Champion Bakery Inc • 1977

Jackson Hoo, Edson Nembhard, and Gloria Nembhard opened this Bronx bakery in 1977 as Coin Bakery, bringing authentic Jamaican patties and hard dough bread to White Plains Road. The flaky beef patties remain the star, but regulars also swear by the Duck, Mongoose, and Alligator breads—dense, slightly sweet loaves named for their shapes. Nearly five decades later, the scent of spiced buns and golden pastry still draws crowds from across the borough and beyond.