tropical joes toronto

Tropical Joe's

Tropical Joe's has a long history in Toronto, serving out of this food court stall location for over a decade.

The menu is a melting pot of island styles fused with Canadian influences, with offerings like stuffed patties and jerk poutine. 

Tropical Joes Toronto

A long queue snakes away from Tropical Joe's during a lunch rush, while other big chain stands rarely ever have more than one or two people lining up.

Tropical Joes Toronto

A giant mural and delightfully cobbled-together menu set the place apart as well.

Tropical Joes Toronto

Patties are sourced from Allan's, $1.75 for spicy or mild beef, $2 for goat, chicken or veggie.

Tropical Joes Toronto

Choose any of these and stuff with jerk chicken or pork, $5.75 for beef or veggie, $6 for goat or chicken. With a choice to add spicy pickled onions, ketchup, lettuce, hot sauce, mayo and/or tomato at no extra charge, these patties get seriously stuffed, the flaky pastry barely even able to contain everything.

Tropical Joes Toronto

Jerk chicken both in the patty and with rice and peas ($9.25 for a small order, $11.25 for a large, though all portions are relatively huge) is boneless and skinless but has some serious heat to it, marinated for a minimum of 24 hours and baked on high heat. Scotch bonnet and habanero are always used for spice here, a little cayenne occasionally. 

Tropical Joes Toronto

Jerk chicken can also be had on top of poutine ($8.50 for a small, $11 for a large), really the starring element on top of decent fries, though the gravy really melds everything together and the cheese is nice and stretchy.

Tropical Joes Toronto

Meals can be had with rice and peas or roti, $9.25 for a small boneless curried chicken. Outsourced roti are dal puri style, served in round containers and slightly open-faced.

Tropical Joes Toronto

Pretty much anything can be made a combo with a pop, and for a dollar upcharge, you can make it a West Indian drink.

Tropical Joes Toronto

There really was a Joe once, who started this business in a flea market. Though other locations were taken over by different owners, this food court location stayed in the family. It's now run by Joe's son, Chris Boodhoo.

Tropical Joes Toronto

Photos by

Fareen Karim


Latest Videos



Tropical Joe's

Leaflet | © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

Join the conversation Load comments

Tropical Joe's

Latest Reviews

Stefano's Diner

Santa Marta

Linny's

Xo Bisous

Lost in Tokyo

Manita Rosedale