Jean-Talon Market

Jean-Talon Market is where Montreal shops, snacks and shows off its love of food, and it is one of the largest and liveliest public markets in North America. It opened in 1933 as the Marche du Nord, took its present name in 1983, and sits on the edge of Little Italy, between Rue Jean-Talon and Rue Henri-Julien, a short walk from the Jean-Talon and De Castelnau metro stations. The layout is simple: a central open-air square of covered aisles where farmers from across Quebec sell their produce, surrounded by permanent shops for cheese, charcuterie, fish, meat, bread, spices, maple products, wine and prepared food, along with small restaurants and counters. In high season, from late spring to autumn, the aisles overflow with strawberries, then corn, tomatoes, apples and squash, and the market is at its most colourful; on summer weekends the aisles are closed to cars in the late morning and afternoon to make room for the crowds. From October, the central area is closed in for the cold months and the market moves indoors, with a smaller but still lively range of vendors, and it returns to its outdoor aisles around late April. It is open every day, from morning until the early evening, slightly shorter on Sundays. Browsing is free, and grazing is the best way to visit: taste Quebec cheeses and maple treats, pick up fruit, try a fresh oyster or a crepe, and buy picnic supplies for Mount Royal. The surrounding streets of Little Italy add Italian grocers, cafes and the Madonna della Difesa church with its famous ceiling fresco. Go in the morning for the best choice and fewer crowds, and bring a bag, cash and cards; parking is limited, so take the metro.

Why it matters to the city: Montreal's public markets are civic institutions, and Jean-Talon is the flagship of a small network that also includes Atwater Market near the Lachine Canal. It is where chefs shop, where neighbourhood families do their weekly round, and where the seasons of Quebec agriculture are most visible, from the first asparagus and fiddleheads of spring to the apples and pumpkins of autumn. The market's mix of growers and permanent merchants means you can buy direct from the people who grew or made the food, and many vendors offer tastings. In recent decades it has also become a destination for visitors, but it still feels like a working market rather than a tourist attraction.

How to graze well: arrive in the morning, walk the whole central square once before buying, then go back for your choices. Look for Quebec cheeses, many made from raw milk, maple butter and maple taffy, local berries in summer, ice cider and Quebec wines, and fresh bread. Several counters sell ready-to-eat food, from oysters and seafood to crepes, sausages and pastries, so you can make lunch from tastings. On weekends in summer the crowds are thick by late morning; weekdays are calmer. Families will find it easy to keep children happy with fruit and snacks.

In winter, the enclosed market is smaller but warm and atmospheric, with Christmas trees, maple products and seasonal treats in December, and it is a good stop on a cold day. To get there, take the orange line to Jean-Talon or the blue line to De Castelnau; the market is at 7070 Avenue Henri-Julien. Combine it with a walk through Little Italy, a coffee on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, or a trip south to Mile End for bagels. If you are cooking in an apartment rental, this is the place to stock up; if not, it is still the best edible tour of Quebec in one place.