Market Street is the middle of St Andrews's three parallel medieval streets — the commercial heart of the town, running east to west between the cathedral ruins and the edge of the Old Course. It is narrower and more intimate than the flanking North Street and South Street, lined with independent shops, cafes, pubs, and the occasional golf equipment retailer.
The street has a lived-in character that distinguishes it from purely tourist towns. Fishmongers and bakers sit alongside wine shops and bookstores; the market cross near the centre of the street marks the spot where the medieval market assembled. During term time, the student population gives it an energy that disappears in the holiday months, when the demographics shift almost entirely to golf tourists.
The best approach is to walk the length of all three parallel streets in both directions — they are short enough that this takes under an hour — and compare their different characters. North Street is grander and more institutionally academic; South Street has the major church buildings and the university's public face; Market Street is where the town actually eats and drinks.