St. Lawrence Market, with its beckoning butchers and weekend crowds, can be a trick to navigate, so we compiled a directory of our favourite market finds.
The peameal sandwich from Carousel (Photo by Daniel Shipp)
PEAMEAL SANDWICH
Carousel’s peameal sandwich is legendary for a reason. With a luscious stack of salty meat and a pillowy white bun, it’s a classic comfort. Upper level 42.
BARBECUE PORK
The Chinese Deli doesn’t look like much, but it serves up the city’s finest crunchy-crusted barbecue pork. It’s best enjoyed with plain rice to soak up the juices. Lower level B13.
DUCK FAT
Whitehouse’s duck fat is truly flavourful, adding luxury to such standards as fried potatoes and omelettes. Upper level 16.
FORBIDDEN RICE
Beautiful to behold and even better to eat, this black, short-grained heirloom rice has a nutty flavour and uncommonly high nutritional value. Rube’s Rice Shop, lower level B12/B15.
ORGANIC DISTILLED WHITE WINE VINEGAR
At double the normal acidity, this white vinegar gives salad dressings and french fries a bright pop. Kozlik’s Canadian Mustard, upper level 19A.
POTATO PANCAKE
This humble potato pancake is a study in simplicity: fresh potato and a bit of oil on a hot griddle yields homey bliss. Dnister Ukrainian Store, lower level B16.
POPPY SEED BAGEL
Plucked from the pile of oven-fresh rings, this bagel is chewy perfection. St. Urbain Bagel, upper level 11.
ROAST CHICKEN
The aroma of hundreds of roasting chickens fills the market, making it tough to leave without a half bird or at least a sandwich. Churrasco St. Lawrence, upper level 49.
What, no fish sandwich from Buster’s? Shame!
April 8, 2010 at 12:31 pm | by NadineWhat about the Seafood place right beside bagel place? On Saturdays around 4 or so when they start putting everything in $10 plastic containers is awesome. Scallops wrapped in bacon, pieces of salmon, big pieces of fish stuffed with shrimp & friendly staff who will explain how to cook your purchase. Always one of the best places to stop- and don’t get me started on the cheese emporium just down from bagel place….
April 8, 2010 at 12:51 pm | by Joe dMustachio!!!
April 8, 2010 at 10:54 pm | by JaeTo peer over the counter at Mike’s Fish and watch the esteemed gentleman carve up elegant slivers of smoked salmon like the artist he is, and then to buy some to take home, is one of our favorite SLM things to do.
April 13, 2010 at 6:23 am | by estherAlso, how can you forget the incredible variety of sausages at El Gaucho in the North Market? Or the Mennonite farmer with his earthy potatoes in winter and profusion of cut flowers in spring and summer? Or….
Veal and eggplant on a bun!!!!
April 13, 2010 at 7:26 am | by SteveThe Peameal Bacon @ Carousel is average. It lacks great flavour and is often overcooked, sometimes rubbery and sometimes soggy. The bun is a standard fare kaiser which which is dry & difficult to swallow.I had to try it because of the hype but threw out half. Bleeech!!!
April 13, 2010 at 8:54 am | by jaydee@ Steve
“often overcooked”
“sometimes rubbery”
“sometimes soggy”
I thought you only tried it once?
Go for the breakfast bun next time. Always tasty and the buns are always fresh.
April 13, 2010 at 9:00 am | by MattSorry, the post above was directed to jaydee, not steve.
April 13, 2010 at 9:01 am | by Matthmmm… I feel like this list does the market a disservice. The market isn’t a food court, it’s about ingredients! Kozliks and bagels are great, but why not buy your own Mennonite chicken and all the spices you could ever want to create your own churrasco? It’s all there. Sure, fruits and veg in the south market come from the food terminal, but at least the person selling it to you remembers you from week to week. And you can try as many cheeses as you want or have someone who loves cheese passionately put together a few choices for you that never disappoint and always introduce you to something new and wonderful. You can get Niagara prosciutto that doesn’t taste like plastic, and on and on. And that’s before you hit the north market for serious treasures. I go to the market every week and sometimes snack on some dumplings, but the goal is to stock up for the week, not grab a bite.
April 13, 2010 at 9:26 am | by NickiNear perfection is a cheese called Al Tartufo – Acio Di Bosco from Alex Farms Cheese. Hands down the best cheese I have ever had in Canada. A perfect truffled italian cheese. Serve it with truffled honey drizzled on top and some Serano Ham or Pata Negra from Schefflers with roasted chestnuts on the side and the world will be at your feet. At least until the pig is gone…
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the amazingly fresh sushi handrolls on the main floor directly across from the bagels place – same people that do the $10 trays (but buyer beware, sometimes the fish isn’t that fresh at the end of day)
P.s. that guy who didn’t like the peameal bacon sandwich sounds like a high maintenance princess. Please… it’s bacon on bread, what could possibly be wrong with that.
April 13, 2010 at 9:46 am | by Sophia@ Niki: BRAVO! Now you’re talking: its truly about finding the ingredients, tools, etc. to channel your own creativity, make your own special meal, not get some takeaway… its about the little finds and the hard-to-find ingredients all in one place.
Yes, the Churrasco is fantastic, but did you know their chicken soup (made with the roasted bones) is by far the best in the entire city?? Didn’t investigate THAT now did you TorontoKife?
NO, Carousel’s peameal (the owner is a big A$$, I know, I used to have a shop in the Market) is not the original nor the best. Paddington Pump’s is, and even better is PP’s breakfast on a bunch, its simple, glorious decadence!
… and yes Jae, for take-away, how on earth can you exclude Moustachio’s?
I honestly am beginning to believe TorontoKife is just lazy and corrupt, their articles are pretty shyte now, anyone agree? How can you whittle the St. Lawrence Market down to 9-single-sentence paragraphs? Garbage reporting.
April 13, 2010 at 6:59 pm | by Che the TorontonianThe Chinese takeout place at the lower level near the stairs is terrific! The food is always good, great selection of dishes, reasonably priced and they are so very friendly! On Fridays, they have a small selection of dim sum favourites, too. Mmm.
There are more great choices in the Market than this article mentions, however…
April 13, 2010 at 8:41 pm | by CateThe highly overrated St. Lawrence Market cannot compare to markets in other cities – Granville Island, Vancouver – Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA – Lexington Market, Baltimore, MD, North Market, Columbus, Ohio. All of these are more interesting with AMAZINGLY varied offerings and a wide range of prices.
April 14, 2010 at 11:19 am | by CarolSt. Lawrence market is significantly better than Granville Island market: that is a fact. It has less of the bullshitty touristy stuff than Granville does, is more authentic, and when the farmer’s market is open it’s as complete a shopping experience as is available in North America. It’s terrific. Granville is very good, but people grade it on a curve because the island is so pretty and there are other places around the market that add to the experience. St L has fewer prepared foods/ready to eat foods than at Lexington Market or Pike Place, but that’s not really what I want out of St. L market, to be honest: I love going there for stuff to take home. If anything, I wish that they would have fewer vendors who make fast-food type stuff and more Kozlik’s and their ilk instead. Still, it’s great.
April 14, 2010 at 1:28 pm | by Metal MickyThe Peameal bacon sandwich may be ‘legendary’, but I’m not sure why. I’m always dissapointed with it!It is chewy and skimpy. And one of the main reasons I go to the market is to EAT and discover new foods. Thanks for the report, I appreciate all the feedback, good and bad. That’s what this is all about!
April 15, 2010 at 9:04 am | by Bren