Over nearly 50 years, Carousel Bakery‘s peameal bacon sandwich grew from a simple lunchtime staple into Toronto’s officially designated Signature Sandwich in 2016.
Carousel Bakery has become one of St. Lawrence Market’s most recognizable vendors, but the story of its famous sandwich begins long before the bakery itself. In 1854, English butcher William Davies arrived in Toronto and developed peameal bacon in the St. Lawrence Market area, originally coating cured pork loin in ground yellow peas to help preserve it before cornmeal became the standard.
Davies went on to build the largest pork packing operation in the British Empire, and Toronto’s nickname, “Hogtown,” grew out of an industry he helped shape. While the Biancolins didn’t invent peameal bacon, they transformed it into the iconic sandwich that brought one of Toronto’s most famous foods to international attention.
Global Recognition
The sandwich’s reputation soon spread far beyond Toronto. It has been featured multiple times in The New York Times, as well as The Washington Post, USA Today, Food & Wine, and Condé Nast Traveler. It also drew visits from Anthony Bourdain, Emeril Lagasse, and Bobby Flay, all eager to try the city’s iconic sandwich.
The bakery’s new owners kept the same recipe and longtime team, preserving the tradition rather than reinventing a Toronto institution. The iconic peameal bacon sandwich remains one of St. Lawrence Market’s most beloved foods.
If you visit, arrive early on a weekend, as the line builds quickly. One bite offers a taste of the humble invention that grew from a butcher’s preservation method into one of Toronto’s defining culinary traditions.
The Details
- Location: Carousel Bakery, St. Lawrence Market, 93 Front St. E., Toronto, ON
- Hours: Tuesday–Friday: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday: Closed
- Known for: Its iconic peameal bacon sandwich, officially designated Toronto’s Signature Sandwich in 2016
- Service: Dine-in, takeout, pickup, and delivery
- Website: Carousel Bakery
- Market website: St Lawrence Market
