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Patty King
Category: Restaurants Caribbean Caribbean [Edit]
187 Baldwin StToronto, ON M5T 1M1
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market
(416) 977-3191
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
20 reviews for Patty King
20 reviews in English
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Review from Tracy W.
Toronto, ON
5/24/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Patti King, Patti King, baker's man. All hail the Monarch of Kensington Market. Known for it's Jamaican patties and roti, this little shop is always hopping with business. I'm not here often, however, each time my sister visits from out of town, she drags me here to load up on the goods. The goods being several dozen delicious Jamaican Patties. She's hooked like something rather wrong, but still, very right. She even is pushing the patties on her friends and neighbours. They, too, have jumped aboard the patty train.
Myself, I've sampled a bit here and there, and enjoyed everything. The King serves up a solid roti, fantastic doubles, and of course, patties. All fine offerings, indeed. Need lunch on the cheap? That $1.25 burning a tiny hole in your pocket? Here's the solution. And a fine solution, it is.
Speaking of, I'll add this: While living in my old neighbourhood, I was routinely stopped by a gentleman, of, *ahem, no fixed address. He would abruptly shout, "Looney Tooney for coffee donut?!". Personally, I feel that he should spending his hustle on a party or double from Patti King, instead. Now, that,my dear reader, would be money well spent. -
Review from D'Arcy M.
Toronto, ON
4/21/2012
O Patty King, I loove youu!
I've been eating patties from here since my parents started picking up batches of them for my school lunches (I'm 25 now). I still completely crave, adore, and savor these little bundles of goodness. I never take them for granted and I miss them when I haven't eaten them in a while. True love.
Patties are wonderful little pockets of warmth and delicousness. Outside they're bright yellow and cheery and inside they're filled with salty, savoury, sometimes spicy goodness.
I can't vouch for the healthiness of these little guys but they're definitely made with love and that comes through in the flavour. (They're made with lots of lard and shortening and food dye and salt, but its alllright. I can't vouch for vegetarianness either but I've turned a blind eye when I was vegetarian because I didn't want to limit myself from experiencing such a delicious cultural food).
The goat patty is aamaazing! The chickpea patty and goat patty have a smoother, non-flaky crust that I really prefer. Otherwise, I love the spicy beef patty and the chicken patty with their flaky pastry shell too. I'm really quite fond of the chickpea patties, which have the same filling as the doubles, but I find that depending on the day they can be dry of less flavoursome. Huh.. also, the veggie patty has curried carrots, peas, and greenbeans inside that seem like they're from frozen. Not so awesome. Stick to the chickpea-based veggie options and yummy callalloo patties.
The doubles are really something else. They're not particularly awesome (and not particularly authentic, I hear) but something about their warm doughyness and chickpea curry insides tasting of bouillon cubes/celery salt that makes me love them. Sigh.
This place is cute, its always hopping. The women who work there are lovely. I go by regularly to check for day-old baked goods and breads, which get reduced significantly. I love their buns and some of the cookies are alright. Some of the baked goods i've had have been very bland. Don't even bother with the beef rolls (lard-y and congealed.. maybe I'm missing something?) and spinach and fetas buns (w processed cheese). The little bench out front is a nice place to people watch with your friend while tossing patty nibbles to your dog/pigeons.
5 stars for keeping me coming back for most of my life and my enduring adoration of the patties.Listed in: vegetarian slacker
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Review from Rachel L.
Toronto, ON
8/22/2011
This review is strictly for the doubles.
A friend introduced it to me as a staple food of living in Kensington/being vegetarian but didn't quite explain what it is. After scouring the Internet, I learned that doubles represent the Indian in "West Indian" and apparently are a Trini thing. They're pretty much channa masala (spiced chickpea mixture) sandwiches that are bright yellow. They are delicious. There is some sort of spice blend that I can't identify (Jamaican jerk spice?), but even in my most hungover moments, the spice is just what I need.
Doubles cost $1.58 with tax and are the perfect size for a snack. Get two if you're really hungry.
I doubt I would ever buy anything else in the bakery, but doubles are on my unofficial tasting tour of Kensington and I love them. I am extremely not Caribbean, did not grow up in Toronto/anywhere with any sort of Caribbean culure, and was introduced to doubles by a white girl from PEI. So all that said, doubles are the best. -
Review from M P.
Toronto, ON
10/22/2011
My stomach screams for Patty King now every time I'm in Kensington Market.
Pop in, say hi to the lovely owners, and grab a patty for your tummy's sake. You will NOT regret it!! They are so fluffy and light, it's a beauty!! -
Review from Angelo T.
6/18/2011
When I was wandering around Kensington in my visit to TO, I started to see people walking by and sitting around with a Jamaican patty and the mysterious modified patty sandwiches in their hand, eating with invigorated contentment ignoring any outside world interruption. When I soon turned a corner I saw a huge line up that led to Patty King.
Surprisingly the wait wasn't long but once I arrived at the counter, I had no idea what to order. But I ended up walking away with several patty variations except the traditional beef patty :S I also forgot to purchase a drink and soon I found a spot in the market and squatted down and began to shove the delicious and spicy patties into my maw under a hot summer day.
I've heard the people use the term "love at first bite" when it comes to eating their most treasured local foods. Considering I was just a doe-eyed Calgarian wandering the streets of Toronto(unarmed), I would consider this as one hell of culinary vacation one-night-stand. Yes that means the patties were that amazing -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
12/9/2010
Patty... The essential quick meal in anybody's lunch list as a meat-loving spicy-high crispy flaky pastry. This Patty King Bakery Factory in Scarborough almost looks out of place because they seemed to have more atmosphere than the clean-cold look of the Scarborough destination. Walking inside is of Grocery store/Bakery aesthetics suitable to the Kensington Market environment.
Mild Patty on Coco Bread - It's not a rare delicacy by any means but it brings back many years of memories and lunch times. No sitting area available but these things can disappear in seconds within a few bites and you're off to your regular scheduled program. They also have the same cooked items that the Scarborough spot has as well such as Stewed Ox-tail, Chicken, etc...Listed in: T.O.urist in Town, I'm the real JERK
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Review from Clarissa S.
4/17/2011
I grew up on frozen Patty King patties, so coming here to nosh on a childhood memory was a bit of a Proustian experience for me a good 16 years after I left Toronto.
Although a patty and a soda only costs a toonie and some change, the nostalgia of biting into one of these puppies is priceless. While I find the flaky crust and delectable filling to be delicious, I'd be lying if I said I thought that these were the best patties in the world because to be honest, I've had better since my childhood. However, they are pretty awesome.
Caveat Emptor on the doubles though....Not so much. The bread and chana masala filling left quite a bit to be desired. Pass and go for the goat patty. -
Review from Tom K.
9/9/2010
Patty king, patty king, baker's man.
Bake me doubles as fast as you can.
And charge only $1.50!
And see me come back for more, turning my doubles into a home run I suppose?
My wife warned me that eating doubles might be messy. This is based on past doubles experience, where channa curry is slopped onto two bakes, grease and all, oil seeping through any wrapper and ultimately winding up on your clothing. Call that the doubles kiss.
Not so with Patty King! My doubles remained easily edible at hand without any residue falling through the wrapper. Now curry did make it's way to my lips, which were smacking with enthusiasm as I sat on the bench outside of this establishment.
And the one was honestly not enough so I marched back in and ordered two more. (One for wife)
We also tried a beef patty as this is the Patty King. Fairly spicy beef filling, standard crusty exterior.
There's about all of one small table inside here and an outdoor bench. It's more of a grab and go spot. Prices cannot be beat.
What really struck me as exemplifying the spirit of Toronto was the makeup of the customers. (No, I don't mean L'oreal)
Many of the best West Indian spots in NYC are frequented by...West Indians, almost exclusively.
But Patty King had people from all backgrounds, queuing up for some crusty goodness. Old white people, to be blunt, the kind I'd expect to see at Friendly's early bird special, were eating Patty King's.
There is hope for this world after all.Listed in: Whither Canada? Eats, Shoots…
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Review from V A.
Toronto, ON
3/27/2011
I wasn't expecting much from the patties from this place, but was really hoping that the patties would blow me away. It's in such a convenient location, just steps away from china town.
This is a full bakery, there are lots of different kinds of bread, from Hardo (WTF is hardo bread anyway?), to bagels, to coco bread for making a patty sandwich.
At $1.25 each or $10.50 a dozen for the beef patties, they are a great value when compared to Randy's, Tinnel's, and bakery at bathurst station. It's also one of the biggest / most filling patties in the city. I think the pastry is fantastic, flaky and tasty. I had a bite sans filling just to make sure. The filling, however, left me wanting a bit more flavor. I asked for spicy, but it was less spicy than the mild one at Bathurst Stn. Meat filling was very runny, but did have noticeable bits of pepper.
Rating. I'll start with a 4, and add .5 for the low price, but minus .5 for the lack of spice. Final score 4. -
Review from Shane M.
Toronto, ON
2/11/2011
It's where I buy my bread. I ADORE THE GOAT PATTIES, if you're into that sort of thing. The beef rolls and spinach fetas are good too, as well as a lot of the other patties.
Somehow I don't fancy the spicy beef so much from here, I'm not sure what it is exactly. The doubles are not at all any representation of good authentic Trini doubles, but they get me by if I need a fix... as long as I nuke them before eating. -
Review from Em J.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2010
When I think doubles I think of warm fluffy bara filled with goopy chana, some sort of mango or cucumber chutney, and enough pepper sauce to make your eyes water.
The doubles at Patty King were not what I was expecting. They come premade. There's no hot sauce or chutney, just mildly-spiced chana sandwiched between two crispy too-thin pieces of fried bread. Maybe doubles in Jamaica are somehow different than the doubles in Trinidad. Or maybe it was silly to go to a place called "Patty King" and ordering something that wasn't patty.
Still, the double was warm and filling and made for a satisfying snack on a chilly afternoon. -
Review from Original E.
Toronto, ON
4/19/2011
One of the most obscene yet beautiful inventions I have ever come across is a beef patty sandwich ($2.75).
Picture this: a perfect spicy patty (of your choice), on a soft coconut bun with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise... What to say other than, "well slap my ass and call me Sally."
Yesterday was a long day for me and at around 1:30pm I was starving, just like the dog in that 1951 LooneyToons episode "Chow Hound". Remember, " and don't forget the gravy"?
Anyways, when I walked in the place was packed. And being a Caribbean style bakery that sells more than just beef patty's, hypnotic aromas came streaming from the back ovens and persuaded me into also buying a nice loaf of ginger cake ($2.00).
One other item worth trying is the West Indian "double" ($2.00). How to describe it: like a wrap around doughy roti stuffed with curried vegetables, man it's so damn good. I like to bust open a bottle of Bajan (bay-jun) pepper sauce and just douse the m*$%#@%&@!#r!
Patty King has been in the Kensington Market longer than I can remember. The qaulity is always superior, and service comes with a smile... Go see for yourself. -
Review from Neil T.
Toronto, ON
12/22/2009 ROTD 5/17/2010
FIVE WORDS: spicy patty on coco bun.
Crisp and delecate on the outside, yet piping hot and soft on the inside. Oh, the sweet sweet innards.
This item is more like a small meal. Since it is served warmed, it's great on a cold day of walking through Kensington. It doubles as a hand warmer. For $1.75, it is meal sized for most girly-men and girly-girls. This is Jamaican me crazy!
There's a ton of baked goods and pastries there too, but I haven't been able to get past the patty aisle (no aisle actually exists).
A TOONIE & A LOONIE RECOMMENDATION: any patty on a coco bun ($1.75)Listed in: Toonie & a Loonie, My ROTD's
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Review from Doug B.
North Bay, ON
4/24/2011
A must-visit when in Kensington Market, I've been coming here for 20+ years. This year, I noticed they had more choices for pattys and had a shrimp patty - excellent!
My other faves here are the rum cake and the ginger beer. -
Review from Wendy H.
Toronto, ON
7/12/2009
Of all the bakeries in the world, I think I am most in love with this one. True, I've only been to about 25 bakeries in my day, and most have them have been in Nova Scotia or Ontario (maybe a couple in New York), and I'm SURE there are some pretty decent boulangeries in Paris or elsewhere in Europe or whatever - I digress. What I'm saying is that whenever I'm in Kensington Market, I make a point to stop here. For two reasons, and two reasons only:
1. Doubles. Curry chickpeas snuggled between chewy, awesome, fluffy, naan-ish bread. About $1.25 each. Why you're not eating one right now, I don't know.
2. Mini chocolate lava cakes. Buy one, heat it up a little bit and eat it with vanilla bean ice cream. You will marry me based on this suggestion alone.
Honourable mention: coconut cake.
I don't think I've ever tried anything else here, but I'm sure there's more to love. Suggestions anyone?Listed in: Kensington is for Lovers (and…
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Review from Mavis M.
Toronto, ON
1/8/2009
The trini double and I met recently and we are in love.
I'm not even sure what else they sell here. Beef patties, apparently. Some coconut dessert thing. I don't know what this place looks like or how clean it is because I don't really care. When I get there I only have eyes for the doubles.
L-O-V-E -
Review from Mark M.
Toronto, ON
3/11/2011
They got some kick ass patties in this place. Some better than others but nothing horrible. The goat patty here is probably my favourite. I was actually surprised how goaty it tasted. Did I just say goaty you ask? What the hell do I mean you ask? Well, most patties, especially convenience store patties, taste the same. The thin amount of filling most have combined with the same spices used in most recipes usually end up making the vegetarian patty tasting exactly like the chicken one. Don't believe me? Go to your nearest 7/11 and get yourself a couple of different patties from one of there patty heating contraptions taste them and you'll notice little to no difference in flavour. These goat patties taste a whole lot like goat thus, the best way to describe them is goaty.
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Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
10/10/2008
I'm not sure whether Patty King is in fact affiliated with the Jamaican Patty conglomerate but my gut instinct tells me that they are not. Patty King is not a fancy place, it's not even really a clean place but what it lacks in cleanliness it more than makes up for in mediocre food. The properly made Jamaican patty can be a thing of beauty, soft and flowery on the outside hot and spicy on the inside and delicious all the way round. The Jamaican patty I got at Patty King was worse than the one I used to buy from my school cafeteria and microwave. The outside was soggy and unappealing while the inside was hard as a rock. I certainly hope that for the conglomerates sake that Patty King isn't linked to the larger company because every time they serve a patty with that name they are doing it a disservice.
Like the review? Check out the link to my blog on my profile. -
Review from Princess M.
3/12/2010
Dare I say, the beef patty was really not that great.
The meat filling itself was very savory and tasty. However, the patty is way out of balance - it had too much pastry, which was on the dry side and not even that tender to begin with.
The coco bread was good - soft, fresh and sweet, reminded me of the many easily available chinese buns in chinatown.
If you combine the beef patty with the coco bread, which seems to be a popular combination, you'll end up with a huge and unappetizing mouthful of chewy carbs.. not very enticing.
Not sure what the draw is to this place. Perhaps I need to try their other specialties. -
Review from Nikki H.
Etobicoke, Toronto, ON
4/21/2010
This place has been, is, and always will be one of the best little food places in Toronto.
It's cute, it's small, and it's been run by the same people for what seems like for ever!
One of my favourite things there is the massive meringue puffs! These puffs are made of meringue, and are light and crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside... My favourite thing there by far! Oh, did I mention that they're MASSIVE?!?!?! So good...
The Jamaican doubles are also really good... It's this pastry/patty type thing, with chick peas and chicken and other good stuff!
