Routinely voted one of the world's greatest food markets — St. Lawrence Market has anchored the original heart of Toronto since 1803. The South Market holds 120+ vendors selling fresh fish, Ontario charcuterie, cheese caves, hot peameal bacon sandwiches (a Toronto institution), and extraordinary produce. Saturday's Farmer's Market in the North Market is unmissable.
Neighbourhood: Old Town / St. Lawrence · Address: 93 Front St E, Toronto, ON · Hours: Tue–Thu 9am–7pm | Fri 9am–8pm | Sat 5am–5pm | Sun Antique Market 10am–5pm
Why Visit
St. Lawrence Market is the place to dive into Toronto’s food culture, with legendary peameal bacon sandwiches, regional Canadian cheeses, and the freshest produce in the city. It’s a one-stop shop for snacks, souvenirs, and people-watching under one (historic) roof.
What Makes It Unique
Nowhere else in Toronto packs 120+ independent vendors under one roof, where you can eat, shop and chat directly with Ontario farmers and fishmongers. The Saturday farmer’s market in the North building runs year-round and dates back to 1803, making it the longest continuously operating market in the city.
If you only have time for one market in Toronto, make it St. Lawrence Market. It’s not just a place to grab lunch—it’s one of the city’s oldest routines, the kind of spot where office workers, chefs, tourists, and lifelong locals all end up in the same line. The market has been part of Old Town since 1803, and it still feels like a working market first, not a stage set for visitors.
Inside the South Market, you’ll find more than 120 vendors packed into a busy, slightly chaotic, very appetizing hall. There’s fresh fish on ice, rows of Ontario cheeses, hanging charcuterie, bakeries turning out warm loaves, produce stands stacked with whatever looks best that week, and counters where you can grab lunch without overthinking it. You’ll smell coffee, grilled meat, brine from the seafood stalls, and something sweet from a pastry case before you’ve even done one full lap.
The thing everyone talks about is the peameal bacon sandwich from Carousel Bakery, and for once, the famous item is actually worth the hype. It’s simple: thick slices of juicy peameal bacon, cut straight from the griddle and stuffed into a soft bun. That’s it. No need to complicate it. It’s salty, tender, a little messy, and very Toronto. If you want one without a long wait, go on Saturday between 6 and 9am. That sounds early, but trust me, by late morning the line can get annoying, especially when half the city and every visitor with a food list has the same idea.
Don’t stop at the sandwich, though. This is a market built for grazing. Pick up some fresh Atlantic salmon, a chunk of Ontario aged cheddar, and a fresh-squeezed orange juice and you’ve got a pretty ideal market breakfast or take-home haul. If you like shopping with no strict plan, this is the place for it. You wander, sample, change your mind, buy too much cheese, and somehow leave happy about it.
Saturday is the best day to go because the North Market hosts the Farmer’s Market, and that’s when the whole area feels most alive. It starts early, and the serious shoppers do too. You’ll see restaurant people buying produce, locals loading up on eggs and seasonal vegetables, and visitors trying to decide whether they should carry maple syrup around all day. The energy is different before 9am—less crowded, more actual shopping, fewer people stopping in the middle of the aisle to take photos.
A practical note: take the subway to King Station and walk east. It’s easy, and driving down there is more trouble than it’s worth. The market isn’t expensive to enter, but your self-control might be. Go hungry, bring cash or a card, and give yourself time to wander. Even if you think you’re “just popping in,” St. Lawrence has a way of turning a quick stop into your whole morning.