Toronto is a culinary mosaic comprised of many cultures and ethnicities. This diversity brings much to the city’s vitality, especially as respects the food options.
While in Canada, we made a point to visit several Toronto neighborhoods that create the mosaic.
Our first stop was for dim sum in Chinatown. This thriving neighborhood in the center of the city bustles with activity and shopping. It’s also a great place to sample different Toronto cheap eats.
Next time we’re in Toronto, we want to try some other Chinatown delicacies such as the Hong Kong style meats hanging in the windows.
Not to mention the eclectic produce selection.
Of course, we went to Little Italy. We tried both savory and sweet foods while there.
Koreatown is another happening neighborhood and a must visit for anybody who loves Korean food. While there, we took a beverage break.
Little India is a bit more off the beaten track. While there, we made a food pit stop.
Unlike Toronto’s colorful, eclectic Kensington Market, the St. Lawrence Market is enclosed in two buildings. The south building has lots of food shops and casual eateries. The north building hosts a weekly farmer’s market each Saturday.
The St. Lawrence Market is old, dating back to 1803, and has lots of interesting local foods. There’s plenty of peameal bacon – Toronto’s unique contribution to the global pork spectrum.
We tried this Toronto staple on a sandwich at the Carousel Bakery.
We walked around the market and visually feasted on the many options. From meat to maple, the St. Lawrence Market has a tremendous selection of specialty foods.
The St. Lawrence is a fun culinary spot in Toronto. It’s been ranked as tops in the world by National Geographic and CNN Travel along with markets like Barcelona‘s La Boqueria, London‘s Borough Market and Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market.
Pro Tip
The St. Lawrence Market is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
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About the Authors
Daryl & Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website and YouTube. The married Food and Travel content creators live in Lisbon, Portugal.
Original Publication Date: June 12, 2013
Lesley Peterson
Friday 3rd of April 2015
Oh boy, you've hit on one of the best reasons to live in Toronto. We have authentic food at great prices. New places and new favorites popping up all the time! Really great food shots in this post!
Mike Orobona
Sunday 4th of January 2015
A great place for Italian groceries is the Monastery Bakery in Oakville. Still in the GTA, but a little ways from downtown.
Sandra
Tuesday 2nd of September 2014
What did you think of Pastel de Natas? Was it made by Portuguese? They look great on the picture. I might be starting to feel homesick :)
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Tuesday 2nd of September 2014
We first fell in love with Pastel de Natas in Lisbon. We have since had them in Montreal, Toronto, Kyoto and Macau. They're always good, but best in Lisbon.