Eclectic Neighborhood Offers Round-the-World Trip

Are you wondering where to go for a bushel of fresh crabs and quality vintage clothing? Or maybe you just want to people watch in a place where people do both? If eclectic and authentic are your watchwords then Kensington Market is a must-do Toronto destination.

You'll know you have found the market when you are immersed in a maze of narrow streets and alleys, bustling with shops and lined with brightly painted Victorian houses.

The labyrinthine streets on the western side of the city's Chinatown are home to not only some great prices but also some of the best local produce and fresh meat in the city. Among its many appeals, Kensington Market draws most of its visitors because its dozens of tiny shops and produce stands make it a haven of fresh fruit, vegetables, and dry-goods stores.

The shops reflect Toronto's rich, multicultural mix. The many small stores are packed with items from Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East, South America, and Asia. Among the foods the locals search out at the market: great cheeses, coffee, nuts, and international delicacies. Visitors describe the market as a sensory trip around the world because of the different foods and spices that fill the air with their tantalizing aromas.

The ambience comes complete with fishmongers, street musicians, impromptu speechmakers, and shoppers. The sidewalk music can range from sitar, funk, and reggae to punk music.

It's also a trove of vintage clothing shops, tucked in among eclectic restaurants and cafés.

The market area, loosely defined by the borders of College and Dundas streets and Augusta and Spadina avenues, is also home to a variety of tiny cafés

Market Moves Through History

Kensington has been reinventing itself since the 1880s, when houses were built on small plots for Irish and Scottish immigrant laborers. Many of these houses still stand, and the inexpensive homes have housed successive waves of immigrants.

By the early 1900s, the area had become home to more than 80 percent of the city's Jewish community. Shut out of the city's mainstream commercial areas, many residents began selling goods from the back of their homes or from carts in front of their houses. The successful “Jewish Market”—as it is still known to some today—sold a diverse array of items imported from the homelands of the various immigrant communities. These successful immigrants later moved to wealthier suburban areas and were replaced by new immigrants.

By the 1950s the market had become more diversified, with a post-war immigrant influx. Today the area represents more than 30 cultures, including Portuguese, East Indian, Ethiopian, and Caribbean.

The market has achieved fame throughout Canada by lending its name to CBC television shows and a sitcom. A 1960s band called Kensington Market helped shape its image as a hippie enclave.

Today the neighborhood is a welcoming tourist attraction and a center of Toronto's cultural life as artists and writers moved into the area. Although its land values have risen in recent years, Kensington remains a predominantly working class, immigrant community.

Locals suggest visitors take public transportation to the market because parking is difficult. The city's subway, the TTC, has a nearby stop at Queen's Park Station.

Hit the Highlights

Saturdays may be the best time to appreciate the bustle of the market's narrow streets. Some Kensington Market landmarks visitors should see include Bellevue Square Park, Tom's Place, St. Stephen's Community House, and the Number 10 Fire Station.

There are still other highlights in the market. The owners of the Free Times Café describe it as a 25-year home of alternative Canadian/Jewish culture, food, and drink. The café features nightly concerts of original Canadian folk music, art shows, poetry, and theater. Rancho Relaxo is an authentic Mexican restaurant with live music. Kolbeh restaurant offers Persian dishes, a great beer selection, and a belly dancer on the weekends. My Market Bakery is known for great bread, Portuguese custard tarts, and cheesecake.

Additional information about the market is posted at<www.toronto.com/attractions/listing/000-213-802>.▪