Kensington Market is a must-see on a visit to Toronto. The lively market is filled with a mix of food stores selling a variety of meats, fish, and produce. If that isn’t enough to make your mouth water, you can browse bakeries, spice and dry goods stores, and cheese shops. It is also home to many restaurants covering a wide variety of styles and ethnicities.
Along with the plethora of food shops in Kensington Market are a wide variety of new and used clothing boutiques plus discount and surplus stores. And just when you need a respite from all the shops, grab a seat in cozy café or stop for a meal in one of the many restaurants.
In summer, Kensington Market hosts several car-free Sundays, and a pedestrian mall unfolds on the narrow streets. Live music, dancing, street theatre and games are among the special events on the closed streets. During the Winter Solstice in December, the market hosts the annual Kensington Market Festival of Light, a carnival parade of giant puppets, fire-breathers, and stilt-walkers.
Kensington Market is located in downtown Toronto, a few blocks north of the waterfront. The market is bounded by College Street in the north, Spadina Avenue on the east, Baldwin Street in the south, and Augusta Avenue in the west. Most of the neighborhood's shops, cafes, and other attractions are located along Augusta Avenue, Nassau Street and Kensington Ave. The market is best traveled on foot or bicycle, as the narrow one-way streets and numerous dead-ends are difficult to navigate by car.
