St. Lawrence Market is the oldest market in Toronto that has been around for more than two centuries. Built in the 1800s in Old Town Toronto, the market has become one of the city’s iconic landmark and is now home to more than 120 merchants and farmers that sell various local and international fresh produce and gourmet food. With the abundance of food choices that are available, St. Lawrence Market has also become a culinary hotspot for food enthusiasts. During weekdays, you can find local craftspeople and artisans selling their crafts in the market. On weekends, there are Saturday Farmer’s Market and Sunday Antique Market going on where you can do more shopping.

For a cosmopolitan market, I think St. Lawrence Market is really nice. The place is clean and well-maintained, and the layout of the market is not too cramped in-between vendors (at least on the upper level. On the lower level, the space is a bit smaller), making exploring the market an enjoyable experience. If you’re a tourist or a local who is looking for a ready-to-eat food, there are plenty of choices available at the market. Western options such as meat sandwiches, cured meats, cheese, pizza and fresh seafood to name a few are easy to find but international cuisines are also available such as Chinese food, Greek food and French desserts.

Greysuitcase Toronto Series: St. Ubrain Bagel at St. Lawrence Market, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

One notable vendor is Buster’s Sea Cove, one of the legendary institutions in Toronto that has been selling the freshest and most delectable seafood inside the market since its flagship opening in 1992. Their house special—the East Coast Lobster Roll—is apparently a crowd’s favorite and ended up making my friend joining the long line in front of the counter to order one to try.

Greysuitcase Toronto Series: Buster's Sea Cove at St. Lawrence Market, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

East Coast Lobster Roll with Salad $25.03 | 7/10

Their East Coast Lobster Roll with salad is served with pickles and a slice of lemon. The chopped up lobster meat is served cold on a grilled bun. The lobster meat is fresh and seasoned well, but I personally think the meat was chopped up too much. I think I just prefer bigger chunks of lobster meat on my lobster roll in general. But overall, it was alright.

Greysuitcase Toronto Series: Buster's Sea Cove East Coast Lobster Roll at St. Lawrence Market, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Greysuitcase Toronto Series: Stack'd Deli Kitchen at St. Lawrence Market, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Greysuitcase Toronto Series: Scheffler's Delicatessen at St. Lawrence Market, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Greysuitcase Toronto Series: St. Lawrence Pizza & Pasta at St. Lawrence Market, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Greysuitcase Toronto Series: Yianni's Kitchen at St. Lawrence Market, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

If you want to avoid the crowd, maybe go during odd hours like I did. I went there around 3 pm on a Saturday and the place was not super crowded. There were still a good number of people in the market so you can definitely still experience the market vibe.

St. Lawrence Market

Address:
Farmer’s Market / South Market
The Market Lot
Front & Jarvis | Front & Church | Jarvis & Wellington
St. Lawrence Hall
The Market Lot | Front & Jarvis

Telephone: +1 416-392-7219

Hours:
South Market
Tuesday to Friday 9am-7pm | Saturday 7am-5pm | Sunday 10am-5pm | Closed on Mondays
Farmer's Market
Saturday 5am-3pm