Patty Time — Restaurant in Toronto

As someone who has opened and managed dozens of restaurants across Canada—from Tim Hortons and Milestones to West Indian and Ital takeout concepts—I walked into Patty Time with high expectations. Their patties have a great reputation, and I’ve heard plenty of positive buzz about them.

That said, no amount of delicious patties can override what I consider poor customer service. I can overlook long lineups, and I can even overlook the lack of clear signage about payment options (only cash accepted, written on a small board). But what I cannot overlook is how difficult they make it for customers to feel welcomed and properly served.

I recently went in to order not only patties but also an oxtail and curry goat dinner. I asked about spice levels, since I was ordering for my father in the hospital who can’t handle too much heat. The staff member simply told me “everything here is spicy.” When I asked for just a small taste of the gravy to see if it was tolerable, the answer was no—because it was “unsanitary.” In my professional opinion, this explanation doesn’t hold up. The same spoon that serves customers could have been used to portion out a sample onto a plate or small container. That’s standard practice in countless restaurants across the country.

What’s disappointing is that this refusal wasn’t about food safety—it was about unwillingness to accommodate a customer. That kind of rigid, dismissive service makes it hard for people to feel like their business is valued. And in a city with hundreds of West Indian takeout spots, customers will choose to support those that combine good food with good service.

I say this not to tear Patty Time down, but because I would love to see this business prosper. As a Black person, I go out of my way to support Black-owned businesses. But support also means giving honest feedback: there’s a huge opportunity here to improve customer service. Hospitality is just as important as flavor.

If the owners want to grow, I’d encourage them to focus on training staff, building a customer-first culture, and making small but impactful changes like offering samples, clarifying payment policies, and being more accommodating. I’ve helped many businesses double and even triple their sales by leaning into service, not just product. Patty Time has all the makings of a standout brand—if they choose to level up how they treat...

Jamaican patties are an integral part of Toronto culture going back several decades, so being born and raised in the city, it's only normal that I was exposed to them very early on, with them being a lunch snack staple in my elementary school days, as was the case for thousands of kids growing up in the city. I honestly loved all patties, not realizing how much better they could get than the frozen convenience store ones I grew up eating. In more recent years, I began exploring, venturing to shops who were known specifically for making their own patties, and that really opened up my eyes and mind to how much better patties can be than the mass-produced frozen ones, such as by King Patty. And while I discovered several places whose patties I very thoroughly enjoyed, from Jane & Finch to Eglinton & Allen/Oakwood, and further out, trying Patty Time today for the first time left me feeling as if I just experienced the food for the first time ever... their patties are THAT amazing. I first tried the chicken patty, the dough of which blew my mind with how incredibly light, tender, and airy it was- almost similar to a high-quality super thin phyllo dough boureka... SO light! Paired with the deeply-flavourful stuffing, it just made for the perfect bite, wow. And the beef was equally as great, though the dough seemed slightly different- am I imagining things? The beef patty dough had a touch more 'bite', but still incredibly soft and tender, unlike any other spot I'd had patties at, where the dough is usually a lot more... doughy and tough. Needless to say, I'm an instant believer in Patty Time and will be a long-time regular moving forward- I cannot wait to return, and to bless some friends with these incredible golden-yellow flavour-bomb pockets! Just be warned that they tend to sell out towards the end of the day, sometimes even an hour before closing- I tried a couple times to go, thinking I had plenty of time, but was disappointed to see they sold out. Also another word of caution: I know you'll be tempted to dive right into your patty, but they can't keep these things in stock long enough, so they're always piping hot and fresh... biting into it too soon, it's like lava... use some restraint and employ some patience- let...

My apologies for not taking the pictures. I was too busy indulging great Jamaican patties. These patties have so much fillings that you need to focus your indulgence before you do anything. Otherwise the gravy and the fillings squirt all over you. And I am not exaggerating it. Another word, there's enough gravy and grounded beef fillings inside the patty. Not your generic patties with those gravy paste. It has content and herbs, which means they are serious with the gravy and the grounded beef are marinated. The outershell of the patty is flaky, not soaked or soggy, nor dried hard like a rock. It is perfect compliment to the gravy inside. Even after you finished them the the after taste lasts quite some time. Probably by far the best Patties I have ever had. Mind you, the plaza is small and finding a parking spot can be so brutal.

If I need to rate it, definitely over 8 out of 5. As 5 out of 5 means great. This is beyond great.

The rest is hard for me to rate. I have patties only. The shop is tiny and clean.

March 13, 2020. Finally I have time to take some pictures. These pictures were taken...