Kensington Market is one of Toronto's hottest summer stops. With their pedestrian Sundays and countless stores and restaurants to try, it can really be a whole day affair just walking around aimlessly.
But there are quite a few hidden gems in the market that you may just walk right past if you didn't know were there, and so amazing! These 31 places are a must see in the market, so add them to the summer bucket list!
1. Casamiento // 214 Augusta Avenue
Hidden in the back of the Latin foodcourt, Casamiento is a Mexican/El Salvadorian fusion spot. They serve up pupusadillas, a delicious concoction inspired by the Mexican quesadilla and the El Salvadorian pupusa.
2. Pico de Gallo // 214 Augusta Avenue
They serve up traditional and experiemental Mexican fare from in behind another closed Mexican spot. Their signature ingredient, pico de gallo.
3. Ozzy's Burgers // 66 Nassau Street
This open-kitchen burger joint is one of the best places to get a sky high burger in the city. All their beef is 100% prime triple A Canadian, halal, and without added preservatives. You'll never get a frozen burger from this place!
4. Hanabusa Cafe // 77 Kensingston Avenue
This Japanese-stye souffle pancakes are fluffy and made fresh right when you order. They don't serve much anything else because they stick to what they know and it totally works for them.
5. Kiss The Tiramisu // 160 Baldwin Street
If you're looking for a grammable dessert, look no further than Kiss the Tiramisu. This Korean dessert place offers up soft serve ice cream desserts with fresh sauces made in house. And they're presentation is off the charts gorgeous.
6. Beer2Beer // 319 Augusta Avenue
This place serves your typical pub fare like burgers and pizzas, but it also doubles as a sweet brunch spot. Eat out on their patio for a true Kensington Market experience.
7. Grey Gardens // 199 Augusta Avenue
This wine bar has a broad selection of reds, whites, rosé's, and oranges to choose from but the biggest draw to this place is the aesthetic. It's bright and inviting pastel pallet mixed with gold accents will make you forget your in a market at all.
8. Pow Wow Cafe // 213 Augusta Avenue
With inspiration from Indigenous food, this small joint offers up some seriousy delicious fry bread taco concoctions. And with an open kitchen, you can watch the chef create his masterpieces.
9. Wafels & More // 237 Augusta Avenue
Serving up what are arguably the best Belgian waffles in the city, this place is as authentic as they come. Using dough waffels (instead of batter), pearl sugar imported from Belgium and even Belgian made waffle irons, you're sure to get the best waffel you've ever had from Wafels & More.
10. North Poke // 179 Baldwin Street
Packed in a small interior is this larger than life Hawaiian-style poke. Using fresh fish that rotates by season, and limited toppings, it's bound to convert you from Poke newbie to poke lover in no time.
11. Nice Pan // 247 Augusta Avenue
Ice cream is the perfect summer treat and this Thai-style ice cream is no exception. The ice cream comes in an assortment of flavours, mainly chocolate and vanilla with fresh fruit, and is rolled and decorated for the perfect dessert.
12. Canadian Breakfast Bar // 249 Augusta Avenue
This haven for bacon lovers serves up brunch like it's nobody's business. Their mainstay is, you guessed it, bacon and it's thick cut and on pretty much everything.
13. Socialite Tapas Bar // 276 Augusta Avenue
Just like the name says, the mainstay for this restaurant is tapas. It's a sit down place with an open patio and they serve draft beers and snack size options. It's the perfect spot to chill out in the market.
14. AAamazing Salad // 160 Baldwin Street Unit 2
This health-conscious spot serves up some hearty meals that you can feel good about. With salads, wraps, and bowls, most under 12 bucks, it's the best eatery in Kensington Market if you're more about good-for-you eats.
15. Grk Ygrt // 291 Augusta Avenue
This dessert spot serves up all natural, all homemade and all healthy yogurt. Whether you want classicly chilled or frozen, this is a sweet treat you can feel good about. You an order a menu creation or create your own with their epic variety of toppings.
16. Cosmic Treats // 207 Augusta Avenue
This food joint serves up some of the best comfort food in the city. And the best part about is that all their food is totally vegan. They have pub-style dishes and a full ice cream bar. They're proving that vegan food does not have to lack in flavour.
17. The Dirty Bird // 79 Kensington Avenue
This industrial-style restaurant is giving every chicken and waffles joint in the city a run for its money. Most of their ingredients are locally sourced and a meal costs less than 10 bucks so you really can't go wrong here.
18. Mare Pizzeria // 185 Baldwin Street
This pizza parlour focuses on the takeaway slice in the best possible way. It's everything you want in a slice of pizza, big, cheesy, greasy and delicious. They also offer whole pies, pastas, and wings.
19. Millie Creperie // 161 Baldwin Street
This Japanese-style spot serves up some seriously delicious crepes. As opposed to French-style, the ones served here are sweeter, crispier and served with raw toppings as opposed to cooked. They're also super grammable because of how pretty they are.
20. Seven Lives // 69 Kensington Avenue
Serving up Baja-style tacos, this joint uses only the freshest ingredients and everything is made in-house. It's so good, there's usually a line, so expect a bit of a wait when trying to get your taco on here.
21. The Burgernator // 269 Augusta Avenue
This burger bar boasts a dark interior giving it an almost undergroun bar vibe. It's your typical fast food burger joint, serving up 6-ounch patties topped with all the fixens (that of which they have a TON), and burger joint staples such as fries and onion rings.
22. Breathless Vintage // 9 Kensington Avenue
For the thrift shopper in everyone, this spot has it all when it comes to the perfect finds. The deals are outrageous and there's always something incredible hanging on their discount racks.
23. One Heart // 178 Baldwin Street
This place offers beautiful handmade jewelry. The colourful, Boho-style pieces are infused with a little surf and travel culture, giving them a unique one-of-a-kind look.
24. Courage My Love // 14 Kensington Avenue
The outside of this place gives off a bit of a hippy vibe but inside it boasts some seriously cool items. It's stacked with cheap vintage, beautiful jewelry and unique trinkets and memorobilia pieces.
25. Space Vintage // 34 Kensington Avenue
Simply put, this vintage store offers some of the best deals in the city on clothing items from way back. It's no more, no less, but definitley a must visit for any thrifter.
26. Paul's Boutique // 69 Nassau Street
This boutique music store buys, sell, trades, and rents out the best in vintage muscial intruments and accesories. It's stacked to the teeth with guitars, bass', amps, recording equipment and much more.
27. Sub Rosa Vintage // 16 Kensington Avenue
One of the best vintage stores in Toronto, this place is perfect for when you want to update your wardrobe with a blast from the past. They buy and sell on a regular basis, so that every time you go into Sub Rosa, you're sure to find a one-of-a-kind piece.
28. PSWRD // 237A Augusta Avenue
This boutique streetwear store offers some eccentric designs. Their t-shirts are often edgy and unique, and they stack the store with brands Skim Milk and Nature World.
29. Longboard Living // 202 Augusta Avenue
This one-of-a-kind longboarding store has an array of boards, gear, and setups for longboarding enthusiasts. They also sell clothing from Made In Toronto, HearBeatsTO and their own brand, Longboard Living. Even if you aren't a boarder yourself, it's worth checking out for the easy going vibes alone.
30. Exile // 62 Kensington Avenue
A staple in the market, Exile offers simple vintage styles, iron-on tees, basic logo tees, and plain t-shirts. They also have costumes for anyone who's trying to play dress-up.
31. Model Citizen // 279 Augusta Avenue
This men's clothing boutique offers styles from casual to a little more dressed up, and everything in between. All the t-shirts are silk screened and unique and the place offers many Canadian independant brands to check out.