You Gotta Eat Here!: The Wellington Market Is A Foodie’s Dream

The Well celebrates the opening of The Wellington Market with a “celebration weekend” on May 31st, but we got an exclusive first look! Shhhh

May 30th, 2024 | Written by Sierra Madison

Photography & Graphic Design by Sierra Madison

Here’s the deal, you can go read a very professional review of The Wellington Market in your local newspaper, or, you can sit back, relax, and read our review. Our whole thing is challenging the status quo, so unlike our very professional besties (with fancy bylines from prestigious publications) who have to keep it neutral-toned and white-collared, that’s not really what we’re about.

Besides, you’re looking for a little bit of fun, aren’t you?

The Pier Bar in The Wellington Market

Last year, while my mum and I were visiting London we spent an entire day at the Borough Market, shopping, eating, and drinking. Throughout the day we kept looking over at each other, shaking our heads, repeating “UGH! I wish we had something like this in Toronto!”

Don’t get me wrong, I love the St. Lawrence Market, it’s home to my favourite boutique flower shop and many amazing food vendors, but … they haven’t kept up with the times, and it’s slowly become an afterthought on the list of Toronto’s must-see tourist stops.

Enter The Wellington Market.

Last night we were lucky enough to score an invite to get an exclusive first look at The Wellington Market. In case you were wondering, that means we’re now a very official media outlet. PR agencies put us on the top of your lists (no seriously, we’re just as shocked as you that we caught this invite, but we aren’t complaining!).

Located on the lower ground floor of The Well, the Wellington Market is home to over 50 different merchants that together, celebrate Toronto’s diverse culinary scene.

Did I mention it’s also fully liquor-licensed, accessible, and family-friendly? That’s right, you can sip (or chug, it’s your party) while you take in the various artisan fare, local produce, and your favourite Toronto eats. All while being reminded how nice it is to not have kids (we’re just kidding: we applaud you parents, you are the pillar of our community and we’re grateful for everything you do, but unfortunately we enjoy shopping and drinking without a screaming toddler. But, if you can nail down a babysitter for a day, come kick it with us at The Pier Bar this summer <3).

I raked through my closet to find an appropriate outfit that was stretchy enough to provide me with enough room to quite literally eat through the night and off I went, excited to stuff my face with free food. I’ve only been to The Well a handful of times so it’s still a maze to me, but thankfully I can read signage, so it only took me 15 minutes to find my way to the escalator and make my way down.

It felt like descending toward heaven, a very glamorous heaven.

As soon as you land downstairs you’re met with a one-of-kind ambience. The market, designed by GPA Architects, used reclaimed wood from the original site. They even went as far as repurposing oil drums as lightning fixtures— ok sustainable queens! The iconic (yes, we’re coining it as iconic, you heard it here first!) The Pier Bar pays homage to the historic location of Front St W, which was once the shores of Lake Ontario.

Long story short, the Wellington Market is like superrrrr pretty.

After signing in at the media desk (ek!), we kicked off the night in the Wellington Event Venue, where Christine and I sat among reporters from The Toronto Star, CBC, The Globe and Mail, and many more. To say I was intimidated was an understatement, but in the wise words of my mother, who definitely coined this phrase: “Fake it till you make it!”

The Event Venue, a versatile, state-of-the-art 5,000 sq. ft. activation space that makes my tiny Toronto condo look even more like a shoebox, promises to be a dedicated space for tenants and partners to come together to create meaningful special events, workshops, demos, culinary experiences, and more. The Well has already partnered with various community partners such as the Knightcap Chess Club, Second Harvest, and various other Wellington Market vendors!

Mommy’s first media brief!

Not only is the market a hub for your taste buds but it’s expected to become a pillar for the community, which in my opinion, is one of its best features. The market promises to bring foodies and creatives together with its event programming, which will feature a range of regular programming including the Night Market DJ Series, Fridays 6-10 pm; Toktails: Trending Mixology Masterclass; iPhone Photography Workshop for Foodies, and much more!

If you know us, (in case you don’t, HEY! Stick around bestie, we’re fun I promise!) you know how much we value community efforts, so it’s safe to say our entire team is excited to see how The Well brings together the Toronto community.

As we explored the market, neither of us could stop staring in awe at the absolute dream it seemed we had stumbled into. Everywhere you looked was a vendor handing out food so good that we spent the entire night mumbling “this is soooo good”, “you need to try this!”, “omg bury me here” .

Maybe I’m a bit of a cynic, but when I first heard about the market I thought, great, another food court filled with chain restaurants like McDonalds, New York Fries, and Tim Hortons.

But man was I wrong, let me wave my white flag! The Wellington Market truly captures the essence of the Toronto Culinary scene which is, without a doubt, diverse, robust, and maybe even to die for!

You can expect to see some local legends, including Rosie’s Burgers, a family-founded burger joint that offers a modern take on the classic diner; La Cubana, a Roncesvalles staple known for its pork sandwiches; The Islands Caribbean Cookshop, home to some of the best rotis, sandwiches, and jerk chicken in the city (fun fact: they started at the York University food court); JAPADOG, (which was what I was most excited for) an award-winning hotdog franchise that was founded in Vancouver (this is their first Toronto location! Run don’t walk!).

Alas, the DJ was spinning good music, The Pier Bar was packed, and I was surrounded by free food. Can you think of a better way to spend a Wednesday night?

Whether you’re looking for a new location to add to your Hinge date night roster, you work around the area and need new ideas for lunch, or have some time to kill on a weekend, The Wellington Market is about to be your new fav spot.

SYNT gives The Wellington Market ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, you gotta eat here!

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