Hey friends! I’ve been here, there, and everywhere lately eating dang near every single thing I can get my hand on from New Orleans, north to Philadelphia. This week I’ve been in Philadelphia where I’ve found GOOD everywhere I’ve gone: good people, good coffee, seriously good bagels, good donuts, and what might be one of my favorite places in the country: The Reading Terminal Market.
The Reading Terminal Market is Philadelphia’s indoor public market, packed to the gills with fresh produce, local meats and fish, Amish baked goods, quality coffee, cannolis like whoa, and the best roast pork sandwich is all the land. I love the Reading Terminal Market because the quality and range of food is bonkers… I can nerd out about food around every corner of this market… but the people that fill the stalls, aisles, and countertops are free of food-person pretensions (eye roll) and just there because they know what’s good. It’s the most wonderful place.
Here’s a look inside:
Every countertop has people gathered. Dutch Eating Place for lunch ooorrr the best Roast Pork Sandwich with broccoli rabe and peppers from DiNic’s Roast Pork and Beef. Seriously with that sandwich… outta control.
Fresh fried donuts at Beiler’s Donuts and Salads. To the right of those donuts is a giant hot oil bath for the dough. This is my kind of beauty.
So many Amish donuts to choose from. The Apple Fritter! Don’t go without it.
Every juice you could ever imagine from Lancaster County Dairy.
What are we going to do with all this fish?
Every single cut and chop and link at L Halteman Family Country Foods.
Roasting coffee at Old City Coffee. I dream of having a coffee roaster like this in my basement. Also, I dream of having a basement.
They take their grilled cheese and olives very seriously at Valley Shepard Creamery and Meltkraft Grilled Cheese.
The bread at Metropolitan Bakery is gorgeous, and they also know a thing or two about homemade fig bars and canneles!
As a west coast girl, I can safely say that I don’t know enough about cannolis. Thank you Termini Brothers Bakery for the education. I’ll never be the same.
Roast pork. Cannolis. Loaves of bread. Fresh fried donuts. Coffee. Ice cream and candy and juice and meat and fish and every-dang-thing. What’s really nice is the gathering. The way people sit and chat and hold their babies and take a moment to eat and be while the world bustles around them. The Reading Terminal Market is special.
I hope your day is great!
xo Joy
Lynne @ 365 Days of Baking and More
LOL! Joy, can I just tell you how I’d love to be with you right now?? My daughter just messaged me, saying you were there. She attends school in Philly, so whenever I visit we make it a point to go to the Market. Oh, my goodness, I could literally stay there the whole day eating, browsing, strolling and eating some more.
And Beiler’s… freaking awesome!
Enjoy your trip!!
Preethi
I lived in philly for 7 years and loooooove Reading. It’s exactly like you say, amazing food without any of the uppity foodie mentality. The best!!
trulyaddia
oh i’d love to go! the sour cherry and chocolate chip cookie caught my eye :D although i do quite fancy a fresh bagel right now!
http://trulyaddia.wordpress.com
Kerry
I love that you are exploring Reading Terminal! Am a Philly girl and live in the Mt. Airy/Germantown section of the city. There are utter amazing gems all over. If you need some good meal or coffee recommendations off the beaten path, message me !
Abigail
Reading Terminal is my happy place! Even in the middle of summer at noon on a Saturday when the “avenues” are crammed with double wide strollers, and I feel like I’m part the tourist attraction just picking out my sausages I am thankful that I have such a wonderful place to do my shopping.
PS. If you want to really enjoy RTM I suggest never going on a Saturday in the summer at noon. Unless you like double wide strollers filled with bags instead of children.
lonnapea
I also LOVE this place and I dream about Beilers–and just as an FYI, Amish/Mennonite folks aren’t big on having their pictures taken, so just something to think about in the future :)
Kat
EEK! You are in Philly and I can’t come hang out at Reading Terminal with you…GAH! RTM is a dream. I hope you got a crepe as well, those are fab. They have free crepe day in the summer and it is awesome! Please tell me you also had some Bassetts ice cream? It is pretty much impossible to NOT eat well in RTM. If only I didn’t have to drive in and find parking just to enjoy it :) Also…am now craving a cannoli. Thanks.
emi
yes!!! you describe it all perfectly. loved this place when i was in philly!
xo welltraveledwife.com
Jeannette
one of my favorite parts of Philly! Happy to see you’re enjoying our city!
Sara @ Cake Over Steak
AAHHHHH YES The Reading Terminal Market is the bomb-dot-com. I should have gone there more when I was in Philly for college. They actually have some of the cheapest produce for broke college students. I can never go there when I’m hangry, though, because the obnoxious crowds of people are in between me and food and I can’t handle it. I usually get a smoothie and a bagel when I go (??? what is wrong with me….) and of course WAY too many cookies from Hope’s Cookies in the back. That grilled cheese place is also cray. I really need to get back there and explore some more … so glad you enjoyed it during your visit!
JessicaB
Beautiful Beautiful Post!!!
JessicaB
Beautiful Beautiful Post!!!!
molly yeh
oh man oh man, reading terminal market is a DREAM! i haven’t been there in years but i would love to go back and eat alllll the cannolis.
(p.s. i just got homemade decadence!!! wahhh i am so excited.)
Sarah
Ate at the Terminal Market after the Philly Marathon last year — amazing place! My only regret is that I didn’t have more energy to explore!
rachel
hooray! one of my favorite places ever. the thai salmon from little thai market is a thing of legend.