Kensington Market is Toronto’s creative hub. During the summer months especially it would be difficult to swing a bassoon without hitting some musician/artist/writer/performer type seeking coffee or some wholesome raw food, vegan sustenance. The stores and cafes roil with humanity seeking fruit, goat, spices, incense, cheese, bongs, or maybe a Fair Trade Organically Shade Grown "Pat Yourself On The Back" Dark Roast Decaffeinated Americano with a shot of Soy Whip. Punks wander the streets that used to bristle with spiky leather and sip beer that seems just a bit too expensive while hippies and hipsters dig through used clothing stores for bargains and treasures. The Hot Box Caf é in Roach-O-Rama is a great place to have a puff and a Brain Melt or a Super Kick Ass Tapa platter or a bunch of other delicious things for smiling people with a bad case of the munchies. The Moonbean is jam packed with caffeine freaks for a reason. Alan roasts and grinds his own beans and brews a mean cup. There are some fine empanadas to be had on Augusta and Jamaican patties on Baldwin. Come hungry, get drunk with the locals and wander a community that may soon be lost to bullshit condo developers, Starbucks and the other bottom feeders that simply can’t leave a good thing alone.

A melting pot of Toronto: a jamaican/polish/mexican barrio within China Town, full of art galleries and street reggae musicians. The best Nigerian and Hungarian restaurants are there. You can also do your groceries at the mexican shops. A romantic place to hang out with that special person, on Halloween, there is a decorated pumpkings street show.

One of my favourite places to visit during my 6 months of living in Toronto. Favourite thing to do? Snack on different things from various stalls and buy really spicy ginger beer from this one Caribbean store. The stores range from spice merchants to army surplus to cute boutique stores and nice little cafes and restaurants.

I didnt really get the chance to enjoy the market when i went- Woofstock (dog show & everything canine related) was on at the time. There's a great building on one of the street corners though that has antique everything! great selection of watches and random tidbits if you like that sort of thing.

Kensington Market provides you with good coffee, a bite and some thrift stores. A major centre for the hippie culture in the 60s and 70s, this place has somewhat survived all the commercialisations of the said movement. Also good to find 420, although little pricey