End of the Road for the original Patties Express
Patties Wave Goodbye To Yonge Street
By Stephen Weir
Hungry hipsters. Out-of-towners looking to sample Patties Express’s finest Patty and Coco Bread special. Hospital workers rushing for a cheap and cheerful lunch take-out. Street people looking for hardy midnight snacks are about to go into mourning now that the word is out. Patties Express is about to close its downtown landmark Yonge and Elm Street take-out.
Patties Express isn’t going broke because of Covid. In fact their four outlets are going gangbusters and have plans for more outlets in town. Blame it on Toronto’s Condo craze. Located a block south of the Yonge and Gerrard intersection, the building that has housed the famous Jamaican style Patty is making way for 67-storey 819 condominium retail mega tower.
“This is so unfortunate - you are our go-to at the Toronto General when staff is too busy to grab lunch,” posted a hospital worker on social media. “You will surely be missed especially by the Transplant Team!”
Patties Express is known for its fast service (the lunch time line-ups move very fast), its affordable prices and of course the quality of their revered patties. It easy to memorize the menu – it is patty, patty, patty (and coco-bread). It sells made on-the-premises ground beef, curry chicken, and vegan patties for $2.20 each (cheaper when you buy by the dozen).
Patties Express general manager Aziz Mustafa has been quite open about the coming closure. “We are considered lucky to have other locations, some businesses on the other hand (it) is one and done,” posted Mostafa. “Our 4 Elm St location was like no other location of ours, it was the mom and pop shop that brought the neighbourhood together. We are working on reopening another location in the area”
The street level store was the where it all began for Patties Express. Almost eight years later, January 27th to be exact the doors will close for good. Patty lovers weep.
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