Jean-Talon Market

On any summer morning, the aisles of Jean-Talon Market are a blur of colour: crates of strawberries, tomatoes in a dozen shades, braids of garlic, mounds of fresh herbs and flowers by the bucket. The market lies in Montreal’s Little Italy, a few streets north of the Plateau, and it is one of the largest open-air public markets in North America’s cities. It is named for Jean Talon, the first intendant of New France. It was inaugurated in 1933 as a Depression-era scheme, to bring farmers from the surrounding countryside directly to city shoppers, and its mix of local growers and immigrant-run shops has made it a landmark of the city's food culture.

The market has two parts. A covered central structure, with permanent shops around its edges, remains open through the year and supplies cheeses, meats, fish, bread, pastries, spices and prepared dishes. Around it, outdoor stalls fill the open space from June through October, when growers from across Quebec set up with whatever is in season. The calendar of produce is something of a ritual. Fiddleheads and asparagus signal the spring, strawberries and corn arrive in summer, and in autumn there are apples, squash and pumpkins, with maple products on sale all year. Visitors can sample cheese, taste artisan charcuterie and watch bakers at work.

Montreal's immigrant history is written into the market's variety. Italian grocers, Middle Eastern spice merchants, Latin American vendors and Quebec farmers stand side by side, and the cooks of the city's restaurants come here as often as home cooks. The surrounding streets are full of cafés, bakeries and restaurants, and Little Italy's character shows in the espresso bars and the church of Madonna della Difesa nearby. A Quebec-products market next door specialises in regional cheese, cider and preserves.

The best time to go is on a weekday morning, before the crowds and before the tables are picked over. Weekends are livelier and busier. Plan on two or three hours if you want to wander, buy and snack. Come hungry, and bring bags. Prices at stalls vary by season and vendor, and many accept cards, though cash is handy.

The Jean-Talon metro station, on the Orange Line and Blue Line, is a short walk from the market, and Visitors who arrive by bus are also well served. July is peak season, and opening hours vary, so check before you go.