St. Lawrence Market

Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market is crammed with 120 vendors, butcher counters, bakeries, ethnic eateries, and seafood shops. But there’s one reason why most people come here: the peameal bacon sandwich, which is dished up at the Carousel Bakery. It’s not really bacon—or at least not the bacon you usually eat—but rather tender, thicker strips of pork, cut from the loin and then rolled in peameal (like cornmeal but made from peas), and served on a kaiser roll with a swipe of mustard. It’s a porklicious treat!

I love going to markets when I’m on a trip. It’s a place where you get a glimpse of people’s every day lives. If I live in Toronto, St. Lawrence Market would definitely where I’d shop on weekends. It’s a multi-level indoor market where you can pretty much find anything and everything.

The St. Lawrence Market is great. There are tons of picnic benches outside as well as stools inside. Check their website for upcoming events. A quick hit list of where I go: -Carousel Bakery for peameal bacon sandwiches. They’re famous for a reason -Chris’s Cheesemongers—ask for Len. He’s a good friend and, well, just the best! These guys work hard. -That said, my friend who is a cook and had the apartment swears by Olympic Cheese. I like its layout—you can pick up the cheese as opposed to ordering it at the counter. -Buster’s Sea Cove. Two words: Lobster Bisque. They don’t sell the lobster rolls here on a regular basis. You’ll have to go to their food truck for that. -Stone Mill Bakery—great bread. But for $4.95 a loaf? Show me the stone mill. -Sheffer’s—they sell prosciutto for $2 here on some days. In the grocery store, it’s usually $6-8! -Churrasco for chicken and soup. This guy works so hard and he pays attention to the little details, down to the way he folds your bag. It’s really quite charming. The chicken is a great bang for your buck. -St. Urbain Bagels—yes!

Markets are different everywhere you go worldwide, but collectively produce a variety of vendors selling something unique. At St. Lawrence Market in Toronto, all of the items were fresh, delicious and beautifully displayed. Here one vendor specialized in dried sausages in several meat forms.

Your eyes will be shocked with mountains of fruit so ripe and bright in color, it could have only been made with love.

The St.Lawrence Market is one of my favorite spots in the city. Housing over 120 speciality vendors, it’s a perfect place for picking up ingredients for a picnic or light supper. I was able to taste local in every category I wanted. Cheeses from Ontario and Quebec, local wineries, seafood featuring fresh catch and baked goods-my beloved butter tart. There’s an international flavor to the market that reflects the city itself, and the Saturday Farmer’s Market provides a chance to see the best in Southern Ontario growers. Sundays the antique vendors line the outdoor areas with unique wares. When you’ve made your selection from the dizzying array of choices, head over to Sugar Beach and enjoy your meal at the revitalized waterfront.