The St. Lawrence Market is undoubtedly one of Toronto’s gems.

This historic building, dating back to 1803, is renowned globally for its fresh, artisanal products and local vendors.

Over its more than 220 years of operation, it has garnered several awards and, in 2015, was listed by the BBC as one of the “top 10 food markets to visit.”

For the students at the St. James campus, you’re in luck—the St. Lawrence Market is just a few blocks away, making it the perfect spot for a quick bite between classes.

You might think that a place as historic and touristy as St. Lawrence Market would be quite pricey. To see if it was truly budget-friendly, we visited the market with just $20 to see what we could buy within that budget.

Spoiler alert: It turned out to be quite a challenge—not because there weren’t options, but because there were so many.

The market features two floors packed with restaurants offering cuisines from around the world—Greece, Japan, Italy, and more.

Starting with St. Urbain Bagel, a spot with a rich history. The bagel tradition began in Montreal with European immigrants in the early 1900s, and about 30 years later, the concept was brought to Toronto, where it quickly became a favorite.

St. Urbain Bagel offers a variety of bagels, either as single items or built into sandwiches with fillings like salmon, turkey, tuna, or egg, and options for salad and cream cheese.

Given that the visit was during lunchtime, a sandwich seemed like the perfect choice—and it didn’t disappoint!

The “Original Craigel” bagel, filled with salmon, cream cheese, and salad. It was a refreshing choice for a hot summer day.

Depending on the line, the wait might be longer, but midweek for lunch the wait was about five minutes. The bagel delivered on all fronts—the quality and freshness were exceptional, and the smoked salmon was a standout.

The salmon topping was $10, and the “Original Craig” bagel was $2, making the total $13.50, including taxes.

With some budget left for dessert, the next stop was Eve’s Temptations, which offers high-quality desserts from renowned bakeries like Dufflet, Phipps, and Chudleigh’s.

With three display cases filled with sweets, choosing a favorite was tough, but we ended up going with blueberry cheesecake that was fresh and perfectly sweet. The blueberry jam had fruit pieces, and the cheesecake itself was smooth, without the airy texture that some cheesecakes mistakenly have. The final cost, including taxes, was $6.50.

Both the sandwich and dessert were generously served—enough to serve two people easily. So, if you visit with a friend or colleague, you could enjoy a meal at St. Lawrence Market for about $10 each, with some room left for a drink.

Beyond these two restaurants, there are other hidden gems worth mentioning:

• Carousel Bakery: Famous for its iconic “Peameal Bacon Sandwich”.
• Uno Mustachio: Offers Italian sandwiches, including a vegetarian option with eggplant Parmesan.
• Buster’s Sea Cove: Specializes in seafood dishes like fresh fish sandwiches, clam chowder, and lobster rolls, all prepared using traditional methods.
• Yianni’s Kitchen: A top choice for Greek cuisine, featuring Greek omelets for breakfast, juicy roast lamb for lunch, and other Greek favorites like spanakopita and baklava.

Aside from the food, the market has a variety of shops selling cheese, fruits, coffee, deli meats, and even souvenirs from Peru–-and Canada, of course.

It’s an affordable and worthwhile experience.

St. Lawrence Market is open Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more details on seasonal events, visit their website: https://www.stlawrencemarket.com/events