Patty Stop
Patty Stop is a takeout counter in a Port Union plaza dealing in stuffed patties.
Sitting in the far eastern reaches of Scarborough, this simple West Indian shop brings some young energy to a decades-old plaza located a few minutes' walk from the Rouge Hill GO.
It's a family affair, co-owned by brothers-in-law Freddy Gyebi and Jason Cheddie and co-run with their wives Jenny and Sabrina.
The Cheddies' mom, Monica, can be found in the back, cooking up Guyanese-style oxtail, and next door, another Cheddie brother runs his barbershop.
Patty Stop only opened in January 2020, meaning months in and around the pandemic were rough, but an Instagram shoutout from Drake gave the brand a boost.
In July, the rap superstar posted a picture of a stuffed patty to his IG story with the mindblown emoji. It was enough to get the Internet abuzz about the sudden arrival of this East Scarborough patty contender.
According to Gyebi, who has been friends with Drake for a number of years and made some patties for the rapper to try at his Bridle Path mansion, the praise was "unexpected", but appreciated.
Patty Stop's loaded patties are really what sets the spot apart.
There are three simple options: beef, chicken, or vegan (a mix of corn, carrots, and peas), for $5.25 each.
Patties, which are made at an undisclosed facility and baked daily in-house, are cut open and stuffed with a slew of veggies, basic Canadian cheese, and mayo, and a secret house sauce. The patty crust is impressive, and in its entirety is a decent size. Unlike some thicker varieties, this patty actually feels and tastes like a pastry.
You also get a stuffed patty in coco bread for $6.25.
Aside from the patty texture, my favourite part is the slight kick that comes from their house sauce, which includes a dash of Monica's Pepper Sauce, a scotch bonnet pepper sauce made by mom that you can also buy by the jar.
The menu is super simple, and will have a rotating list of items like callaloo-stuffed patties, or goat and rice on Fridays. There's a sense that the offerings will grow: as the shop's slogan (coined by Drake) goes, The Patty Continues.
Fareen Karim