Kensington Market, Toronto’s cutest bohemian block in the city, is quite literally busting at the seams with rows on rows of indie shops, vintage stores, specialty grocers, bakeries, cafes, bistros and more. The charm of this little neighbourhood is contagious so beware! You might just end up spending all day checking out the best spots Kensington Market has to offer!
Here are the Best Places in Kensington Market
You just can’t come to Toronto and not take a stroll through the epic Kensington Market. That would be criminal. So lucky for you I put together a tiny list of 49 spots to checkout while you’re there. Enjoy!
1. Pow Wow Cafe
Serving up tacos on Ojibway-style fry-bread, this snug spot also offers weekend brunch right in the heart of downtown Toronto. Alongside their tasty menu Pow Wow Cafe uses Indigenous sourced ingredients like maple syrup from Cape Croker, wild rice from Curve Lake and incredible coffee from Birch Bark coffee company!
📍 Location: Pow Wow Cafe, 213 Augusta Ave, Toronto
2. Rasta Pasta
I never pass up an opportunity to hit up Rasta Pasta if I’m in Kensington! Its innovative fusion combines the essence of Jamaican and Italian culture to give you a tasty and unique experience. Alongside incredible made-in-house pastas you can order your favorite home cooked Jamaican dishes like Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas, Ox Tail, Salt Fish with Ackee and more!
📍 Location: Rasta Pasta, 61 Kensington Ave, Toronto
3. Seven Lives Tacos y Mariscos
This trendy taqueria is fixing up some of the most mouth watering baja-style tacos Kensington Market has to offer! If you’re craving fresh and tasty Mexican flare, you know where to go.
📍 Location: Seven Lives Tacos y Mariscos, 72 Kensington Ave, Toronto
4. Ronnie’s Local 069
If you want to grab a drink like a real Toronto local then Ronnie’s is the place to be. This low-key and cozy dive bar offers up a great selection of beers and is sure to make you feel like a true Torontonian.
📍 Location: Ronnie’s Local 069, 69 Nassau St, Toronto
5. Wanda’s Pie in the Sky
She baked her first pie when she was nine using cherries picked from her family’s half-acre fruit-filled paradise and well… the rest is history. Wanda’s infamous pies are renowned for their flavour and you can really tell how much love is put into each slice!
📍 Location: Wanda’s Pie in the Sky, 287 Augusta Ave, Toronto
6. Otto’s Berlin Döner
From the streets of Berlin to their little shop in Kensington Market, be prepared to sink your teeth into two of Germany’s most beloved street foods. Both their döner and currywurst are made from scratch using only the freshest of ingredients. Otto’s is German comfort food, done right.
📍 Location: Otto’s Berlin Döner, 256 Augusta Ave, Toronto
7. Sub Rosa Vintage
One of the top vintage stores Kensington Market has to offer is Sub Rosa Vintage. They take pride in their handpicked vintage merch that is truly both quality and on trend! This spot never ever disappoints.
📍 Location: Sub Rosa Vintage, 16 Kensington Ave, Lower Level, Toronto
8. Grey Gardens
A vibrant spot full of people happily slurping wine and oysters and scraping that last little bit of buttery black truffle sauce off their hand crafted ceramic plates Grey Gardens is a must stop spot. Hosting a long list of wines and tons of seafood-heavy small plates, it’s perfect for date-night!
📍 Location: Grey Gardens, 199 Augusta Ave, Toronto
9. Blackbird Baking Co.
Do you want delicious hand-crafted breads? Do you need delectable Italian bread? How about flavourful flat breads, mouth watering pizza Biancas or fantastic focaccias? Blackbird Baking Co. is a top spot to grab the type of bread and baked goods that melts your heart.
📍 Location: Blackbird Baking Co. 172 Baldwin St, Toronto
10. El Rey Mezcal Bar
El Rey is a delightful little mezcal bar in the heart of Kensington. Their ever evolving lineup of mezcals are sure to pack a punch, so don’t be shy and pair your cocktail with their incredible ceviche verde!
📍 Location: El Rey Mezcal Bar, 2a Kensington Ave, Toronto
11. Causa Culture Healing Arts
Come on in and check out this beautiful little shop’s handmade jewelry, stones and rocks. Causa Culture Healing Arts also has a large selection of used and new books for sale just waiting for you to flip through!
📍 Location: Causa Culture Healing Arts, 11 Kensington Ave, Toronto
12. Courage My Love
This funky, long-running staple for vintage apparel, oddities, home goods, beads, buttons and curated jewelry is not only a classic Kensington spot, but also a treasure trove of 50’s, 70’s, 80’s knitwear!
📍 Location: Courage My Love, 4 Kensington Ave, Toronto
13. Cocktail Emporium
Cocktail Emporium is Toronto’s first and only shop for everything bar and cocktail-related. Cocktail enthusiasts and professionals unite in this cute Kensington shop for all your bar-cart, drinking needs!
📍 Location: Cocktail Emporium, 20 Kensington Ave, Toronto
14. FIKA Cafe
Fika, Swedish for “to go out for coffee” or to take a “coffee break,” is standard practice in Sweden. Hence Fika Cafe being once of the coziest places in Toronto for you to come and enjoy an exceptional coffee, tea and house-made pastry. I mean we should all have more fika breaks, right?
📍 Location: FIKA Cafe, 28 Kensington Ave, Toronto
15. Lost Boys Vintage
One of Kensington’s best vintage shops, Lost Boys Vintage always has a great clothing selection, good tunes and the friendliest staff around!
📍 Location: Lost boys Vintage, 38 Kensington Ave, Toronto
16. The Dirty Bird Chicken + Waffles
You guessed it, The Dirty Bird Chicken + Waffles is finger licking fried chicken, waffles and more! All of their chicken is Halal and hand breaded in their gluten-free signature flour blend. Can you say yum?
📍 Location: The Dirty Bird Chicken + Waffles, 79 Kensington Ave, Toronto
17. Tribal Eye
The good vibes coming from this spot alone are enough to draw you in! But Tribal Eye’s 100% organic, eco-friendly, environmentally sustainable, naturally improving, beauty products are something that needs to be on everyone’s wishlist! Plus they smell absolutely divine!
📍 Location: Tribal Eye, 73 Kensington Ave, Toronto
18. Little Pebbles
This tiny, unassuming café offers up yummy coffees, teas and house-made Japanese desserts. Little Pebbles’s coffees are made from De Mello Palheta’s locally roasted coffee beans and their matcha is ceremonial-grade from Uji, Kyoto! All of their croissants and desserts are baked in-house with natural, high quality French and Japanese ingredients!
📍 Location: Little Pebbles, 160 Baldwin St #8, Toronto
19. Global Cheese Shoppe
Global Cheese started with the dreams and ambitions of a dedicated and hardworking immigrant to Canada who gave up school to help support his mother and brothers after arriving to Canada. With determination and a passion for cheese, GC’s forefather made it his goal to provide cheese lovers the very best cheese the world has to offer! And that’s no lie!
📍 Location: Global Cheese Shoppe, 76 Kensington Ave, Toronto
20. Dipped Donuts Inc
Did someone say donuts? Dipped Donuts Inc.’s doughs and glazes are hand-crafted everyday using the freshest ingredients and each donut is hand-cut, fried to perfection and expertly curated to make you drool at every bite!
📍 Location: Dipped Donuts Inc. 161 Baldwin St #1, Toronto
21. The Jerk Spot
Original recipes with Caribbean flavor, The Jerk Spot is your one stop shop for all things delicious. Don’t be shy to try their jerk chicken sandwich, drool worthy beef patties and chicken roti!
📍 Location: The Jerk Spot, 149 Baldwin St, Toronto
22. Sanagan’s Meat Locker
Offering quality meats and poultry, exclusively from Ontario family farms, Sanagan’s Meat Locker is compromised of expert chefs, craft butchers and professional meat hawkers looking to help make your next meal your best yet! Quality is their key!
📍 Location: Sanagan’s Meat Locker, 176 Baldwin St, Toronto
23. Tacos 101 & Fruta Libre
A joint storefront of Fruta Libre & Tacos 101 is now a reality in Kensington! Yay! Tacos 101’s no-frills approach to Mexican street-food and Fruta Libre’s tasty beverages like a creamy Horchata or a refreshing Agua Fresca are just waiting to fill that Mexican void you’ve been craving!
📍 Location: Tacos 101 & Fruta Libre, 178 Baldwin St, Toronto
24. Cheese Magic
Another great spot in Kensington for a wide variety of top quality local and international cheeses is Cheese Magic. This spot is sure to make your taste buds tingle! Singaporean-Canadian Ping Chiu, opened the store in 1987 and never looked back! This is a brie-lliant spot in Kensington, so make sure you stop by!
📍 Location: Cheese Magic, 182 Baldwin St, Toronto
25. 6×8 Market
This cute little indoor marketplace let’s you shop one-of-a-kind gifts from 70+ local vendors in the heart of Kensington! There are so many cute and curated things to get your hands on in here, so be sure to have a look!
📍 Location: 6×8 Market, 184 Baldwin St, Toronto
26. Jimmy’s Coffee
It was Kensington Market’s unique and intimate community that drew Jimmy’s in! Ever since it has become a popular hangout because their tables are always filled with students, artists and locals who hunker down with adelicious Americano and a good book!
📍 Location: Jimmy’s Coffee, 191 Baldwin St, Toronto
27. Abu Hummus
Spreading the love, quite literally, Abu Hummus will show you why we need to normalize hummus as a main meal! I mean, I’m on board, hummus for breakfast, lunch and dinner please!
📍 Location: Abu Hummus, 199 Baldwin St, Toronto
28. Latin Taste
This low-key outpost offers up some delectable Peruvian pastries and sandwiches alongside seafood dishes and drool worthy empanadas. Let the flavours of South America flow and sink your teeth into these tasty treats! Especially their Peruvian Turrones!
📍 Location: Latin Taste, 200 Baldwin St, Toronto
29. Trinity Common
Trinity Common’s beer hall and resto-bar may just be your new favourite spot for all things craft beer! Their holy “Trinity” is beer, food and music and their “Common” is as many relaxed, laid-back vibes as they can pack into this Kensington hotspot. The minute you walk in, you’ll know it’s a good time just waiting to happen!
📍 Location: Trinity Common, 303 Augusta Ave, Toronto
30. Best Istanbul
Serving up some of the city’s best pide, as well as doner, Best Istanbul is a great place to head to when hangry! Alongside their mains they also offer up some irresistible desserts. Try out their Kunefe, a somewhat cheesy pastry soaked in syrup and an absolute winner in my books!
📍 Location: Best Istanbul, 235 Augusta Ave, Toronto
31. Cafe Pamenar
This cafe by day, bar by night is one of Toronto’s best new live music venues. Grab yourself a frothy latte or a classy cocktail and sit back, relax and enjoy the vibes of this intimate, buzzing hot spot.
📍 Location: Cafe Pamenar, 307 Augusta Ave, Toronto
32. Urban Herbivore
Since 2005 Urban Herbivore has been slinging out 100% plant based meals. Now in their newly renovated space they truly are an incredible purveyor of fine Canadian plant based whole foods.
📍 Location: Urban Herbivore, 64 Oxford St, Toronto
33. Bunner’s Bakeshop
Since 2010, Bunner’s Bakeshop has been proving that vegan and gluten-free don’t require compromise. They offer up traditional baked goods that are impossible to distinguish from their classic counterparts! Beautiful celebration cakes, jumbo muffins, decadent cupcakes and sticky cinnamon buns… I mean how could you resist?
📍 Location: Bunner’s Bakeshop, 244 Augusta Ave, Toronto
34. The Burgernator
The burger is their weapon. Toronto is their battlefield. Join them in their mission of ridding the city of half-hearted and overcooked burgers!
📍 Location: The Burgernator, 269 Augusta Ave, Toronto
35. Big Fat Burrito
Making the biggest, fattest, most delicious burritos around, Big Fat Burrito is a no-frills counter service spot serving up tasty carnivorous and vegetarian burritos.
📍 Location: Big Fat Burrito, 238 Augusta Ave, Toronto
36. The Organic Press
Cold-pressed juice, plenty of plants and a commitment to sustainably sourced ingredients is what you’re in for at The Organic Press. They also offer up almond and tiger nut mylks too, but those go quick!
📍 Location: The Organic Press, 257 Augusta Ave, Toronto
37. Top Gun Burger
Their mission is to restore the forgotten culture and cravings that gourmet burgers truly bring us! Top Gun Burger is burger craftsmanship that will make all hungry stomachs flock to its bistro for truth and promise!
📍 Location: Top Gun Burger, 251 Augusta Ave, Toronto
38. Churros Panchos Bakery
Violeta and Adalberto, came to Canada to open the first authentic Mexican Bakery in Toronto and they’ve seriously been setting the churro standard ever since! At the end of the day a little hot fried dough and sugar is enough to make anyone’s heart melt!
📍 Location: Churros Panchos Bakery, 214 Augusta Ave, Toronto
39. LEKKER Pure Belgian Bites
Your favorite Belgian handcrafted meatballs, fries and waffles are waiting for you to sink your teeth into at Lekker Pure Belgian Bites. Name a better combination than meatballs and waffles! I dare you.
📍 Location: LEKKER Pure Belgian Bites, 237 Augusta Ave, Toronto
40. Kensington Brewing Co.
A brewery born in the back of a restaurant in the historic Kensington Market they offer a range of inventive craft beer! Stop by for a pint or two!
📍 Location: Kensington Brewing Co. 299 Augusta Ave, Toronto
41. Handlebar
This hipster chic bar is home to some great events and live music depending on the evening. Drinks are not mad expensive, the staff are very friendly and the vibe is always spot on!
📍 Location: Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave, Toronto
42. Knockout Chicken
Bringing the best fried chicken experience to the people of Toronto, Knockout Chicken is always fresh, never frozen, made to order chicken that will absolutely blow your mind.
📍 Location: Knockout Chicken, 207 Augusta Ave, Toronto
43. Kid Icarus
With a focus on paper products, Kid Icarus takes pride in representing locally made items. Full of Canadian handmade goods from Vancouver to Halifax, and everything in between, the majority of their products are from the neigbourhoods that make up the Greater Toronto Area. Be sure to stop in and see for yourself!
📍 Location: Kid Icarus, 205 Augusta Ave, Toronto
44. Egg Bae
Eggs Before All Else. Egg Bae is THE spot for craft breakfast sandwiches. Making gourmet breakfast sandwiches from scratch is a true talent and I am here for it!
📍 Location: Egg Bae, 189 Augusta Ave, Toronto
45. Chungchun Rice Dog
A popular Korean street food Chungchun’s rice dogs are what you’ve been missing. Their rice flour batter wrapped hot dogs, spicy sausages, mozzarella rice dogs and half and halves are coated to perfection and waiting for you to demolish!
📍 Location: Chungchun Rice Dog, 181 Augusta Ave, Toronto
46. Moonbean Coffee Company
This homey spot is the perfect place to kick back and relax while enjoying one of their smooth espresso drinks made from house-roasted beans! They also have tasty snacks and over 30 loose-leaf teas to choose from!
📍 Location: Moonbean Coffee Company, 30 St Andrew St, Toronto
47. Veggie D’Light
Chef Peter’s vegan menu is all about taste as he combines plant-based recipes with authentic Caribbean flavour! If you aren’t already salivating just thinking about Veggie D’Light then you need to come and have a taste for yourself!
📍 Location: Veggie D’Light, 160 Baldwin St #3, Toronto
48. Sweet Hart Kitchen
Founded to bridge the gap between beautiful plant-based foods and childhood nostalgia, everything at Sweet Hart Kitchen is 100% vegan, gluten free and naturally sweetened, using real, whole ingredients! You’ll find an ever-evolving menu of baked and unbaked treats, inspired by the seasons and lovingly handmade from scratch.
📍 Location: Sweet Hart Kitchen, 68 Wales Ave, Toronto
49. The Oud & The Fuzz
This fun cocktail bar is home to nightly DJs and regular live music that make it a cozy spot to be entertained. It may just be the best place for Armenian small plates, live music and amazing Armenian-inspired cocktails!
📍 Location: The Oud & The Fuzz, 21 Kensington Ave, Toronto
Have anything to add to this list of things to do in Kensington Market? Let me know below!
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If you have any questions or just want to see some more travel content find me on Instagram at @agirl.enroute! I’m always happy to chat!
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Gamezone
January 7, 2022 at 7:57 pmGreat content! Keep up the good work!
Alyshia
January 8, 2022 at 4:04 pmI’m so glad you enjoyed! Thanks so much for reading! 🙂