115 Best Shopping in Toronto, Ontario

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 '50s 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. You can rifle through the scores of carefully labeled apothecary drawers to trawl through opera glasses, costume jewelry, and military patches, or peer into display cases at the vintage lunchboxes and handbags.

If you're put off by the anonymous uniformity of the big designers along Bloor but you have some money to spend and want a touch of originality, head to this three-story Victorian refurb for an inspired selection of bold, sophisticated shoes, bags, and clothes for men and women from French, Italian, American, and Australian designers that you won't find anywhere else.

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, and Ami. The collections include menswear and womenswear, but shoes are the specialty, with designers including Church's, Camper, Hunter, rag & bone, Doc Martens, 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 company began as a cottage business in rural Québec nearly 40 years ago with a line of aprons depicting cute farm animals. Now this mainly children's boutique is stocked with quirky and colorful nature-inspired clothing covered in insects, animals, trees, and flowers inspired by the Canadian wilderness.

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. Gents can head a few steps west to 100 Bloor Street West to browse Holt's menswear collection at the two-floor Holt Renfrew Men. Concierge service and personal shoppers are available, but just browsing makes for a rich experience.

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 flagship 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.

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.

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 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 6,000 square feet of this shop provides ample opportunity for browsing among the cabinets, shelves, and bins overflowing with porcelain, silver tea sets, Majolica pottery, Lalique vases, collectibles, and antique maps. It's also Toronto's leading purveyor of vintage and estate jewelry, making it a popular stop for those seeking out engagement rings.

The 2 million–square-foot Toronto Eaton Centre shopping mall has been both praised and vilified since it was built in the 1970s, but it remains incredibly popular. From the graceful glass roof, arching 127 feet above the lowest of the mall levels with artist Michael Snow's exquisite flock of fiberglass Canada geese floating poetically in open space down to all the shops, there's plenty to appreciate.

There's a huge selection of shops and eateries, but here is a simple guide: the basement level contains the massive Urban Eatery food court. From there, the prices get higher with the altitude, with the top-floor Saks Fifth Avenue being every label-conscious shopper's dream.

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.

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 Cotelac and Elsa Esturgie, and Turkish-made deconstructed sweaters from Crea Concept. 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 mixed-media paintings, 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 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.

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 multilevel used bookstore (short for "Books Magazines Video"). Comics fans will also be happy with the selection of single issues and graphic novels.

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.