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 | Toronto Kensington Market Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 32 |  |
 | |  |  | Kensington Market: Don't worry, Be happy :) | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
A few steps away from Chinatown led me into another dimension and era ..... right smack dab into the 60's! Kensington market is a small neighborhood, only a few blocks long, filled with typical 'hippie' attire, second hand shops, bead shops, organic eateries, and flashback style music wafting from windows along the way ........
After a wonderful fruit smoothie, we wandered in and out of the various shops ............ incense was the theme as every shop had a different scent. Some of the clothing was appropriately priced, some was way overpriced - one must use their own judgement in deciding what to buy. But I found the beads and some of the little jewelry type thingies wonderful souveniers for my family ;)
This is a short block, but as you wander you enter other ethnic areas ..... ganga-ville, portuguese land, reggae-ville, etc ...... a wonderful way to taste and smell a little bit of other cultures is to wander into Kensington Market :) Leave a Comment Directions: This neighborhood is bordered by Spadina, Lipincott, Dundas and College ..... just head on over there from the bus or from Chinatown and play!Website: http://www.toronto.com/feature/7892/Kensington.html
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| | | | Kensington Market: ... | Tip Rating:  | | | | |
Kensington Market is in the same area as Chinatown, so you can easily spend a day browsing through both places. My first impression was that it was a bit run down, but you'll find some real deals if you dare to venture inside some of the stores. There's the usual t-shirt shops and souvenir stuff shops as well as some great spice stores, butchers, and foodstuffs.
The great thing about Kensington Market is the diversity of cultures you'll find. It's sort of a world market - you'll find imports from Mexico, the Middle-East, the Caribbean, Italy, China among others.
Definitely leave your car at home. There's no room for a car on the streets of Kensington Market, but don't be surprised when someone attempts to drive through anyway. Leave a Comment Address: Between Dundas and College, west of Spadina AveWebsite: www.toronto.com
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| | | | Kensington Market: Kensington Market | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Kensington Market isn't a "market" in the regular sense of the word, it's a collection of ethnic food stores, hip coffee shops, and used retro/military surplus clothes stores. If you ever have one of those days when you wake up thinking, "Hmmm... Today I'd like to buy a military tent, a genuine 60s go-go skirt, a Rastafarian hat, a pound of Mexican chillies, and then sit down to drink a latte while reading Nietzsche to pretend I'm clever," then look no further!
I know there are people that think Kensington is "ultra-cool" or the "jewel of Toronto", and don't get me wrong, I love spending time there, but the whole premise of the neighbourhood is absolutely ridiculous. But that's why I enjoy it; it makes me laugh. ...And I guess there is a nice idea of "world harmony" in there somewhere. It's a fun way to spend an hour or two on a sunny afternoon.
Many of the houses in the area were built in the 1880s to house Scottish and Irish immigrant labourers. "Kensington Market" itself was founded shortly after 1910 by a large wave of Jewish immigrants who were displaced from a different area of the city. They opened tailor, bakery, and import shops in the densely built houses that occupy the streets. Later still, immigrants from the Portugal, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and draft-dodgers from the US-Vietnam war all moved in. Council and developer plans to demolish and redevelop the area in the 1960s fell through when a mayor sympathetic to the neighbourhood was elected.
An open-air market occurs in the streets on Saturdays.
Kensington does offer one's mind a beautiful break from all the chain stores and franchise restaurants that plague the rest of Toronto's core. Even brand new storefronts and objects look slightly tattered and worn-out when placed here. But that's what this area's always been about... a home for the dispossessed. Leave a Comment Address: Kensington AvenueDirections: Bounded by College St. on the North, Spadina on the East, Dundas to the South, and Bellevue to the West.
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| | | | Kensington Market: To see and to be seen | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Like I already said, Kensington Market is a great place for watching people and to be 'seen' yourself. You can find some excentric looking people walking on the streets. And the best place to do this is at Louie's Kaffee. It's on a corner in the heart of Kensington Market, you can't miss it! There are benches and barstools outside of the shop. All the windows are open... actually.... they are not there at all. So when you are inside, it's almost like being outside and you have a great view over the street. And it's also visa versa, you can just order your coffee from your barstool outside at the lady at the counter, it's as easy as that.
AND they serve a great cup of cappucino as well!!! I loved it here so much, sitting outside in the sun, watching the people walking by, hearing all different languages around me and having a great cup of cappucino. I sat there for quite a while, enjoying every minute of it. And I wasn't the only one, hahaha, some I saw still sitting there a few hours later :-)
Leave a Comment Directions: Kensington Market is west of chinatown, bordered by College Street to the north and Dundas Street to the south.
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Toronto
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