A few weeks ago, I wrote about travelling to Philadelphia in search of Jazz musician Marshall Allen. However, that’s not the only reason I was interested in going to Philly - I was also keen to get to know the city itself.
Founded in 1682, Philadelphia is one of the oldest and most historic cities in the United States. It’s the nation’s original capital, having served that role several times between 1776 and 1800 (including a ten-year run as a kind of ‘placeholder capital’ from 1790-1800, while Washington D.C. was being constructed). It’s the home of Rocky Balboa, the Liberty Bell, the Philly Cheesesteak, the birthplace of Billie Holiday, and one of the former residences of Edgar Allen Poe.
Despite all of that and much more, the one landmark I’ll remember most from my visit is the famous Reading Terminal Market, a magical place where food-based dreams come true. The market, which opened its doors in 1893, is home to (what seems like) every type of food you can imagine; from fresh produce to desserts to sandwiches, and most things in between. A walk around the market is a sensory experience, as one step in any direction can drastically change the combination of smells competing for your attention.
The Reading Terminal Market has its origins in the Jersey Market, a loose collection of stalls that had, by the mid-19th Century, migrated from the banks of the Delaware River to High Street (which became Market Street). Eventually, the city condensed the sprawling markets into one block on 12th and Market, creating the forerunners of Reading Terminal Market.
This block was purchased by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company in 1890, with the markets set to be cleared to make way for a new railway terminal. The merchants, however, refused to move. This standoff led to the railroad company agreeing to construct the terminal directly above the market, while leaving the market itself intact. The terminal was opened in 1893, and Reading Terminal Market was born.
The railway line was redirected away from the terminal in 1985, and the building (market included) was purchased by the Philadelphia Convention Center Authority in 1990. Following a challenging few decades that had seen it fall into disrepair, the market would now benefit from $30 million worth of much-needed renovation, while the terminal would be turned into the grand entrance of the new convention center.
Today, the Reading Terminal Market is thriving once again, and a destination for food enthusiasts the world over.
I first became aware of Reading Terminal Market while watching Somebody Feed Phil, the Netflix show in which Phil Rosenthal visits a new city in each episode to explore their food culture. One of the establishments he samples in the Philadelphia episode is Sweet T’s Bakery, the first Black-owned bakery in Reading Terminal Market’s history. Sweet T’s was founded by Tia and Mark El, and specialises in all things sweet potato: pies, pound cake, cheesecake, and more.
I’ve been a huge fan of sweet potato pie (along with its close relative, pumpkin pie) for a long time, so I knew that Sweet T’s Bakery needed to be my first stop at the market. I arrived in the late afternoon (having spent most of the day finding the Rocky statue and watching the Philadelphia half-marathon) so all that was left was a twin pack of sugar-free mini sweet potato pies. I have a theory that any pie is only as good its pastry, and the pastry on these pies was incredibly good. The filling was also fantastic, with the flavour of the sweet potato meaning that the sugar wasn’t missed.
A few days later I came back and bought a twin pack of mini sweet potato cheesecakes. Being as big a fan of cheesecake as I am sweet potato pie, this was an intriguing combination that I had to try – and it did not disappoint.
Another sweet option at Reading Terminal Market is Bassett’s Ice Cream. Bassett’s is the USA’s oldest ice cream company, having been founded in 1861. It was also the very first merchant to sign a lease at the market in 1892, and is still owned and operated by the great-great-grandchildren of founder Lewis Dubois Bassett. The dairy is sourced from Pennsylvania farmers, and the menu boasts over 30 flavours.
One thing I was not expecting to encounter at Reading Terminal Market (or in Philadelphia at all) was gumbo, the signature dish of New Orleans. But here it was, one of the many dishes on offer at Beck’s Cajun Café. I ended up with a combination of two different gumbos, since they were running low of both, but the results of this experiment were very successful and bursting with flavour. However, I admit that I am not qualified to determine how close this Philly gumbo was to the “real deal,” since I am yet to try a genuine New Orleans gumbo.
Beiler’s Bakery has been a fixture of Reading Terminal Market for the last 40 years. They serve a wide variety of baked goods, but the main attraction is their selection of pies and crumbles, lovingly displayed across the counter. It was a difficult choice, but I eventually settled on a generous slice of cherry pie.
I should also mention Tommy DiNic’s, where you can buy a truly excellent roast pork sandwich (the pork can be switched out for beef). Shortly after leaving the counter, I realised that I may have been given someone else’s order by mistake, but by this point I was already eating the sandwich and it was too late to do anything. Oh well. It was a great sandwich!
The food options at Reading Terminal Market are endless, and any food-lover could, in theory, stay there forever. I certainly could!
Disclaimer: I would like to clarify that the food described in this article was consumed over three or four separate visits to Reading Terminal Market. I’m not sure it would be possible to eat all of that in one day without ending up in hospital.
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