Fans of the original Rasta Pasta restaurant in Kensington Market are in luck. The popular takeout spot unexpectedly shut its doors in late October due to unpaid rent, but on Saturday, a new Jamaican-Italian fusion space reopened in the same spot under a different name: Kensington Jerk and Pasta.
The new owner is Mary Neglia, one of the original co-owners who helped open Rasta Pasta over a decade ago. She had long sold her share of the space and retired, but came back when she heard the restaurant had closed and that staff had lost their jobs.
Although the name and ownership are different, the menu and kitchen team remain the same, so OG Rasta lovers can still munch on classic jerk chicken dumplings, dreadlock pasta and curry-scampi linguini as they’ve always had in Kensington!
“We’ve been cooking, creating, and vibing to bring you a fusion spot like no other — Jamaican flavour meets Italian comfort, with both takeout and dine-in vibes ready to go,” the restaurant said in a recent Insta post, adding that the dishes are all made with fresh ingredients and “a whole lot of love.”
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Rasta Pasta first opened in 2012, when Magnus and Mary (Neglia) Patterson turned a former Kensington takeout counter into the city’s hottest Jamaican jerk shack-Italian pasta joint. The mix of flavours (and Magnus’s presence at the oil-drum grill outside) made the restaurant a neighbourhood fixture, so news of the closure came as a shock to long-time customers. In a recent Reddit thread, many praised the spot for offering delicious eats and affordable prices (some even recalled the $5 lunch specials that once made Rasta a student fave).
The new spot is currently open for lunch and early dinner (closed Mondays), so now’s the perfect time to head over and show your support! If you’re still craving Rasta Pasta by name, there’s also a location at Waterworks Food Hall.
Kensington Jerk and Pasta is located at 61 Kensington Ave.
