Jamaican Patties in Toronto: Coco Bread and Where to Get It

The perfect Toronto lunch fits in a paper bag and shows up golden, flaky and still warm: the Jamaican patty, ideally inside a soft slab of coco bread.

What is a Jamaican patty?

A patty is a pastry hand pie with a seasoned filling. CBC says the hand pie can be traced to Spanish empanadas and English Cornish pasties. In Jamaica, beef patties are flavoured with herbs and spices including garlic, onion, curry powder and thyme, plus sugar and chillies, and other fillings include chicken, ackee and saltfish, and mixed vegetables. The yellow in the crust comes from turmeric and curry powder. Put those together and you have the whole reason a patty travels so well: a handheld meal that carries its own seasoning.

What fillings should I try?

Start with the classic spicy beef, then work outward. The fillings CBC lists in Jamaica include chicken, ackee and saltfish, and mixed vegetables, which means a vegetarian at the table has a real option. Ask each shop what it is filling that day, since a quick question at the counter is part of the fun. If you only have room for one, make it beef; if you have room for two, make the second a filling you cannot pronounce yet.

What is coco bread, and why wrap a patty in it?

A CBC feature, quoting a local baker, says a traditional way to eat a Jamaican patty is sandwiched in coco bread, a lightly sweetened bun made with coconut milk. The logic is simple. The patty brings heat and flake, and the bun brings soft, sweet comfort, so each bite lands somewhere between a snack and a sandwich. Ask for it warm, keep napkins close, and let the crumbs fall where they may. Pair this guide with our jerk chicken guide and our roti guide if you are building a full Caribbean lunch.

Does Toronto have its own patty story?

It does. CBC says that on Feb. 19, 1985 a “Patty Summit” between government representatives and patty makers agreed the flaky hand pies could be called Jamaican patties. Soon after, Toronto celebrated its first Jamaican Patty Day. That is a fine bit of local history to chew on while you wait for the oven tray to come out.

Where is Little Jamaica?

Little Jamaica is the nickname for the Eglinton West corridor. The City of Toronto says the corridor has been of great cultural heritage significance as a distinct ethnic and cultural hub for Caribbean and African immigrants for many decades. It adds that the area is recognized for clusters of Black-owned businesses of cultural relevance, including restaurants specializing in Caribbean cuisine. In June 2026, City Council directed staff to begin formal recognition of Cultural Districts, including the Little Jamaica Cultural District. Read our Line 5 Eglinton guide before you plan the trip.

Where do I get a patty in Toronto?

We list a shop below only after we have seen recent activity from the business itself and a second independent source, so this is a short list we can stand behind. We will add more as we confirm them.

1

Kingston 12 Patty Shop

Little JamaicaOfficial site Share

Kingston 12 Patty Shop is at 1808 Eglinton Avenue West. The City of Toronto’s Little Jamaica community story gathering summary lists it as a relatively new, but well-known Jamaican patty shop in the area. Our pick for a first patty on the strip, and an easy stop on the way to the rest of the neighbourhood.

2

Fahmee Bakery

ScarboroughOfficial site Share

Fahmee Bakery’s own site says it is now at Malvern Town Centre, at 31 Tapscott Rd in Scarborough. Our pick if your patty route runs through Scarborough. Check their site for the current menu and ordering.

3

Allwyn's Bakery

North YorkOfficial site Share

Allwyn’s says it was established in 1994 as a small take-out spot in North York and has grown to seven locations across the GTA. Its tagline lists jerk chicken, jerk pork, patties, oxtail, curry goat and roti. It lists a North York location at 81 Underhill Drive and a Queen Street West location at 404 Queen Street West. The shop says its jerk sauce is made in-house, completely from scratch. Order a patty, then add something with sauce and a piece of coco bread to mop it up.

What makes a good patty?

Judge the pastry first. It should flake, hold its shape in one hand and leave a little yellow on your fingers. Then judge the filling: the seasoning should arrive in layers rather than all at once, and the heat should build instead of shouting. A good patty needs no sauce, and a good coco bread needs no apology. This is opinion, not science, and every Torontonian has a different favourite, so keep notes and send them to the group chat.

How do I plan a patty route?

Start in Little Jamaica for the neighbourhood, where the main street itself is part of the experience, then travel to a second shop for comparison. Walk a few blocks between bites, window-shop, and let the first patty settle before you start on the second. Order the same thing at each stop, usually a spicy beef patty, so you can judge the flake of the crust, the heat and the filling without the variables. If you have a third stop in you, get the patty in coco bread and decide which version you prefer. For more dish-by-dish ideas, return to our what to eat in Toronto guide.

Send this to the friend you would bring, and let them choose the filling.