Kensington Market

Kensington Market. The name alone brings a smile to my face. It was the first area of Toronto that I got to know in my second year of University when I moved off campus and into the heart of the market. And what a market! Kensington is certainly a place that can be described as having character. Rain, snow or shine, the market is open year round and has everything you need to make any meal and then some. Each little shop specializes in something; from fruits and veggies to spices, meat, fish, cheese, chocolate, bread and eggs.

Sundays are for pedestrians only but no matter what day of the week you’re there, the market area is filled with shoppers and cars have to wait. If you like to people watch, there’s no place better than Luis Coffee Shop. Grab a coffee, pull up a stool and enjoy the scenery. Kensington is a place where diversity reigns. If you’re lucky you might catch a glimpse of the Cat Man who walks around with two seemingly content cats on his shoulder, (I couldn’t make this up if I tried…) or the Bird Lady, (same deal, but with birds).

On my most recent trip I picked up some pomegranate molasses and garam masala from House of Spice, parmesan and smoked gouda from Global Cheese, a baguette from My Market Bakery, enormous fuji apples from Oxford Fruit and some ground beef from European Meats. You tell me what you’re looking for and I’ll tell you where to find it in Kensington. Looking for satsuma mandarins? Go to Oxford Fruit. Got a craving for some goat roti? Go to Patty King. Need a chocolate fix? Go to Chocolate Addict. Feeling like a specialty brie with truffles? Go to Global Cheese. Looking for vintage clothing? Yes, that’s right, the market has more than just food, with Kensington Ave devoted to all things vintage.

I mainly make my trips to Kensington for groceries to make my own meals but if you don’t feel like doing the cooking yourself, Kensington is also filled with an eclectic mix of restaurants and cafes. From snacks to full out meals, with dishes from South America to the Caribbean to Portugal to Thailand, the market has what you want.

As if all of this weren’t amazing enough, it’s the low prices and lack of pretentiousness I love about Kensington Market. Shopping in regular grocery stores leads me to drive people crazy saying things like “you can get this cheaper in Kensington.” Not only can you get it cheaper in Kensington, but it’s more fun to get it from a market that has people and food from around the world that exist together in a laid back, comfortable atmosphere. Kensington Market is my kind of place.