A beef patty chain that got its start in a Jamaican home kitchen is setting up shop in Tampa Bay, with a restaurant already open near the University of South Florida and a second location planned in St. Petersburg along Central Avenue. Juici Patties, described as Jamaica's largest patty restaurant chain, is bringing its flaky, golden pastries filled with curry chicken, shrimp, and other savory fillings to the region as part of a broader push into Florida and beyond.
According to St Pete Rising, the chain is opening its first St. Petersburg location at 3252 Central Avenue, where it would occupy an endcap space formerly home to a Metro by T-Mobile, right next to PSTA's Grand Central bus terminal. But that address does not match reporting from Business Debut, which placed the planned St. Petersburg restaurant at 3270 Central Avenue — the address identified by commercial real estate firm Franklin Street as Central Plaza, a 19,016-square-foot retail strip center. The discrepancy between the two addresses has not been resolved.
The timeline for construction is similarly murky. St Pete Rising reported that the restaurant is undergoing interior renovations with an estimated construction cost of $465,000, after a permit application was filed in October, and that the shop is expected to open in early 2027. Franchisee Tifany Hollingsworth, however, told Business Debut that construction had not yet started at the time of her interview, and gave a target opening of around December without specifying a year.
A Tampa Bay Expansion Years in the Making
The St. Petersburg restaurant is part of the brand's broader Tampa Bay area expansion, which already includes a location near University Square Mall in Tampa. Business Debut reported that shop sits at 2705 University Square Drive, Suite 130, near USF — an address that matches the one listed on Juici Patties USA's own locations page.
Hollingsworth and her business partner, Fredrik Moe, a cousin who operates multiple Juici Patties locations in Jamaica, are planning a total of six units across the Tampa Bay area, according to the Business Debut report. The pair are continuing site searches for four additional locations beyond the two already in the works.
Juici Patties would not be the first Jamaican patty franchise with a footprint in Tampa Bay. According to Golden Krust, its Florida location list includes two Tampa restaurants and one in St. Petersburg, at 3010 54th Avenue South. The Bronx-based chain began as a family business in 1989, according to Golden Krust, and says it now operates more than 125 restaurants in North America, giving Juici a nearby competitor with decades of U.S. operating history.
Those typical Juici Patties shops do not take up much real estate. Restaurant Business reported that units are generally about 1,200 square feet with room for only around 10 seats, and that the chain's four longest-open Florida locations were reporting median monthly revenue of about $176,043, citing franchise disclosure documents and company executive Daniel Chin.
From a Home Kitchen to a Growing US Footprint
Juici Patties traces its roots to founder Jukie Chin, who began making beef patties in his mother's kitchen and selling them at his parents' grocery store before opening the brand's first standalone restaurant in 1980. The company now operates more than 60 locations across Jamaica, with Jukie Chin's son, Daniel Chin, leading the chain's expansion into the United States.
Juici’s U.S. rollout began in Hollywood, Florida, in March 2024, offering a preview of the demand the company hopes to build on in new markets. The first U.S. franchise sold nearly 5,000 patties on opening day and closed two days later to restock. The Hollywood opening’s first-day sales became an early milestone in the chain’s U.S. expansion.
Juici Patties USA's website states the company now has more than 38 U.S. locations spread across New York, Florida, Georgia, and Philadelphia, building on more than 67 locations in Jamaica. The company's growth is not slowing down — Daniel Chin told Restaurant Business that another 50 franchise agreements have been signed, including in Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, and that he believes the brand could eventually reach as many as 3,000 units domestically. Juici Patties USA's site also notes the company is still growing and invites franchising inquiries.
The menu built around that growth centers on the traditional beef patty, seasoned with scotch bonnet peppers, pimento seeds, onions, and garlic and available in mild and spicy versions. Beyond beef, the lineup includes curry chicken, shrimp, and plant-based patties, plus a breakfast patty loaded with bacon, egg, and cheese. Patties can be bought individually or in party packs of six or twelve, often paired with coco bread made with coconut milk. The chain rounds things out with Bigga Kola Champagne, Bigga Pineapple, Bigga Ginger Beer, Freshhh Cranberry Lychee juice, and St. Mary's banana chips.
A Changing Stretch of Central Avenue
Whichever address ultimately houses the new St. Petersburg restaurant, it would land on a stretch of Central Avenue that has seen plenty of turnover. Franklin Street's listing for Central Plaza notes that several new multifamily developments are proposed or under construction nearby, including Gallery 3100 at 3100 Central Avenue.
Central Plaza itself has a documented sales history: Franklin Street reported that the shopping center sold for $5.1 million on June 14, 2021, when it was fully occupied by seven tenants, including Rent-A-Center, Amscot, and Rainbow Clothing. Whether that same center is the one slated to house Juici Patties remains an open question given the conflicting addresses in circulation.
