Toronto’s favorite Christmas Market will be opening this weekend in the Distillery Historic District! Rediscover the magic of the holidays at this European-style seasonal outdoor market. Set in the cobble-stone lined streets of the Distillery District, this festival brings together unique and local craft vendors, musicians, artisan food-makers, family friendly entertainment and of course lots of holiday flair! It’s not hard to see why this amazing market is ranked one of the top holiday markets in the world. If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and tastes of Christmas, the Toronto Christmas Market is the perfect place to start.

I highly recommend kicking off your holiday eating spree with Das Kartoffelhaus! Home to the Tornado-potato you’ll likely see that this food line gets longer and longer as the day goes on. These fried spiral potatoes feature a wide variety of flavors, from BBQ to Salt and Vinegar and everything in between, you’ll find something for the foodie in everyone here.

It’s near impossible to shop the Toronto Christmas Market without enjoying a glass (or two) or hot apple cider or mulled wine. There are an abundance of cocktail vendors scattered throughout the market serving up hot drinks spiked with rum or whiskey to keep you nice and toasty warm! Mill Street Brew Beer Hall is a great place to start!

And speaking of staying cozy and warm, be on the lookout for heating stations. There’s lots of bon fires and stand up heating areas to keep the crowds happy and warm! Are you Team Naughty or Team Nice?

The waffles at Wafel Bar are very NICE!!!! If you only eat one thing at the Toronto Christmas Market let it be anything from Wafel Bar. This S’mores style Liège carmelized waffle was loaded up with marshmallows, drizzled with Belgian chocolate fudge, Speculoos cookie butter, and topped with graham crackers and homemade toasted marhmallows. OMG out of this world AMAZING!!!!

And since we’re talking about sweets be sure to stop at Soma Chocolates and curate your own box of artisan chocolates. The store is a year round vendor to the Distillery District and is definitely worth a visit! Formerly a whisky-aging tank house, this unique location has now been transformed into an open concept chocolate making factory. This delightful little box of six did not stand a chance of making it back to Buffalo!

Soma also serves up some of Toronto’s best drinking chocolate. Chocolate fanatics will absolutely love this rich and creamy concoction! We sipped this delicious drink outside while enjoying the sound of Christmas Carolers. If that doesn’t put you in the Christmas spirit then I dunno what will?

Don’t miss out on your instagram moment in front of the massive Christmas tree that’s just overflowing with holiday cheer! This gigantic 50-foot white spruce tree is decorated with more than 40,000 lights, 800 Christmas balls, 1.5 kilometers of gold ribbon and topped off with a star and sits in the center of the festivities.

The market has no shortage of Christmas decorations, displays and even art installations that are perfect for taking close ups. You literally can’t snap a picture here without capturing a little Christmas cheer! Santa’s House, the Light Tunnel, and the Heart of Christmas should all be at the top of your list.

And did you really even go to Canada if you didn’t try some of the poutine? We could not even make it 10 steps into the market without grabbing a warm cup from French Canadian Poutine. What could be better than fries smothered in gravy and topped with cheese curds??? We kept it classic with the traditional French Canadian variety. We also polished off a footlong hotdog from Wvrst so fast that we didn’t even get a picture!!

Cluny Patisserie is the place to splurge on all things sweet!!! Their fancy desserts are worth every. single. calorie. I promise! Of course I wanted to try one of everything but I settled on a frozen s’more and a few macarons. The center of the frozen s’more is vanilla ice cream that’s covered in chocolate feulletine. It’s then covered with a generous portion of marshmallow, skewered with an applewood-smoked willow branch, and toasted with kitchen torch for that campfire feel. Get it. Just get it!!!

I’m always a sucker for macarons. These flavorful little meringue cookies get me every time. We kept it traditional with chocolate and strawberry. Cluny’s macarons are right on the nose with a smooth, crisp shell and a moist, chewy interior. Total perfection! Perfect for giving or receiving.

If I have the option to smother something in cheese, I’m definitely going to take it! We jumped at the chance to eat at the Raclette hut. Choose from either rosemary and garlic potatoes or piriegoies covered with ooey-gooey molten cheese and garnished with a gherkin if you like. SO delish! This one touched my soul.

It’s not what’s under the tree that counts but who’s gathered around it. But if you’re in the spirit of gift giving then you’ll absolutely want to wander into a few stores while you’re here. Yummi candles is the perfect place to pick up a gift for just about anyone! They’ve been family-owned and operated since 1976 and all of their candles are made from the highest-quality, sustainable ingredients and of course are made in Canada as well. 

Day time is the best time to visit to beat the crowds, but nothing compares to the way this magical market lights up at night! Tis the season to sparkle!! And of course the countdown to Christmas is well lit to remind you just how many days are left until Santa stops by.

She’s a beaut Clark! There’s something about Christmas trees that ALWAYS gets me so excited for Christmas. The bigger the better in my book!!

The Toronto Christmas Market runs Tuesday-Sunday (closed Mondays) from now until Christmas. Admission is free during the week. Weekend admission starts Fridays at 6pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $8 or purchased day of for $12. Will you be heading to the Toronto Christmas Market this year??? What puts you in the Christmas spirit?

The Toronto Christmas Market is located at 373 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5A 1G4 in the Distillery District in Toronto, Ontario. It’s about a 2.5 hour ride from our hometown of Buffalo, perfect for a day trip or weekend getaway.

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