Reading Terminal Market
No trip to Philadelphia is complete without a stop at the Reading Terminal Market. This grand dame of public bazaars—a Philly stalwart for well over a century—has 76 merchant stands, including butchers, bakers, fishmongers, poulterers, plus a handful of boutiques and specialty shops.
Mostly, though, it’s about the food. The 78,000-square-foot market hosts a veritable United Nations of tastes: Cajun and Caribbean, Guatemalan and Middle Eastern, Indian-Pakistani; and Russian, Filipino, and Chinese. There’s a Pennsylvania Dutch eatery, Greek and Spanish fare, the Southern-style Down Home Diner, American soul food at Ma Lessie’s, plus the iconic Philly cheesesteaks and hoagies. There’s even an Irish pub, Molly Malloy’s.
We’re not talking chain restaurants here, but small, family-owned businesses, some in residence since the beginning. Bassett’s Ice Cream was here in 1893, when the market opened (for context, in that year Grover Cleveland occupied the White House, Thomas Edison built the world’s first movie studio, and Lizzie Borden was acquitted on murder charges).
Located under a former train shed, the market was once the last stop of the historic rail line between Reading and Center City. Over the years, it’s become a Philly institution and beloved hometown hang; each day, loyal local shoppers come by the thousands to wander the aisles alongside out-of-towners.
“I like to say this is where tourists come to see Philadelphians in their natural habitat,” jokes CEO and general manager Annie Allman. “It’s a great place to people-watch.”
My friend and I stopped by during the holidays, and while the atmosphere was bright and busy, it never felt hectic. “Even when we’re jam-packed, elbow to elbow, it’s just part of the experience,” says Allman. “There’s something for everybody, and everybody’s welcome.”
Carnivores, you can come here for truly exotic meats (alligator sausage, bison pot pie, kangaroo medallions), and the rest of us can revel in a seemingly limitless selection of cheeses, candies, chocolates, and other victuals. One merchant, Really Reel Ginger, is devoted solely to products made from the Asian spice, like ginger-based juices, snacks, and even a skin care line. For a burst of scrumptious sweetness, try the ginger crumble.
For me, the big culinary surprise came at Kensington Food Market’s olive oil and vinegar tasting room. Though I was skeptical—who willingly tastes oils and vinegars?—my friend was interested, so I reluctantly sampled a pear-infused vinegar. It was absolute ambrosia, and the other varieties were just as delicious. Plus, you’ve gotta love a company whose logo includes a pigeon.
At lunchtime, we joined the soup line at the Little Thai Market and paid just $3 for generous bowls of coconut soup with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Then it was off to another quintessential Philadelphia eatery, Termini Bros, for almond horns: flaky crescents dipped in bittersweet dark chocolate, perfect for dunking.
The sheer quantity of fresh foods is staggering, yet the merchants usually sell most of their supply. At day’s end, the rest goes on sale or is picked up by Sharing Excess, a food rescue and upcycling group that distributes it to local charities.
No enterprise can endure for 131 years without a few hiccups. In the late 1980s, Reading Terminal Market was in serious decline. When the nearby Pennsylvania Convention Center was under construction, it faced possible extinction. One thing stood in the way: Philadelphians who loved the place and wouldn’t let it die. In the nick of time, the city established a nonprofit corporation to save the space, and in 1990, the Convention Center Authority bought the market and upgraded it. By 2000, it was back on its feet and fully occupied.
FYI: in the event of an apocalypse, this is the place to be, according to Allman. The National Historic Landmark was built to hold steel locomotives weighing as much as 250,000 pounds. The former train shed above the market is now the Convention Center’s grand ballroom, one of the largest in the northeast.
Reading Terminal Market has been featured in hit films including Trading Places (1983) and National Treasure (2004), as well as TV shows like the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods, which tried to unravel the mysteries of scrapple. In 2014, the American Planning Association named Reading Terminal Market one of America’s 10 Great Public Spaces, and in 2021 and 2022, it was voted Best Public Market by USA Today.
Just minutes from the Ben Franklin Bridge, the Reading Terminal Market is open daily, 8am to 6pm. Its calendar of events includes the July Ice Cream Festival, the October Harvest Fest, and the Christmas Gingerbread Village. It also hosts after-hours celebrations, like wedding receptions and corporate events, and can accommodate small parties or groups as large as 2,000.
So, for a taste of Philly and then some, join the 5 million people a year who visit the Reading Terminal Market. Be sure to take your appetite.
