I promised myself it would be a quick trip—I had a list, I had my shopping bags, I had a dinner party of 10 to cook for—but despite all this, I still wound up spending twice as long at the Jean-Talon market as I intended. It’s like this every time: I take three steps into the farmer’s market, which occupies an entire city block in Little Italy, and suddenly I’m prancing from one stall of fresh produce to another. Whether you’re avid cook, just love to eat or are searching for a food-related gift, there’s something for everyone at the Jean-Talon market.

Ferme to Table

If farm-to-table cooking (i.e. cooking with the freshest local ingredients) is your thing, you can’t do better than the Jean-Talon market. The main interior space is home to the stands of local farmers and their colourful displays of fresh produce. Depending on when you visit, the tables will be groaning with baskets of strawberries, zucchini, lettuce, blueberries, apples or other delicious fruits and veggies. Around the perimeter of the market are permanent buildings that house butchers, fishmongers and purveyors of other delicacies. These include the cleverly named Qui Lait Cru?, which has over 300 varieties of cheese, roughly 65% of them from Quebec.

Grab a Bite to Eat

The best time to visit Jean-Talon farmer’s market is when you are Hungry, with a capital H. Within a one-block radius you’ll find plates of freshly fried calamari, roasted sausages loaded with sauerkraut, ham and cheese crepes, flipped right before your eyes, and even simple croissants.

Try Something Sweet

For desert, try the Middle Eastern bakery Pâtisserie le Ryad, which has seven types of baklava, over twenty varieties of cookie, and six flavours of Turkish delight.

If you’re in the mood for something cooler, seek out Havre-aux-Glaces, which has 24 flavours of gelato including Pear and Cider, Strawberry and Black Pepper, and their specialty, Burnt Maple Sugar. They make up seasonal batches too. In the spring (February to April) ask about their Sicilian Blood Orange gelato and in the late summer, look for Wild Blueberry gelato.

Perfect Gifts and Souvenirs

For a truly Quebecois gift, visit Le Marché des Saveurs du Québec where you’ll find unique artisanal products like cedar jelly, cassis port, and maple beer.

If you’re searching for a cookbook, look no further than Librarie Gourmande, which is chock-a-block with French and English language cookbooks, food magazines, food guides and books about the history of food. There’s an especially good selection of books on Quebecois cooking and cooking with local ingredients.