107 Best Places to Shop in Toronto, Ontario

You can almost satisfy your sweet tooth just by inhaling the delicate wafts of chocolate, dried fruits, and roasted nuts in this gourmet chocolate shop that specializes in fair-trade ingredients. Big sellers include truffles, mango chili and raspberry fruit bars, and gelato. For something different, try the Bicerin, a thick mixture of melted chocolate, espresso, and whipped cream.

Some of the crispest, and most daring, beers in Toronto are brewed here. Past collaborative efforts with local businesses have included a coffee-based microsaison, a malty dark "bagel" ale, and a winey grape-infused IPA. Wild cards are dared to test their palates with a Lit Pickle seltzer, literally made with just vodka, soda, and pickle brine. You'll also find a respectable secondhand record selection up for grabs and tasty local treats for your picnic basket. 

The 2 million-square-foot CF Toronto Eaton Centre has sparked both praise and criticism since its construction in the 1970s, but it remains one of the busiest and most popular shopping malls in North America. Its graceful glass roof arches 127 feet above the lowest level of the mall, where artist Michael Snow’s flock of fiberglass Canada geese floats poetically in open space. The mall features more than 200 stores, offering a wide range of shops and eateries. Here’s a simple guide: the basement level houses the massive Urban Eatery food court. From there, prices tend to rise with each level.

This shop, run by the Ontario Crafts Council, stocks an excellent selection of Canadian crafts, including blown glass, fine woodwork, textiles, jewelry, and pottery—from earthy stoneware to contemporary ceramics. There's also a gallery featuring work by artists and craftspeople from around Ontario. Upstairs is the Devil's Workshop, which sells jewelry by local makers and hosts a popular DIY wedding band workshop.

Eataly is a sprawling and bustling monument to Italian food and cooking. Over three floors and 50,000 square feet within the Manulife Centre, the hybrid specialty food store/restaurant market is teeming with fresh Italian and locally sourced products from house-made cheese to fish, meat, bread, pastries, gelato, pasta, prepared meals, and more. There are also Italian wines and house-brewed beer, made in the basement Birroteca by Indie Alehouse (one of seven on-site cafés, bars, and restaurants).

This two-floor antique shop is a rummager's paradise, and a favorite of local set designers looking for period-authentic items. The shelves groan with everything from 1950s salt-and-pepper shakers to Hudson's Bay blankets, and there are racks of vintage clothing (for both women and men) with pieces that date as far back as the 19th century. Rifle through the scores of carefully labeled apothecary drawers to trawl through opera glasses and military patches, or peer into display cases at costume jewelry and dainty vintage perfume bottles.

This Torontonian start-up has hit the nail on the head, providing stylish men's clothes—Tiger of Sweden, Sand Copenhagen, and John Varvatos—to residents of the city's downtown condos. This huge airy branch carries ladies' clothing as well, including brands like Melissa Nepton, Soia & Kyo, and Hilary MacMillan. Head up to the lush purple-carpeted mezzanine level for business and evening wear and a round on the purple pool table.

This Canadian chain, frequented by fashionistas in the know, has an impressive selection that includes Paul Smith, Comme des Garçons, BEAMS, and TOAST. The collections include menswear and womenswear, but shoes are the specialty, with designers including Church's, Camper, rag & bone, Doc Martens, Trippen, and many more. 

This five-floor department store is dedicated to the finest men's fashions, stocked to the gills with suits, shirts, outerwear, shoes, and accessories from designers such as Tom Ford, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, and Zegna (each with their own shop-within-a-shop). There's also plenty of preppy classics available for those who favor a more relaxed look.

This multilevel national retail specialty store is the style leader in Canada. There are handbags, watches, cosmetics, and fragrances from London, New York, Paris, and Rome, plus footwear and clothing from boldface designers (including Fendi, Burberry, and Gucci) as well as items from contemporary designers. Concierge service and personal shoppers are available, but just browsing makes for a rich experience at this luxury department store.

MEC (rhymes with \"check\"), the much-beloved Toronto spot for anyone remotely interested in camping, sells wares for minor and major expeditions. It's also a go-to spot for cycling gear. The vast assortment of backpacks means you can shop here for anything from a schoolbag to something that will accompany you on travels around the world. For C$5, you get lifetime membership to the co-op.

The longtime favorite brand for leather jackets, varsity jackets, bags, and basics is crafted from tumbled leather and stamped with the country's national icon, the beaver. The homegrown company's impressive Bloor St. store showcases the more modern styling possibilities of their laid-back offerings.

Music lovers in the know come here for underground and independent music from Canada, the United States, and beyond. Whether you're a hardcore collector who wants to flip through the new secondhand record arrivals or just a casual fan with a record player, it's a long-running paradise of vinyl.

This sleek little gift shop at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, the cinematic HQ of the Toronto International Film Festival, stocks an ever-changing selection of cinematic paraphernalia linked to TIFF's current programming. The exhaustive inventory of film books includes many difficult-to-find titles, biographies of just about every director you can think of, and studies of even the most obscure film movements. There are also unusual gift items and cute items for children.

The carefully selected fiction and nonfiction at Type Books includes local authors, as well as fun cards and gifts. The art and architecture section has pride of place at the front of the shop, and the extensive children's area is in a bright spot up a few steps at the back.

Nearly 70 vendors occupy the historic permanent indoor market and sell items such as fish, meats, produce, caviar, and crafts. The building, on the south side of Front Street, was once Toronto's first city hall. The best time to visit is early on Saturday from 5 am, when there's a farmers' market in the building on the north side. Get there after 9 and it quickly becomes the worst time to visit.

This elevated consignment boutique is a favorite among in-the-know locals and stylists alike. From dresses to shoes to handbags, expect a rotating edit of designer labels—think Céline, The Row, and Ganni—curated with a keen eye for timeless style and pristine condition. While the space feels low-key, the clientele often isn’t: regulars include some of Toronto’s most stylish insiders. 

Both legendary and of-the-moment designers—Balenciaga, The Row, Jacquemus, and Stella McCartney, to name a few—are gathered here under one roof, along with some of the finest footwear and accessories in town.

Packed with galleries, interesting shops, and two cafés, this beautifully refurbished industrial building is an essential component of Toronto's contemporary art scene. Check out YYZ Artists' Outlet, which holds consistently engaging shows, or Gallery 44 for contemporary photography. There's also the respected artist collective Red Head Gallery. Don't miss well-stocked Swipe for books on all things design and Spacing for stylish Toronto-themed T-shirts, prints, and knickknacks.

Indicative of a Queen West long gone, the most remarkable thing about Abraham's is that somehow it survives. Handwritten signs snarl "don't even think about it" amid a jumble of haphazardly piled rusty props and dusty "antiques" from doctor's bags and deer trophies to worn church doors, creepy clown shoes, and a sparkling collection of 1950s microphones. Purchasing anything will take some guts—few prices are marked, although everything, they say, is for sale.

Curios, from glass fishing floats to hand-beaded animal sculptures, are sold at this fascinating interiors shop. You'll also find an array of vintage jewelry, antique boxes made of materials ranging from marble to abalone, English campaign furniture, French architects' drafting tables, and all manner of furniture, light fixtures, and even handbags.

Bright comfy threads with a European aesthetic and a focus on sustainable production are the focus here. Expect items from French designers Gallego Desportes and Elsa Esturgie, and sleek, practical bags from Jack Gomme. The eye-catching graffiti painting inside makes for a perfect fashion backdrop.

More than 50 artisans and purveyors display their wares in tiny spaces where vintage collections rub shoulders with art of local landmarks, artisanal soaps, and jewelry.

Established in 1972, Bakka Phoenix has the distinction of being the world's oldest science fiction and fantasy bookstore. The shop is home to several thousand new and used titles, with the selection catering to readers of all ages. Knowledgeable staff members are always on hand to help find what you're looking for (or suggest something new).

This hushed secondhand bookshop has a tempting selection of coffee table–sized art and photography books, along with more luggage-friendly vintage paperback novels and plays, all denoted with Scrabble-tile signs. You may even spot some rare out-of-print treasures.

Paul Wong, an artist and dealer from Vancouver, started this gallery, which is directly across the street from the Art Gallery of Ontario. The paintings and sculpture are a window into contemporary Canadian art, featuring both emerging and established artists. Just a few steps down at 324 Dundas Street West is Bau-Xi Photo, which shows Canadian and international fine art photography.

This popular health-food supermarket focuses on organic produce and a wide variety of grab-and-go foods. The surrounding mini-complex contains a juice bar; an outpost of local plant-based restaurant Fresh; a personal care section stocked with green beauty and skincare products; and a storefront devoted to vitamins and supplements.

Determined vintage buffs hunt through the racks of band T-shirts, faded jeans, worn shoes, and biker jackets in this unfinished upstairs warehouse-style location. It's also famous for its signature in-house screen-print tee designs.

Snag deals on classic books and new releases alike at this massive used bookstore (short for "Books Magazines Video"). With the selection spanning three levels and a basement, comics lovers, music fans, and memorabilia hounds will go home happy, too.

Teak tables, chairs, and cabinets give this vintage shop the feel of a strangely cavernous 1970s bungalow. Organized racks are filled with Hawaiian and secondhand T-shirts, vintage 1970s dresses, and comfortably worn jeans, but you'll also find new styles, too.