I learned recently that Grace Foods makes jerk chicken patties. I had to figure out where I could grab some. Aunt Elsie's Caribbean Kitchen had them in stock. I decided to drop by on Saturday, just after noon. It's in a fairly dumpy strip mall on Eglinton Avenue East, just west of Brimley Road, in Scarborough. There is plenty of parking. I parked fairly close to the entrance. A car was illegally parked in front of the business next to Aunt Elsie's. I don't get why folks need to do that when there are so many parking spots. Aunt Elsie's looks like a tiny convenience store from the outside, but looks are deceiving. It's also a small Jamaican grocery store that doubles as a takeout eatery. I was not expecting such an amazing place. I simply wanted patties! I found the Grace jerk chicken patties. They came in mild and hot flavours. I always go with mild when I'm not familiar with how spicy items can be. There are also Allan's and Michidean patties. You know that you are at a decent place. Although I felt like Ms Pac-Man as I moved around a small space with a bunch of folks while trying to physically distance, I looked at all the condiments and spices. This place uses space wisely. The wall of condiments and spices is impressive. I also looked longingly at the chilli peppers. They looked pretty and deadly! The hot foods counter blew me away. You can't help but gawk at all the yummy food options, from various fried fish, to jerk chicken and curry goat while you are in line to pay for your items. I took one look at the salt fish fritters and knew that I needed to try them. I got two. Note to self: Get the oxtail dinner next time. Get more hot items after that. I had a lovely, sweet woman behind the counter get my fritters and cash me out. I paid using my debit card. She also bagged my goodies. I thanked her and wished her a lovely day. The customers at this store are friendly. I loved the vibe. They were courteous and nice, which I'm not necessarily used to in my neck of the woods! I was still full from breakfast. However, I made room to consume a salt fish fritter in my car before I continued running errands. OMG! It was so flavourful. The fish was salted, but not to the point where you feel like you need to down a litre of your favourite beverage afterwards. It was seasoned perfectly. I think that there was garlic, onion, and red pepper, at least. So good! I have such a weakness for fritters and I'm glad that I caved here. I heated up a jerk chicken patty for breakfast (hey, why not?) this morning. It does have a spice kick that is more than what you'd typically expect from an item that is labelled mild. Highly yummy. The filling is flavourful and the dough part was perfect. Each patty is individually wrapped to preserve freshness. A box is $5.90. I love them! Aunt Elsie's was such a terrific find. If you want to order hot food in advance, this eatery is on Uber Eats. Otherwise, you can call ahead. (396) read more

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We can always count on Yelp to give us a list of places when in an unfrequented area. This was one of those days! In a strip mall, this grocery and hot food shop had the greatest staff ever. So friendly and welcoming it was like going to someone's home. The man was so excited to hear that we came all the way from downtown to try their food! We ordered a jerk chicken, oxtail, and stew beef. All came with peas and rice and slaw. Oxtail is always my go-to and this one didn't disappoint. We enjoyed everything. I wanted to give the full 5 stars but I have to say, I was missing the heat. That might've been on us for not asking for pepper sauce. read more

It's true, the best food are from places you would least expect. As with others, I was looking for something new in the area. This is a standard plaza off Eglinton here in Scarborough and you'd probably never find this unless looking for it. It's a small Jamaican grocery store that sources many products back from the islands. They have a counter at the front with some of the fried dishes on display. Menu is on the wall behind the counter. Pretty standard fare here. I ordered the large goat curry with rice and peas and 1/2 lb of jerk chicken (1 whole chicken quarter. Am I glad I found this place, the goat was amazing, piping hot, thick and rich with flavour. Got was tender and the best bits are in the bones! Not much spice but I'm sure you can ask them to add if that's you thing. Rice and peas were on point and amazing smothered in the curry. The meal also comes with some fried plantain. The jerk chicken was also very good with tons of flavour but again not much spice to it. This will be my new Jamaican joint in Scarborough and I will be back soon! Gotta try the salt fish fritters next time. read more

Aunt Elsie's Caribbean Kitchen - 1/2 lb order of Jerk Chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I didn't know that Aunt Elsie's was actually a general store until I got there (I guess I should read the Yelp reviews more carefully). Upon arrival I quickly realized that there's some measured amount of chaos as patrons stood near the prepared food counter trying to get their orders in. It's not that patrons were unfriendly, but you just have to strategically place yourself as close to the staff as possible in order to get your order in. I went with a value pick - the daily special. On that particular Thursday, the special was two jerk chicken drumsticks with rice and bean and coleslaw at a tremendous price of $5.99. The chicken was seasoned decently. But I felt it was a bit heavy on the thyme which is not my thing. I'm also not a coleslaw guy but I thought they did a bang up job on it; very creamy and not overly sour. I also got a mild beef patty as well. You can tell the patty was 'home made'. But I was also not a huge fan of it. The edges and corners were a bit hard. The filling also reminded me of beef pie fillings with a sporadic distribution of ground beef. I've definitely had better. And when they mean mild, they really mean mild. I would suggest an upgrade to the spicy patty. If I'm in the area and have nothing better I want to try, I guess I can always give Aunt Elsie's another try. However it is definitely not one of those places that I would go out of the way to travel to get food from. read more

Years later, I got to try to order takeout from Aunt Elsie's again... Again, Aunt Elsie's is a very unassuming place, but don't judge the book by its cover. The food here is the booooomb! This time, I ordered their Jerk Pork and Cod Fish Fritters... I ordered the large size. Most of their dinners/meals are under 10 dollars or just above -- which makes this place very affordable to the locals. The flavours of the food are similar as to what you will get from the Islands. The Jerk pork was spicy and the helping of the food is quite huge. You will be left with a food coma after devouring everything. I appreciate that they use reusable/recyclable containers for their to-go food. However, please let me refuse the plastic bags. The man insisted for me to put them in a plastic bag even though I refused them. It's 2019. We need to be more environmentally friendly, my friends! Nonetheless, the food is fantastic. I came back again a few days later and ordered Jerk Chicken... Maybe I will go back next week and order something else. I can't wait to go here again! read more

Great home cooked food and grocery store. Makes you feel like you're in Jamaica. I highly recommend

When drive here, you will feel as if you were transformed and not in Toronto anymore. Yes, the area is dodgy. The area feels third world. The parking area is dirty and it feels poor. I heard about Aunt Elsie on the CBC and decided to try it out. As you walk inside, it is a small grocery store that sells a bunch of Caribbean goods. You would never know that they sell one of the best jerk chicken in Toronto. The owners seem to be chinese. They probably lived in Jamaica since I heard the chinese population is pretty big in Jamaica. I ordered the jerk chicken to go. It took about 5 minutes for my order to be fulfilled. Total was about $10. When I opened up the takeout container, I smelled the amazing smell coming at me. The jerk chicken was tender and the rice that came with it was really good too. medium spicy and very moist. Amazing deal! Too bad that it's kind of far away from me but I'd definitely come here again. read more

Dang it I love this city as there's a ton of amazing foodie gems in the most unassuming places. And perhaps no where is that more evident then in Scarborough. Personally I rarely find myself in corporate places like Timmy's, Mickey D's, Boston Pizza, etc... To me food is about soul and culture. Mom and Pop places are the ones that I love to frequent. And Aunt Elsie's Caribbean Kitchen is just the place that I love. A small family run shop, Aunt Elsie's is a Caribbean takeout joint, catering and grocery store. There's some amazing home cooked Jamaican fare such as the popular jerk chicken, oxtail and curry goat, but also some serious fare such as cow foot, tripe and beans and manish water.....WTF is manish water??? I don't know but I will order that next time!! The food is really good here. Ordered a large curry goat and jerk chicken dinner with rice and peas with a side of plantains. F*ck me it was good! The meal came out pipping hot, the jerk chicken tender and that curry goat was to die for!! They also has some items such as fried fish, spicy shrimp and a ton of of other Caribbean fare that will bring you back to Jamaica. While there grab some groceries such as Scott bonnet peppers, plantains or their amazing wall of sauces and other items that they source directly from the Caribbean. They also carry Allan's and Michidean Patties, hardo bread, salted codfish and a ton of other items. This is a fantastic store that is also a meeting place for regulars and I got to chat with one of them about what is good to try. The only bad thing is that I wish I was closer or I would be hitting this joint all the time. 5/5. Well deserved!! read more

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My father has been coming to this business for a long time and now he has shown me the way! Best curry goat in Scarborough, he wasn't kidding. read more

There beef patties, Ackee and salt fish, and fried dumplings are good. The rest of their food is mediocre but at the same time all the food is very cheap. I highly recommend this store if you haven't tried it before. read more

I tried Jerk Chicken since I had moved to Toronto. I was not really impressed with those Jerk Chicken, but Aunt Elsie's Carribean Kitchen impressed me. Chicken was not dried and it was moist and tender. Rice was good and plantain was good. Volume and size are good. Everything is reasonable and foods are good. I bought a bottle of guava drink and it was good and just $2.50. Not bad by considering it is imported. I will try fish and different menu in the next time. read more

This place looks feels and smells like a convenience store. Don't be fooled they do serve great jerk chicken and Caribbean food. The Jerk chicken was nice and moist on the inside and well spiced and slightly crispy on the outside chicken skin. The rice and beans tasted great with the option of ox tail gravy on top. Other dishes such as king fish and ox tail is a must try for me next time I try this place. The line may be long and the ordering process may be a bit weird. You wait it line to order your food at the cashier as she repeats the order through a walkie talkie and someone brings the order from the back. You wait for your order near the narrow entrance where a runner hands you off your food. read more

Aunt Elsie's Caribbean Kitchen - Jerk chicken on rice - Caribbean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Was in the hood and actually wanted to buy some beer at the store but stumbled onto this grocery/convenience store/takeout place. The menu had pretty much your standard Caribbean fare. Also on display they had johnny cakes, salted cod fritters, other fried items & cheesecake. I decided on the jerk chicken which came with rice & peas, fried plantain & oxtail gravy which I asked for extra with no additional charge, nice! Well taste wise it was a mild version of jerk which would be ideal for people who can't handle the heat. The chicken was tender and juicy and tasty from the extra gravy which made the entire meal enjoyable. A few shots of hot sauce would have made this just right. In the end my hunger was satisfied, no complaints. Off to the beer store... read more

Aunt Elsie's Caribbean Kitchen - What are you hungry for - Caribbean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Absolutely fantastic, friendly people and great food! I recommend the jerk pork or chicken and get a soursop cheesecake on the side read more

I have to thank fellow Yelpers for this one. A very unassuming store front in a Scarborough strip mall, with delicious take out. I ordered the goat curry and my husband had the king fish dinner. The Small portion was more then enough for 1, leaving me wondering just how big Large must be. Food was made to order, full of flavour and they don't skimp on the meat. Keep in mind this is not a sit down restaurant, but rather a grocery style store, take away only. The woman behind the counter was very engaging and helped us with the order process because we were clueless. She suggested we try the cod fritters and I'm so glad we did, yum! read more

This is a great place for oxtail and jerk chicken. The taste is great and at a reasonable price. Even my finicky children loved it.

We ordered so much food here. We had oxtail. Curry goat. Doubles. Patties. Plantain. Rice. Gravy. Okra. Fish. We had a feast for 8 people and there were leftovers. Portions are generous. read more

The best Oxtail with Rice & Peas i've ever tasted, literally the best, I would definitely recommend.

Good food. My only complaint is that the containers they use give you less food for the price of the product. Everywhere else uses the styrofoam ones. Either way, the black ones can't recycle. read more

I love this place:) It's been my introduction to Jamaican food and it's SOOOO good:) The people are great too:) Glad I live close by:)

Awesome old school Scarborough joint! Love the new microwaveable to go containers, you can tell they are considerate of their customers needs. You take out, bring it home and then heat it up! read more

This jerk chicken is perfect! Medium spice & super moist. I couldnt stop eating it. Rice & peas were exceptional too. A small was almost too much food for me but I finished it anyways. I would definately reccommend this spot. read more

3 words: yummmmy, yum, yum!!! 20minutes before they close I went in there for a quick take out for one hungry tummy. Proprietors were still all smiles and welcoming and the jerk chicken dinner on rice and beans did not disappoint. The included two slices of fried plantain was a good side. Must have on your order is to request nicely to drench it up with their free oxtail gravy. Only negative was the fork that came with the order was small and flimsy but I had to eat it at home anyways as the Raptors beat Miami Heat on game two!!! read more

Really enjoyed the dumplings from this area. Liked the dumplings because they were really tasty, had to purchase a few more because they are addicting. The jerk chicken was very delicious , usually one of my favourite meals from here. read more