Restaurant

Kensington Jerk & Pasta

Name: Kensington Jerk & Pasta
Address: 61 Kensington Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 2K2, CA
Telephone: (437) 872-2697
Price range: value

Jamaican•Kensington Market•value

Kensington Jerk & Pasta is one of the best jamaican restaurants in Toronto for cheap eats, especially if you want a strong option in Kensington Market.

Here's the backstory worth knowing: Kensington Jerk & Pasta is essentially Rasta Pasta with a new sign.

Editorial review updated•Jul 28, 2026

Here's the backstory worth knowing: Kensington Jerk & Pasta is essentially Rasta Pasta with a new sign. Same kitchen lineage, same recipes, same core concept — the place reopened under co-founder Mary Neglia, who helped launch the original jerk-meets-pasta format back in 2012. When the spot shuttered and staff found themselves out of work, she came out of retirement to bring it back. Whether that reads as sentimental or savvy probably depends on how you feel about pasta with a jerk-spice backbone. Either way, the reopening has a cleaner story than most. The menu is built around a genuinely specific idea: Jamaican jerk heat applied to Italian pasta formats, a combination that sounds like it was workshopped at 2 a.m. but has apparently been working for over a decade. The Dreadlock Pasta and Curry-Scampi Linguini are the two dishes regulars and reviewers keep circling back to — not as novelty items anymore, but as the kind of menu anchors a neighbourhood place gets to claim after years of consistent repetition. The Jerk Chicken Dumplings are reportedly the thing to order first, the dish that diners tend to mention when describing what the kitchen does well. The rum bar running alongside all of this — sorrel punch, a Kingston Hurricane — pushes the whole thing into full-evening territory rather than a quick in-and-out dinner stop. This is a price-level-one spot in Kensington Market, which means the math is straightforwardly in your favour. The concept is focused, the provenance is real, and the menu is short enough that you're not going to overthink it. Go on a weeknight, start with the Jerk Chicken Dumplings, and work your way toward whichever pasta sounds right.

Carlos Mendez, Food & Drink Editor

Methodology•Toronto guides•Editorial team•Report outdated information

Cheap EatsJerk chicken lunch takeout bold vibrant

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Taste ID

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Taste Score 7.6/10

Rating (Google) 9.4

21 reviews

Toronto

At a glance

The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

7.6/10

Taste Score

Google 9.4 from 21 reviews

Best for

Cheap Eats and Jerk chicken

Price and pace

Good value

Neighborhood

Kensington Market | 61 Kensington Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2K2, Canada

Price

Good value

Taste Score

7.6/10

Phone

(437) 872-2697

Inside the restaurant

Photos of Kensington Jerk & Pasta

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Menu and ordering

Kensington Jerk & Pasta menu: what to order

Start with the dishes below, drawn from the restaurant details and TastyPals notes available on this page. Kensington Jerk & Pasta is listed in the Good value price range. Menus, availability, and prices can change, so confirm current details before visiting.

Jerk Chicken Dumplings

Dreadlock Pasta

Curry-Scampi Linguini

Check the current menu

Why go

What makes Kensington Jerk & Pasta worth the move

Kensington Jerk & Pasta is a clean first click in Kensington Market in Toronto when you want a jamaican option you can trust. Jerk Chicken Dumplings and Dreadlock Pasta also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.4 rating across 21 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

9.4 from 21 Google reviews

Best for

Cheap Eats and Jerk chicken

Style

Jamaican in Kensington Market

Spend

Good value

Best for

Cheap Eats Jerk chicken lunch takeout bold vibrant

Know before you go

Google rating: 9.4 from 21 reviews

Price point: value

Popular dishes: Jerk Chicken Dumplings, Dreadlock Pasta, Curry-Scampi Linguini

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TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Carlos Mendez for Kensington Jerk & Pasta

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Google snapshot

9.4 from 21 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Carlos Mendez

No diner notes for Kensington Jerk & Pasta yet.

Most burger spots in Toronto have gone all-in on the smash patty, so The Burger Monk's commitment to flame-grilling is a genuine differentiator — and, according to consistent reporting on the place, the point of the whole operation.

burgerscheap eatsquick

1294 reviews

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Plan the visit

Quick details

Visit Website Menu Directions

Address: 61 Kensington Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2K2, Canada
Phone: (437) 872-2697
Price: value
TastyPals score: 7.6/10
Google rating: 9.4 (21 reviews)
Cuisine: Jamaican
Neighborhood: Kensington Market

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Restaurants in Kensington Market

Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does Kensington Jerk & Pasta serve?

Kensington Jerk & Pasta is a Jamaican restaurant located in Kensington Market, Toronto. Here's the backstory worth knowing: Kensington Jerk & Pasta is essentially Rasta Pasta with a new sign.

What is Kensington Jerk & Pasta best for?

Kensington Jerk & Pasta is best for cheap eats, jerk chicken, lunch, takeout, bold, vibrant. Kensington Jerk & Pasta is a clean first click in Kensington Market in Toronto when you want a jamaican option you can trust. Jerk Chicken Dumplings and Dreadlock Pasta also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.4 rating across 21 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at Kensington Jerk & Pasta?

Kensington Jerk & Pasta is in the Good value price range (value). Google rating: 9.4 from 21 reviews

What should I order at Kensington Jerk & Pasta?

Start with Jerk Chicken Dumplings, Dreadlock Pasta and Curry-Scampi Linguini. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is Kensington Jerk & Pasta worth visiting?

Kensington Jerk & Pasta holds a 9.4 Google rating from 21 reviews. Kensington Jerk & Pasta is a clean first click in Kensington Market in Toronto when you want a jamaican option you can trust. Jerk Chicken Dumplings and Dreadlock Pasta also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.4 rating across 21 Google reviews.

Where is Kensington Jerk & Pasta located?

Kensington Jerk & Pasta is located at 61 Kensington Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2K2, Canada. Directions are available via Google Maps.

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