Farm Boy’s Toronto takeover continues, with its fifth location now open at Front and Bathurst. The 33,478-square-foot space is filled with fresh produce, a bakery, a cheese counter, a full-service hot bar and salad bar, all kinds of heat-and-eat meals, made-to-order pizzas and—unique to this location—a Village Juicery kiosk. And, of course, the shelves at this Trader Joe’s of the North are stacked with Farm Boy’s super-popular private-label items. We stopped by for a tour to check out all the goods.
The entrance is off Bathurst Street:
Entering the store, customers are ushered into the produce section:
Fresh berries and packages of pre-cut fruits and veggies are displayed at the entrance:
The produce section is stocked with fruits and vegetables tailored to the neighbourhood’s demands.
Displays featuring new products flank the produce section. The current feature is a new line of salad dressings (apple cider coleslaw, red pepper, creamy mango) in addition to their most popular product: lemon garlic dressing.
Farm Boy’s private-label products, like their popular Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn, take up prized end-cap space:
In addition other brands, the grocery aisle shelves are stocked with all kinds of Farm Boy’s private-label products including alternative flours, low-sodium goods, vegan products, barbecue sauces and school-safe superfood bars:
The frozen section is full of hors d’oeuvres, flatbreads, dim sum, dumplings and all kinds of other heat-and-serve foods:
There’s a whole section devoted to pierogi:
Here we have pre-packaged Ontario-raised meat—both frozen and fresh—along with organic and chef-prepared proteins:
The store carries lamb and veal, as well as rabbit, duck and Cornish hens:
Check out these Farm Boy bacon rounds:
The butcher counter displays hormone-free, organic beef, pork and chicken. Farm Boy sells 100 per cent Canadian AAA beef, all of which is aged a minimum of 14 days:
Farm Boy’s chef-inspired line features prepared and pre-marinated proteins that just need to take a quick visit to your grill or oven:
The seafood section is where you’ll find fresh or frozen eco-friendly, sustainable seafood, as well as chef-prepared options:
Here we have some oysters, clams and scallops:
New items include frozen, skin-on wild Ontario pickerel and Arctic char:
Because the olive and antipasto bar are off limits right now, Farm Boy has started to package their preserves, which now have their own aisle:
When it comes to Farm Boy’s bagels, there are seven per bag—one for each day of the week:
The dairy aisle features cow milk, alternative-dairy and lactose-free goods, including new vegan cheeses. This is where you’ll find Farm Boy’s own ice cream, gelato and sorbet:
Breads and other treats baked on site can be found in the Bake Shop:
Farm Boy’s own Cruffies—part croissant, part muffin—are a fan favourite:
The deli counter carries everything you need to build a sandwich or a charcuterie board—including the boards themselves:
Farm Boy sells over 400 kinds of cheese, many of which are made locally:
The grab-and-go section features dips, house-made sauces, appetizers, pre-packaged salads and over 19 kinds of soup:
There’s also a new line of diner-inspired dinners, including mac-and-cheese, chicken alfredo and pork schnitzel:
The items at the full-service hot bar and salad bar are constantly being refreshed and rotated:
Customers can also grab something from the pizzeria, the grill or the sushi station:
Here’s a closer look at the pizza:
The Village Juicery has its own kiosk:
More grab-and-go snacks and drinks are conveniently located by the checkouts:
For the time being, extra shopping carts are parked in what was supposed to be the store’s dine-in area. (Seating will be made available when we’re allowed to dine inside again.)
There are reusable bags, lined boxes and backpacks available for sale as part of the store’s BYOB program. (That last B stands for bags, not booze. Sorry.)
Thank you, come again:
NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY
Sign up for Table Talk, our free newsletter with essential food and drink stories.