Food halls in Toronto: Union Market, Eataly and Waterworks

Toronto's food halls range from a commuter hall at Union Station to an Italian marketplace and a downtown hall that keeps adding vendors. Local guides name Union Market inside Union Station, Eataly, which opened its first Toronto store in Yorkville in 2019, and the Waterworks Foodhall, which announced three new vendors for 2026. Halls change often, so check each hall's website before you plan a visit.

What is a food hall?

A food hall is a building with several independent kitchens, often with a bar, sharing seating. You order at each counter and eat at shared tables. In a city with as many cuisines as Toronto, the format suits groups where everyone wants something different. A food hall differs from a food court because the cooks are independent or local, rather than national chains.

What is Union Market?

A guide to Toronto's food halls describes Union Market as a long-running hall in the heart of Union Station, where commuters and visitors eat. Vendors named in one guide include a pizza counter and a comfort food counter, but names change, so check before you go. Because it is inside a transit hub, it is the easiest hall to reach without a car and a good option while waiting for a train.

What is Eataly?

An Italian marketplace with places to eat, counters, a grocery and a café under one roof. Eataly's first Toronto store opened in Yorkville in 2019, and the company has opened more Toronto-area stores since. It is a different thing from a hall of independent kitchens: it is a branded marketplace where you can eat, shop for pasta and olive oil and buy coffee. Check the company's website for current locations.

What is the Waterworks Foodhall?

A downtown food hall that a local urban news site said would add three vendors in 2026: a pizza counter, a Middle Eastern kitchen and a chicken counter. Those additions were announced in December 2025, so check the hall's website to see whether they are open and who else is trading.

How do you choose a hall?

• Waiting for a train or a quick lunch: Union Market.
• A shopping trip and a long Italian lunch: Eataly.
• A group dinner downtown with different cravings: the Waterworks Foodhall.
• Something outdoors on a summer day: a market such as St. Lawrence or Kensington might suit better.

How do you get there?

Toronto's halls are on transit lines. Union Station is the hub for the subway, GO Transit and UP Express, and the downtown halls are a short walk from subway stops. Check the TTC for current service. Parking downtown is expensive, and a transit trip is often faster.

When are halls busiest?

Weekday lunch near offices, and Friday and Saturday evenings. Mid-afternoon on a weekday is quiet. Toronto Raptors, Maple Leafs and Blue Jays game nights, and concerts, fill the area around Union Station. Arrive early or plan a different time.

What about dietary needs?

Ask each counter about ingredients, oil and shared surfaces. Toronto halls often include vegetarian, halal and gluten-free choices, but menus change. Do not assume a dish suits an allergy because it is labelled for a diet.

Making a food day of it

Toronto's halls pair well with its markets. Spend a Saturday morning at St. Lawrence Market, which is a short walk from Union Station, and finish the day at a hall. If you are visiting from out of town, Union Station is the easiest place to start, and the PATH walkway links many downtown buildings, so you can walk between halls and shops without going outside in winter. Check the hall's website for any event that may change hours or seating.

Eating on a budget in a hall

A hall meal can cost more than a street-food lunch, so plan. Choose one filling main, share a side, and skip bottled drinks, since most halls have a water fountain or free water at a counter. Lunch is often cheaper than dinner, and some counters have a midday special. Look at the board before you order, as prices are set by each vendor.

How do you remember what you ate?

Mosey is a food-first app where diners find places by dish, mood and neighbourhood and rate what they actually ate. A hall has many kitchens, so a rating of a dish at a hall stays with the stall that made it, and a hall's page can list its traders.

More guides to read next:

• Mississauga and Brampton food guide: Punjabi, Pakistani and Caribbean food in Peel Region
• The best neighbourhoods for food in Toronto, and what to eat in each
• Cheap eats in Toronto: how to eat well without spending much

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.