Taste Jamaica in Coral Springs: Juici Patties Hosting Free Tasting Event

Residents curious about Jamaica’s famous patties will have a chance to try them for free when Juici Patties in Coral Springs hosts a community tasting event on March 14.

The restaurant, located at 8075 W. Sample Road, will offer free patty samples from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., inviting residents to stop by and experience the popular Jamaican staple that has built a large following on the island.

The Coral Springs location opened in August and is owned by Janice Foster and her brother, Otis Wright, whose five children also work at the restaurant, making it a family-run operation.

Foster said her love for Jamaican patties began during frequent visits to the island.

“If you go to Jamaica, you have to come back here to Coral Springs — that’s how good it is,” Foster said.

After one visit a few years ago, Foster began exploring the possibility of bringing the brand to Coral Springs.

Now the owners say they want the community to discover the food that inspired them.

During the tasting event, visitors will be able to sample Juici Patties’ signature flaky pastries filled with seasoned meat as well as other menu items.

The restaurant’s offerings include classic beef patties, spicy beef patties, chicken patties, vegetable patties and combinations served with cocoa bread, a soft Jamaican sandwich bread.

The menu also features patty burgers, in which a patty is served inside cocoa bread with toppings, along with beverages and sides commonly found in Jamaican quick-service restaurants.

Juici Patties has deep roots in Jamaica, according to the company's website.

The company traces its origins to founder Jukie Chin, who began making patties at age 16 in his mother’s kitchen and selling them in his parents’ grocery store.

The first Juici Patties restaurant opened in 1980 with just three employees — Chin, a cashier and a baker.

The brand has since grown to more than 60 locations across Jamaica and recently began expanding into the United States.

Foster said the upcoming tasting event is meant to introduce the brand to residents who may not yet be familiar with Jamaican patties.

“We want people to come in, try them and see why they’re so popular,” she said.

The March 14 event will also include prize drawings, with giveaways including a dozen patties, a six-patty meal with cocoa bread, and a Juici Patties gift card.