The classic and reliable standby; nothing says Saturday morning at 8am like a trip to the St. Lawrence Market North (Sat. 5am-5pm; 92 Front Street E). Named one of the top 25 markets in the world by Food and Wine magazine, it's been a Torontonian tradition for the last 205 years. The relatively tame market is guaranteed to sell every seasonal fruit, vegetable, and herb, with stacks of asparagus and boxes of bell peppers; not to mention organic meats, (check out Rowe Farms), elk pepperoni sticks and dozens of varieties of goat cheeses. Grainfield's strawberry rhubarb muffins have been a market morning standby for years to shoppers.

It's no surprise that markets are being so widely embraced by our city. Think about it: when was the last time you saw someone actually smiling in a grocery store? The market has always been, and continues to be, about serving the most basic of human needs: contact, and sensual pleasure. They lure us to them because a freezer and a cardboard box don't stand in the way of our food. Markets serve to provide entertainment and connection to the earth, and to our community.