When it was recently announced that Anthony Bourdain is finalizing plans for a Blade Runner-themed food market in New York City's SuperPier for 2017, cities across North America started to take note.
Why wait? In Toronto, our feverish appetite for street food outpaces other cities. We may not be Taipei, but we have some of the best night markets this side of the Pacific. Summer marks the arrival of sundown eating, with fests from Markham to the Waterfront offering up places to get your grilled meat-on-a-stick fix.
Night It Up! Night Market
For foodies, heading to Night It Up! is a mandatory pilgrimage. The weekend festival brings in over 100,000 eaters annually. Come armed with comfortable shoes, a camera, and an insatiable appetite.
With over 100 vendors, this is the closest you’ll get to Taipei without jumping on a plane. Once there, your senses are overcome: meat sizzles on hot grills; energetic live acts are performed with abandon; pools of smoke billow in the air. This market is known for wacky, hard-to-find items like curried fish balls and smelly tofu. Look for grill masters cooking takoyaki (deep-fried batter stuffed with diced octopus) over hot cast-iron pans and serving them right off the grill. July 24–26, Markham Civic Centre, free admission
The custom-designed carts have been a distinctive feature of past night markets put on by The Stop.
The Stop’s Night Market
Four years ago, the Stop Community Food Centre invited some of T.O.’s hottest eateries to create an event merging street food and design in an effort to raise funds for its critical anti-hunger programs.
Originally housed in the alley behind Honest Ed’s, the event saw haute street food served from one-of-a-kind food carts. Think strawberry and basil granitas, bacon and dulce de leche doughnuts and albacore tuna and watermelon ceviche. This year the popular event has relocated to the Junction and will feature nearly 40 restos and pop-ups in addition to craft beer and wine. June 16 & 17, 181 Sterling Rd., $100 all you can eat
TO Food Fest
The newest addition to T.O.’s night market roster is diverse in its food offerings, matching pop-up vendors with local Scarborough restos in an outdoor setting.
Indonesian street food is paired with finely layered Middle Eastern pastry from Lebanon, and you can expect to see a food truck or two dish out chunky lobster rolls. The festival isn’t as intense or busy as Night It Up!, providing a more comfortable experience while accommodating non-adventurous eaters. July 12, Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto, 5183 Sheppard Ave. E., free admission
Taste of Asia
Designed for the hard-core foodie, over 150 street food vendors will set up at this year’s festival in Scarborough.
Start with skewers of grilled chicken hearts, then move on to martabak (fried dough stuffed with meat and egg) and charred squid tentacles. A well-curated set of cultural performances complements the food as well as events like a hot sauce–making competition. June 27 & 28, Kennedy Road & Steeles Avenue East, free admission
A small sample of the delicious offerings at Taste of Lawrence.
Taste of Lawrence
From roadside grilled kebabs to oysters and Korean fried chicken, this market is one of the more diverse ones out there. For three days, thousands take over Lawrence Avenue to check out food stalls from local restos and food stores.
Hot bowls of laksa, shawarma, grilled fish and freshly shucked oysters are some of the eats to seek out. This fest is also the most kid-friendly, with midway rides and more to please young’uns. July 3–5, Lawrence Avenue East, from Warden to Birchmount, free admission
T&T Waterfront Night Market
One of the GTA’s best night markets is hosted by Asian supermarket T&T, and it takes over the waterfront in a true ode to Taipei-style nighttime street food revelry.
Geared toward both the adventurous and food shy, it’s a chance to get your feet wet with eats from grilled conch and fried squid on a stick to pig trotters. This year marks the festival’s sixth birthday and promises over 50 food vendors. August 14–16, 222 Cherry St., free admission
