All the way from Mexico City, paletas (fruit-filled popsicles) are the latest frozen treat to hit the streets of Toronto. Named after the Spanish word for shovel, paletas are water or diary based frozen treats that are traditionally made with 100 per cent real fruit juice. In Toronto, you’ll find many variants, including some with Froot Loops, peanut butter and chocolate and more!
Sweet Jesus
Toronto can thank Sweet Jesus for kick-starting the paleta craze last summer, and between the crazy flavours and Instagram-factor it’s not difficult to see why these caught on. Sweet Jesus always changes and rotates through flavours, offering both water and diary-based options. Some of the flavours on the menu right now include Strawberry and Chocolate, Key Lime Pie and Cookie Monster (Oreo).
Price: $4
Seven Lives Paleteria
An offshoot of the popular taco restaurant in Kensington Market, Seven Lives Paleteria offers some authentic Mexican flavours on the paleta menu. Traditional flavours include Prickly Pear and Elotes, which is made with actual corn pieces. All of the paletas are fruit puree and coconut milk based, meaning there are a lot of vegan options. Alongside the traditional flavours, they also have contemporary options like the popular Froot Loop paleta, which is like childhood on a stick!
Price: $3.25
Wrestlers
The owners at Wrestlers make it their mission to create fresh and authentic paletas in their coffee shop. With new flavours coming out all day, the owners make all of their paletas fresh daily. Due to space constraints, the paletas are made at the warehouse, and are delivered twice a day. With a total of 20 flavours on-hand at a time, Wrestlers also offers toppings like toasted coconut, melted chocolate and currants for an addition 50 cents. The flavours are always changing, and the community can get involved by suggesting future creations on a flavour-sign up sheet.
Price: $4 + 50 cents for any toppings
Loco Paletas
The new kid on the block, Loco Paletas will be out and about this summer offering up refreshing paletas. Chef Stephanie Randall of Gilt Restaurant focuses on local produce when creating flavours for Loco Paletas. Flavours include Ginger Snap, Strawberry Fields, Eye Opener (made with freshly pressed coffee) and more. The cart will be cruising around Toronto this summer at local festivals like Jerk Fest, Taste of Little Italy and more, you can also find them in the Queen West, Dundas Square and Kensington neighbourhoods.
Price: $3 – $5
La Carnita
You can find Sweet Jesus paletas at all La Carnita locations in Toronto. Found on the dessert menu at this popular Mexican spot, the mainstays will always be the Cookie Monster and Chocolate and Peanut Butter. When creating the paletas, the chefs at La Carnita and Sweet Jesus are always looking for flavours that bring back a happy or nostalgic memory, and Cookie Monster does just that. Diary-based, it is made with vanilla and chocolate cookies, and is the ultimate paleta.
Price: $4