St. Lawrence Market

Walk, eat and shop your way around the St. Lawrence Market, Toronto’s charismatic marketplace filled with organic groceries, restaurant stalls, antique dealers and local makers. You’ll feel like a local walking into this bustling centre for Toronto’s best of the best bakers, chefs and coffee connoisseurs. The large, historic brick building is home to over 100 vendors, so everyone in your group will find something they like at the market. Fill up your plates with Canadian fare from the in-house Market Kitchen or come by on a Saturday to buy your own ingredients at the famous farmer’s market. Foodies or chefs in training can book a cooking class at the Market Kitchen to get hands on experience in the state-of-the-art kitchen. Visit the market on a Sunday to peruse the treasures brought to the building each week by over 80 antique dealers. As a true community space, the market’s large St. Lawrence Hall hosts a carousel of food, shopping and social events, so make sure to check the calendar for what’s on.

Located in Old Town, just blocks away from both the Entertainment District and the Distillery District, St. Lawrence Market is an easy walk from some of Toronto’s best tourist destinations. Drive and park in any of the nearby lots for a fee, including a Saturday farmer’s market deal. Travel on the Route 1 subway and get off at King Station, then walk about seven minutes on King Street to get to the market by public transportation.

For up-to-date information and details on the St. Lawrence Market, we recommend you visit their website. For information about other places of interest to explore nearby, keep scrolling to see what Destination Ontario recommends.

Row of indoor market vendors with people shopping

More about St. Lawrence Market

As one of the largest of its kind in the southern Ontario region, St. Lawrence Market is beloved by visitors and locals alike. As you taste the food from some of Toronto’s best eateries, you’ll notice locals hitting up their favourite bakers for their weekly loaf of sourdough and tourists buying artful souvenirs from the merchant vendors. The market boasts over 100 vendors, spread out over two beautifully decorated floors with three buildings in total to accommodate all the events and services. When the large North Market transforms into a farmer’s market on Saturdays and an antiques market on Sundays, shoppers flock from all over the region for locally grown organics and unique treasures. The Market Gallery, located on the second floor of South Market on the Esplanade, is the home to the city’s cultural services department, which showcases local artwork in this beautiful exhibition space. At St. Lawrence Hall, which hosts several shops and cafes on the ground floor, special events come to life in the vast Great Hall, available for rental.

The Market Kitchen is open for learning experiences at Monogram, the state-of-the-art teaching kitchen located inside the market. The Make and Take classes are traditional cooking classes, where patrons learn a recipe and take home what they’ve made. Learn to cook anything from pies to dumplings so you can recreate the restaurant feel at home. There are also dinner party classes, training the home entertainer how to make complementary starters and meals — and of course offering a sit-down experience of the delicious three course meal, wine and cheese you’ve prepared during your class.

St. Lawrence Market is fully accessible with an elevator, giving universal access to all parts of the building.

St. Lawrence Market is an historical landmark of the city as a 200-year-old building that has housed thousands of markets over time. The original north building was the historic site of Toronto’s former city hall and its legacy of providing the city with community space has continued to this day. Take a walking tour to learn more about the history of the market, which was founded in 1803 as one of Toronto’s three public markets, and its progression into the abundant and thriving buildings that stand today.

The market is located just a few blocks from Sugar Beach, where you can relax and take in the view of Lake Ontario, as well as the Distillery District, where you can continue a metropolitan day of shopping in Toronto’s historical places. If you can’t find something you like at St. Lawrence Market — which is nearly impossible, considering the swaths of eateries ranging from fish and chips to savoury crepes and Ukrainian sausages — check out any of the modern restaurants within walking distance of the market.

For shoppers looking for something special to bring home, peruse the market’s vendors — clothing shops, jewellers, flowers and more — or take a stroll to nearby downtown and check out Atrium, College Park and Shops at Aura, indoor and outdoor malls within walking distance of St. Lawrence Market. Those looking for a real historical experience can reach Toronto’s iconic brick flatiron, the Gooderham Building, as well as the beautiful Toronto Old City Hall.

Last updated: August 18, 2023

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