Old Town food market
The best St. Lawrence Market tours
What to eat, from the peameal bacon sandwich to butter tarts, two guided food tours, the Saturday farmers market, opening hours and parking; here is how to plan your visit, with honest advice on whether a tour is worth the money, what happens if you need to cancel, and where each tour meets.
See our 2 picks
St. Lawrence Market is Toronto's big food market at 92–95 Front Street East, open Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays. The best tour for a first visit is the 6-tasting food tour, from €77 per person. On a budget, a 3-hour food and history walk starts at €43.
Our picks: St. Lawrence Market tours
Two guided food walks that start near the market. Neither picks you up at your hotel. Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide.
-
from €77 per person Our top pick 3 hours 4.7 (268) reviews on GetYourGuide
St. Lawrence and Distillery food tour, 6 tastings
A little over 3 hours through the market and on to the Distillery District. You taste a peameal bacon sandwich, pasta, poutine, a butter tart, a Nanaimo bar and a secret dish at a fish market. You meet at 27 Front Street East. It is not suitable for wheelchair users.
Best for First-timers who want the classics
Check availability: St. Lawrence and Distillery food tour, 6 tastings on GetYourGuide -
from €43 per person 3 hours 4.7 (99) reviews on GetYourGuide
Food, history and St. Lawrence Market walk
Three hours on foot through Old Town and the market, in a small group of up to 12. You get coffee, half a peameal bacon sandwich, ginger ale, a butter tart and half a pint of craft beer. Only a vegetarian swap is possible. You meet at the Hockey Hall of Fame, 30 Yonge Street.
Best for A budget, history and a small group
Check availability: Food, history and St. Lawrence Market walk on GetYourGuide
St. Lawrence Market tours compared
| Tour | From | Where you meet | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Lawrence and Distillery food tour, 6 tastings | €77 per person | 27 Front St E | First-timers who want the classics | Two food areas in one walk; 4.7 from 268 reviews. |
| Food, history and St. Lawrence Market walk | €43 per person | 30 Yonge St (Hockey Hall of Fame) | A budget, history and a small group | The cheaper tour, with Old Town stories; 4.7 from 99 reviews. |
St. Lawrence and Distillery food tour, 6 tastings
€77 per person3 hours 4.7 (268)
Details
- Where you meet
- 27 Front St E
- Who it suits
- First-timers who want the classics
- Why we picked it
- Two food areas in one walk; 4.7 from 268 reviews.
Food, history and St. Lawrence Market walk
€43 per person3 hours 4.7 (99)
Details
- Where you meet
- 30 Yonge St (Hockey Hall of Fame)
- Who it suits
- A budget, history and a small group
- Why we picked it
- The cheaper tour, with Old Town stories; 4.7 from 99 reviews.
- Both take 3 hours.
- Small group: Food, history and St. Lawrence Market walk takes up to 12 people.
- Neither includes hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point.
- Both offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
St. Lawrence Market food: what to eat
Start with a peameal bacon sandwich. Destination Toronto says peameal bacon is also known as Canadian bacon.
Carousel Bakery is at stall 42 on the Upper Level. It has been at the market for more than 50 years. It calls itself the home of Toronto's world-famous peameal bacon sandwich.
Its page also says then-Mayor John Tory named it Toronto's Signature Sandwich in 2016. Those are the bakery's own words.
For dessert, try a butter tart. Destination Toronto calls it "the quintessential Canadian dessert".
If you would rather explore Toronto food and restaurants on your own, the market is the easiest place to start.
Buster's Sea Cove at St. Lawrence Market
Buster's Sea Cove is in the market's own vendor list. The market calls it a landmark, known for its fish and chips and fresh seafood.
The St. Lawrence Market Kitchen
The market's food page lists a Market Kitchen, run by Monogram. It describes it as a place where "culinary inspiration and education meet". The page does not use the words "cooking classes".
A tour or on your own?
Go on your own for one sandwich, and book a tour for the stories and many tastings. A guide also tells you which stalls to try.
For other neighbourhoods, compare every Toronto food tour we picked.
A St. Lawrence Market food tour: what you taste
The 6-tasting tour serves a peameal bacon sandwich, pasta, poutine, a butter tart, a Nanaimo bar and a secret dish at a fish market. Then it walks on to the Distillery District.
A St. Lawrence Market tour with Old Town history
The food and history walk covers about 2 km at a relaxed pace. You hear Old Town stories and get coffee, half a peameal sandwich, ginger ale, a butter tart and half a pint of craft beer.
North St. Lawrence Market: the Saturday farmers market
The farmers market runs every Saturday from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. The market lists it as "Farmers Market (St. Lawrence Market North)".
The new North Market building held its first Saturday farmers market on April 5, 2025, the City of Toronto says.
Come early for the best choice. The South Market opens at 7 a.m. on Saturdays.
Hours, address and parking
The South Market is open Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays. The address is 92–95 Front Street East.
Over the 2026 holidays it is closed on December 25, December 26, December 28 and January 1. It opens 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on New Year's Eve.
Parking is at the city's Green P St. Lawrence Garage, at Lower Jarvis Street and The Esplanade. On Saturdays, market shoppers pay CA$1.00 an hour for the first two hours.
Our guide to getting around Toronto covers the subway and streetcars.
| Day | South Market | Farmers market (North) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Closed | Closed |
| Tuesday to Friday | 9 a.m.–7 p.m. | Closed |
| Saturday | 7 a.m.–5 p.m. | 5 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Sunday | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | Closed |
Near the market
The 6-tasting food tour carries on to the Distillery District. You can also visit it on your own.
A small-group walk with a boat ride starts at the market too. It is one of our Toronto harbour cruises.
The Hockey Hall of Fame, at 30 Yonge Street, is where the food and history walk meets.
Nester Finn St. Lawrence Market and other hotels nearby
Nester Finn St. Lawrence Market is an aparthotel on King Street East, about 260 m from the market. Every room has a full kitchen, handy after a market trip.
Tips for St. Lawrence Market
Skip Mondays
The South Market is closed on Mondays.
Go early on Saturday
The farmers market opens at 5 a.m. and the South Market at 7 a.m.
Check the cancellation rule
Both tour listings show free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Find the right meeting point
The 6-tasting tour meets at 27 Front Street East. The history walk meets at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
St. Lawrence Market: questions and answers
When is St. Lawrence Market open?
Is St. Lawrence Market open on Sunday?
What can I do at St. Lawrence Market?
Where is St. Lawrence Market?
What is there to do near St. Lawrence Market?
What should I eat at St. Lawrence Market?
More St. Lawrence Market tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuide