St. Lawrence Market

In a grand old brick hall near the lake, rows of stalls spill cheese, meat, fish, bread, and produce under a high roof, loud with trade and rich with smell. This is St. Lawrence Market, one of the oldest and best-loved food markets in the city, and often named among the finest in the world.

A market has stood on or near this spot since the early nineteenth century, growing with the city, and the main hall, a handsome old brick building, has sheltered food sellers for generations. It is a working market, not a tourist mock-up, used by locals as much as visitors.

Inside, dozens of vendors sell everything a kitchen could want: cheeses, cured meats, fresh fish, baked goods, fruit and vegetables, and prepared foods, the abundance of a rich farming region gathered under one roof.

The market's signature bite is a sandwich of peameal bacon, a local cure of pork rolled in cornmeal, served simply in a bun, a humble dish that has become a small rite of passage for visitors to the city.

Beyond that one famous sandwich, the stalls offer a world of food to eat on the spot or carry away, so the market doubles as one of the best places in the city for a casual, grazing lunch.

On certain days the market spreads beyond the main hall, with a farmers' market and an antiques market in the surrounding buildings and squares, so the timing of your visit changes what you find.

The main building itself is worth a look, an old civic structure with a high, light-filled hall, and the neighbouring old hall, once the city's grand meeting place, adds to the historic feel of the quarter.

The market sits in the old town near the lake, an easy walk from the waterfront and the distillery district, so it folds naturally into a day exploring the historic and harbour-side parts of the city.

It is busiest and best in the morning, when the produce is freshest and the locals shop, and on the days when the extra markets are running, so an early visit rewards you with both food and atmosphere.

More than a place to shop, the market is a window into how the city eats, a mix of old-country traditions and new-world abundance reflecting the many communities that have settled here.

A few practical notes. The market is busiest in the morning and closed on some days, so check before you go; bring a little cash, come hungry, and try the famous sandwich at least once. It is an easy walk from downtown.

Wander the stalls, breathe in the mingled smells, and eat your way through a peameal sandwich and whatever else tempts you, and the everyday abundance of the city is laid out around you. When you step back out into the old town, the lake and the distillery quarter wait close by.