city ѻý would become: one of the most diverse food scenes in the world.
Today, we’re lucky to have dozens of bakeries and patty shops — Randy’s, Michidean, Caribbean Queen of Patties, Patty King, to name just a few — and zero agreement on who makes the best one. But in the spirit of the patty, we’re going to try.
Two years since a fire shut down Jamaican patty maker Fahmee Bakery’s operations, the patties are back at Bathurst Station.
Two years since a fire shut down Jamaican patty maker Fahmee Bakery’s operations, the patties are back at Bathurst Station.
Starting Monday, July 28, you’ll be able to vote in a Star-hosted bracket to help crown ѻý’s favourite patty. Sixteen shops will face off, with daily votes narrowing the field until we reach the winner on Friday, Aug. 1.
Now that you’ve read my patty story, I’d love to hear yours — the ones that made you fall in love with a flaky crust, or got you through something tough. If you’re up for sharing, email me at karonliu@thestar.ca and tell me a bit about yourself, your go-to patty shop, and why it matters to you.
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