For a full list of our great city’s markets, please click here. The following are the ones that I frequent as much as possible, and where I choose to shop for everything first – from greens to olive oil, bread to chocolate, kimchi to kale smoothies. One of the most incredible things about shopping the markets year round is that week to week there are so many different things to try! For my market shopping tips, click here. It’s a new way to shop, but really the best place to start!
Saturdays start here with my family. Breakfast in the local food court with Chef Bashir, plus organic crepes, tortillas, and chocolate (hot or cold, depending on the season). This market offers a great selection of organic farmers, plus the best organic olive oil (take your glass bottles for refills), dark chocolate (take your bag for bonus smiles), and kraut and kimchi from Pyramid and Alchemy (who also have kombucha on tap). I also highly suggest you stop by Humble Bread’s table and get yourself “Andy’s Bread.” When you’re shopping the market, make sure to ask before you buy, since not all the farmers and food vendors are organic in certification or practice – but the best of the best are at this huge market in one of Toronto’s most green settings, where you’ll almost forget that you are in the city. Have breakfast, go for a hike or walk, and return for lunch before you leave.
It’s not close to me, but a treat to visit on holiday Mondays and have a picnic, shop for the best, and even enjoy dinner in the park. If it were closer, I would frequent for the spirit of this community, and the many vendors and great offerings, from Kind Organics microgreens, to the treat of the Super Seedy bread from de la terre. They have a great commitment to reducing waste and have vendors using reusables, which is obviously commendably fantastic!
Thursdays year round, Dufferin Grove offers almost exclusively organic vendors (was one of the first), and I would say is still the most animated and alive market in Toronto. Start with an organic green smoothie in a reusable cup from Earth + City, and shop your favourite farmers (mine: Sosnicki Organics). Visit Debbie from Lavender Farms for the best organic fruit (peaches and raspberries are the best, and I freeze many for the winter when I need a taste of summer!). Try things like sea asparagus and puffball mushrooms from Forbes. And if you eat cheese, the sheep milk organic feta from Angelo is what you should try, along with his wild oregano, olives, olive oil, and in season heirloom tomatoes.
A new Thursday afternoon market, uptown, that is still developing their vendors. It’s smaller in scale, but offers some lovely organic vendors that are not available at any other market. And most importantly, if you haven’t wandered or walked the grounds here, you must…you’ll feel like you are in the country, and it’s great for kids, too. It’s outside in the summer, with an indoor space in the winter.
Part of the Apple Tree Markets, this is a great neighbourhood market, although small. There are a few questionable vendors using heinz ketchup and other conventional ingredients (so just beware). A trip to this market is a fun after school activity, especially if you are within biking distance. After school snacks of chocolate from Chocosol or a pickle from Mighty Fine Brine (or both) top our list!
