Toronto markets, malls and shopping districts to explore

Toronto boasts some world class tourist attractions and sightseeing opportunities but along with the landmarks, there are an abundance of markets, malls and shopping districts to explore, that will give you a taste of the city’s local flair and flavours.

Whether it’s trendy shops, boutique offerings or a uniquely Toronto dish, this list will give you options and ideas for days.

St. Lawrence Market is Toronto’s oldest market and dates back to 1803. It is considered among the world’s best.

Two market buildings stand across the road from each other at Front Street East and Jarvis Street – the classic South building and the newly built North building. The South Building is where you’ll find the city’s famous peameal bacon sandwich as well as ready baked goods, desserts, deli meats and cheeses from around the world and a variety of snacks and drinks. Grab one of each and peruse the fresh produce, pick up everything from kitchen gadgets to souvenirs, specialty coffee or international honeys and so much more. The South Building is also home to Paddington’s Pump – a classic pub if ever there was one, you’ll be forgiven for thinking it’s “where everybody knows your name.”

The North Building hosts the weekly Farmer’s Market on Saturdays – the largest in the city – where seasonal produce and fresh meats are sold.

Note: St. Lawrence Market is closed on Mondays.

How to get there by transit: The North building is located on 92 Front St. East and the South building is at 95 Front St. East. Take the 504 King streetcar to Sherbourne Street. Walk south on Sherbourne Street to Front Street. You’ll see the North Building on your right and the South Building directly across the street.

Kensington Market is an eclectic enclave in the city’s downtown core with a plethora of small businesses to discover.

While it bears the “market” moniker, it isn’t a single structure. It is an entire neighbourhood contained within a few city streets, between College Street to the north, Dundas Street to the South, Bathurst Street to the West and Spadina Avenue to the East.

Along with fresh produce, flowers, cheese and meat vendors, the area is also home to several vintage stores and curated gift shops. Plus, the numerous restaurants serving up a variety of diverse cuisines and cozy coffee shops make the area a great way to spend a few hours exploring, shopping and trying new foods. Don’t forget to duck into some of the smaller laneways to admire the numerous colourful murals.

During the summer months from May to October, every last Sunday of the month is dubbed Pedestrian Sunday – a car-free day in the area that allows locals and visitors alike to explore an enjoy without worrying about traffic.

How to get there by transit: The market can be entered from numerous streets.

• Take the 510 Spadina streetcar and jump off at any stop between Dundas Street and College Street. Walk west into the market via Oxford, Nassau, Baldwin or St. Andrew streets.
• Take the 511 Bathurst streecar, get off at the Nassau Street stop and enter the market by walking east on Nassau Street.
• Take the 505 Dundas streetcar and hop off at any stop between Bathurst Street and Spadina Avenue. Walk north into the market via Denison, Augusta or Kensington Avenue.
• Take the 506 Carlton (College) streetcar and get off at Augusta Avenue, then walk south along Augusta to enter the market.

Toronto’s Distillery District on the eastern edge of downtown was once home to the world’s largest distillery – Gooderham & Worts – spanning 47 Victorian industrial buildings. It was declared a national historic site in 1988 and later redeveloped into a vibrant cobblestoned shopping, dining and entertainment district that opened to the public in 2003.

The facades and much of the insides of the buildings have been restored to their original glory, with some still housing preserved tanks and stills. Each door opens to a unique business – an art store, local designer, boutique grocer, chocolatier, jewelry shop and lots more.

The pedestrian-only district also offers several dining options including bars, restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries. You can even catch a show as the historic site is also home to a theatre company that regularly hosts independent stage productions and its own theatre festival.

Go prepared to take pictures of every nook and cranny – the iconic red brick facades and bottle green door and window trims make for beautiful photo backdrops.

Given its picturesque charm, the district is popular for film and television shoots as well as photoshoots and weddings. Entry is free and casual photo ops are permitted but if you’re looking to conduct a professional photoshoot, you’ll need a permit from the district.

How to get there by transit: The Distillery District’s main gate is located at 55 Mill St. Get on the 504 King streetcar and travel to Parliament Street. Hop off and walk south on Parliament, turn left onto Mill Street and enter the gate at Trinity Street.

If you’re looking for elevated, upscale experiences, Yorkville is where you want to be.

It is described as Toronto’s luxury lifestyle destination, offering fine dining and high-end shopping. Yorkville hotels also host a number of celebrities, most often during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), but you might spot a famous face or two when you visit in the summer too.

The area in located between Davenport Road to the north and Bloor Street West to the south, Avenue Road to the west and Aylmer Avenue and Rosedale Valley Road to the east.

Pedestrian friendly, with chic cafes and ice cream shops as well as seasonal public art installations and a charming main avenue, the area is quaint and inviting, even if you prefer to stroll and window shop while taking in the ambience and local musicians.

How to get there by transit: Yorkville is easy to access from both St. George and Bay Street subway stations. From St. George, exit towards Bedford Road and walk east to Yorkville Avenue. From Bay Street, take the Cumberland Street exit.

The portion of Queen Street between Bathurst Street and Gladstone Avenue is the western part of Queen Street West – hence the obvious but melodic moniker West Queen West. It was famously voted one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world by Vogue magazine back in 2014, and it remains a vibrant, eclectic and varied section of Toronto’s Queen Street.

The area is dotted with numerous businesses small and large, vintage and thrift shops as well as restaurants and cafes for every taste and every budget.

This is also where you’ll find Trinity Bellwoods Park – a favourite among picnickers, musicians and frisbee players. The sprawling park is popular with all ages and home to three baseball diamonds, eight tennis courts, two volleyball courts, a dog off-leash area, a picnic area, a wading pool and a children’s playground. Take a quiet stroll through or grab a snack from one of the numerous offerings along Queen Street and have an impromptu picnic while you people and dog watch in one of the city’s most beloved green spaces.

Further west, you’ll hit Ossington Avenue – another lively street popular with locals and visitors alike. It’s known for its trendy restaurants and cafes, fun nightlife and music events. The area also hosts its own street festival in July with live DJs and bands, vendors and street food stalls and trucks.

If you travel all the way west, you’ll get to the historic Gladstone Hotel built in 1889 – the city’s oldest continuously operating hotel that houses the city’s oldest operating elevator, which charmingly still requires an operator.

The Gladstone is a Toronto icon with a popular patio, restaurant and basement music venue. it also has its own art studio and curates art exhibits throughout the year.

How to get there by transit: Take the 501 Queen streetcar to Bathurst Street. Jump off at Bathurst if you want to explore on foot from there onwards. Stay on till Strachan Avenue if you’re going to Trinity Bellwoods Park or ride all the way to Ossington or Gladstone avenues if you’re exploring those spots.

Toronto Malls

If climate-controlled shopping is more your speed, Toronto has many world class malls spread across the city.

CF Toronto Eaton Centre

The Eaton Centre is one of the most visited attractions in the city and among North America’s busiest malls. Sitting on the west side of Yonge Street, it spans an entire city block between Dundas and Queens Streets.

It houses around 235 stores in four floors of retail space that can easily keep you occupied for several hours. There’s also a large basement food court on the Dundas Street side and a second smaller food court on the first level on the Queen Street side, plus more eateries, juice bars and ice cream shops at either end.

Along with shopping and dining, be sure to check out the iconic Flight Stop sculpture installation by Canadian artist Michael Snow when you enter from Queen Street. Sixty styrofoam and fibreglass geese suspended from the ceiling in the central galleria appear as a flock suspended in mid-air, each of a different size and in a unique flight position. It is considered an indelible part of the Eaton Centre’s heritage and identity.

How to get there by transit: Both the Queen Street and TMU subway stations on Line 1 (yellow line) are directly connected to the mall. If you enter from Queen Street and make your way through to the other side, you will come out by Sankofa Square – one of the city’s main squares and event spaces that hosts festivals, concerts and outdoor movie screenings in the summer.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre

Yorkdale Shopping Centre is located northwest of downtown in a neighbourhood with the same name and within a larger area known as North York.

When it opened in the 1960s, it was considered the largest enclosed shopping mall in the world. Today, it boasts over 270 stores and houses one of the largest collections of designer and luxury brands in Canada. It is also the country’s third-largest mall and one of the busiest in the country.

Two food courts offer a multitude of dining options from fast food and chain restaurants to Michelin-chef collaborations.

For visitors travelling with bags, luggage check is available so you can roam the massive space freely and if you manage to rack up $500 in receipts, you recieve a $25 gift card.

How to get there by transit: Yorkdale Shopping Centre is easily accessible via subway. Take Line 1 (yellow line) to Yorkdale station and follow the signs to exit directly into the mall.

The Well

The Well is one of Toronto’s newest shopping, dining and entertainment venues that is both a commercial and residential development.

Situated on Front Street and extending to Wellington Street, between Spadina Avenue and Draper Street, The Well is an indoor/outdoor mixed use space, with three levels of retail space including branded stores as well as pop-up spaces. It also features regular outdoor programming including musicians, artisan and farmers markets, DJ sets and more. It also has several open spaces to enjoy the events on offer, read or people watch.

The Wellington Market is the mall’s lower level food court that offers a variety of global cuisine and houses a bar and sit-down restaurants as well. Along Wellington Street, you’ll find a row of restaurants and bars with patios, catering to diverse tastes and budgets.

How to get there by transit: The Well is easily accessible by taking the 510 Spadina streetcar and jumping off at the Front Street stop. Cross over to the west side of the street to enter.