I was recently in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There was was a public market a short walk from my hotel. I have been to public markets before, but nothing like this. Huge, historic, and filled with a plethora of grocers and eateries, Reading Terminal Market is the place to shop and dine in Philadelphia.
As the name implies, the Reading Terminal Market (pronounced Redding) was the market that served the train station in downtown Philadelphia. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Station served customers from 1893 – 1984. The train station is long gone (the building now houses the Pennsylvania Convention Center), but the Reading Terminal Market remains. It has been serving customers continuously since 1893 and was celebrating its 130th birthday when I visited.
Shops and Grocers
Unlike other public markets I have been to recently, the Reading Terminal Market is far more than a food hall. It is full of grocers, bakeries, and general stores. And not just one of each. I saw 2 fish markets, 3 butchers, 3 bakeries, 2 candy vendors, and 2 vendors selling Amish groceries. Additionally there was a vendor selling produce, a poultry vendor, a sausage maker, a deli, a cheese shop, a honey themed story, a store only selling varieties of olive oil, and a herbary. I very likely missed some places. If there is any kind of food you are looking for, chances are Reading Terminal Market has it.
Eateries
As extensive as the grocery options are, the selection of eateries is even larger. As you would expect from Philly, there are several places selling cheesesteaks and sandwiches (DeNics was highly recommended.) Similarly, there are places selling burgers, Po-Boys, or other Cajun food. Barbecue and Chicken and Waffles are also options. Ethnic choics include Sushi, Gyros, and Schwarma. One ethnicity near and dear to my heart that I was delighted to see was Georgian food. The sign heavily emphasizes the Cheeseboats (Khachapuri), but other Georgian food is available. And as a reminder that you are in central Pennsylvania, there is a stall selling fresh, home made pretzels.
Where I ate
I went to the Reading Terminal Market early in the morning, before a day of site seeing. With such a wide variety, normally I would have a hard time choosing where to eat. But I had been eating heavy meals, so I was looking for lighter fare. I found the perfect place at Profi’s Creperie.
Profi’s Creperie
A Parisian style creperie, Profi’s has both sweet and savory crepes. Sweet crepes include: Apple Caramel, Berries Cheesecake, Honey pineapple strawberry, Nutella with or without fruit, and Lemon & Grand marnier. Savory offerings include Philly (beef, veggies, and cheese), Roasted Marinated Chicken, Paris (veggies, feta, chicken, ham, or turkey), Seafood, or Pizza. There are also a variety of breakfast crepes, French Toast, pancakes, and parfaits. The crepes are made right in front of you. This can be a time consuming process, and it took 20 minutes for my crepe to be made.
I had one of the breakfast crepes, the Chicken Saute. Like all the breakfast crepes it has eggs and cheese. Additionally, it has chicken and spinach. The crepe had a good amount of eggs and plenty of cheese, but was a little light on chicken. I really liked the favor; the cheese was especially strong.
Famous 4th Street Cookie Co
For dessert, I went to a nearby stall: Famous 4th Street Cookie Company. They have a wide variety of cookies. Notable flavors are: Peanut butter Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, and Oatmeal Raisin.
I had two cookies: Chocolate Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Cranberry. Both were fabulous: soft, chewy, and with strong, distinct flavors. Highly recommended.
When I realized it was Chocolate Chip day, I returned later that day and had a chocolate chip cookie with a special price of $1. Proceeds went to the Ronald McDonald House. This cookie was not as good, as I it was hard and crunchy. I felt it was over cooked, but your tastes may very. Nevertheless, the Famous 4th Street Cookie Company has some great cookies.
Kismet Bialys
On my second day, I headed back to Reading Terminal Market for another breakfast. I had to have something I was very surprised to see: Bialys.
Bialys are a bread roll that look similar to a bagel but are actually quite distinct. I have only ever seen them in New York City, where they are readily found. Originating in Poland, Bialys — like the bagel — are the creation of Jewish bakers. But that is where the similarities end. Unlike bagels, which are round with a hole in the center, Bialys are flat with a depression in the center. The key difference, however, is they way they are cooked. Bialys are baked, while bagels are boiled and then baked. This gives Bialys quite a different crust and texture.
You cannot miss the Bialys at Reading Terminal Market. Kismet Bialys has a huge red sign advertising their baked goods. A local Philadelphia company, Kismet Bagels can be found at several locations thought the city. As far as I can tell, the Reading location is the only one that specializes in Bialys. Kismet is a relatively new company, started by Jacob and Alexandra Cohen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking up baking as a hobby, they started selling their bagels at local farmers markets. Exploding in popularity, Kismet now has three locations: Fishtown, Rittenhouse, and Reading Terminal Market. They can also be found at 8 farmers markets.
Kismet has over half a dozen varieties of Bialys, including traditional (topped with onion, salt, and poppy seeds), za’atar dipped, Buffalo Chicken, and Lox ‘n Schmear. I had one with bacon, egg, and cheese. The Bialy was served immediately, but it was warm and tasted fresh. It was probably baked earlier in the morning. The dip in the center was filled with bacon, with egg and cheese on top of it. The egg was runny, a welcome surprise, and the cheese on toasted and crisp. It was topped with a spicy green sauce that reminded me of a chimichurri, but is actually called zhug. All in all, the Bialy was quite good.
Flying Monkey
There are several bakeries at the market, but there was one that caught my eye: Flying Monkey.
Flying Monkey has an assortment of baked goods, which include: brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and that Pennsylvania staple Whoopie pies. But it what drew my attention was their cakes. There were two that day: an Elvis Cake (featuring bananas) and something called Ghoulish Carnival.
I chose the Ghoulish Carnival. It is a chocolate layered cake with multi-colored buttercream frosting. I ate it as soon as I bought it, which was a mistake. The cake came straight out of the case and was still cold. Ideally, I would have waited several minutes before eating it. But I did not have the time. Nevertheless, the cake was delicious. The layers had a deep chocolate flavor, and the frosting was rich and creamy. As good as it was, had I waited a bit it I expect it would have been fantastic.
Bassetts Ice Cream
After a day of site seeing, I returned to the Reading Terminal Market for some ice cream. Bassetts Ice Cream has been a Philadelphia institution since 1861. It is America’s oldest ice cream company.
Lewis Dubois Bassett started churning ice cream back when Abraham Lincoln was still President. In those days, he had to use mule power to turn the crank. Bassett moved production into Reading Terminal Market in 1893, the same year the market opened. It is the only remaining original tenant. Still owned by the Bassett family, 5 generations of Bassetts have worked there. They have served some famous customers In its 150 year history. Al Roker of the today show has visited. As did Barack Obama during his Presidency (he ordered Mint Chocolate Chip). In 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschchev and his wife had Bassetts Ice Cream when they visited the United States. A special Borscht flavor was made for the occasion.
On the day I visited, there was a whopping 33 flavors of ice cream on the menu, plus 3 sorbets. Helpfully, they are listed alphabetically. The choices include Vanilla, 4 types of chocolate and 2 types of dark chocolate, Cookies & Cream, and Salted Caramel Pretzel. Fruit flavors include Banana, Cherry Vanilla, Mango, Peach, Pumpkin, and Strawberry. Other noteworthy flavors are S’mores, Matcha (Green Tea), and Praline’s & Cream. Ice cream is served in either a cup or a cone, with added cost for waffle and premium cones.
I wanted something relatively light, so I ordered two fruit flavors: Pomegranate Blueberry Crunch and Raspberry Truffle. Both were delightful. The ice cream base is rich and creamy and both had generous amounts of fruit swirls. The fruit flavors were strong and distinct. The blueberry one had bits of crumble mixed in, giving it a nice crunch. Bassetts definitely lives up to their reputation.
Final Thoughts
I love public markets and Reading Terminal Market is one of the best. It has a wide variety of choices for both grocers and eateries. Continuously operating for 130 years, with one vendor having been there the entire time, it is a place with a lot of history. And the food is to die for. It is a must see destination in Philadelphia.
Jim's Dining Guides 