What was originally known as “The Market Block” as early as 1796, and in its current incarnation since 1901, St. Lawrence Market is where to find the freshest and the finest produce, cheese, meat, seafood, baked goods and everything in between. With over 120 merchants and vendors, this is more than just a place to buy ingredients—it’s a true feast for your eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.

Whenever I visit St. Lawrence Market, I’m instantly eight years old again: overwhelmed and exhilarated by the colourful produce, aromatic cheeses, and all the shoppers—both intense and meandering. When I was a child, trips here were infrequent, but absolutely memorable.

A dozen St. Urbain bagels is now a must for us. They’re probably the closest you can come to the classic Montreal bagel in this neck of the woods (though don’t let a Montrealer hear you say that!). And stop at Olympic Cheese Mart for a hunk of apple-smoked Gouda.

Delicious Saturdays

Rated one of the top 25 markets in the world by Food & Wine Magazine, your best bet to experience the full market in all its splendour is early Saturday morning. Vendors arrive before the crack of dawn to set up, and from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., St. Lawrence Market is bustling.

The South Market houses all the fine food vendors—the butchers, fishmongers, cheese emporiums, specialty foods, and Carousel’s famous back bacon on a bun. The Saturday Farmer’s Market in the North Market building has been filling Torontonian locavores’ food baskets since 1803.

Antique Sundays

Sunday is your day if antiques and flea markets are more your thing. Starting at 5 a.m., the Sunday Antique Market is the place to be for rare books, antique furniture, vintage jewellery, and all sorts of rare treasure. 

An Artistic Touch

After browsing the South Market's food stalls, you can drop by the Market Gallery, a free-admission facility that showcases a lot of local talent.

The Neighbourhood

St. Lawrence Market’s downtown location makes it an easy walk to many other great Toronto attractions. It’s just a few blocks east of Union Station, The Hockey Hall Of Fame, The Eaton Centre, and Harbourfront, not to mention the great furniture and design shops of King Street East.

Don’t just think of it as a place to buy groceries—pop in for breakfast before starting your day, or make a point of dropping by for lunch. You don’t have to have the back bacon on a bun, but I highly recommend it!

The St. Lawrence Market is open Tuesday to Sunday.