Reading Terminal Market

Reading Terminal Market is one of America's oldest and largest public markets, operating continuously since 1893 in a massive building adjacent to the Pennsylvania Convention Center. With over 80 merchants selling prepared food, produce, meats, baked goods, and specialty items, it's the single best place to eat in Philadelphia and the easiest family meal in Center City.

The market is organized loosely by type: the Amish and Mennonite vendors occupy the center section, selling baked goods (shoofly pie, whoopie pies, soft pretzels), meats, cheeses, and produce. The perimeter has prepared food stalls — DiNic's (roast pork, voted best sandwich in America), Carmen's Famous Italian Hoagies, Hershel's East Side Deli, Beiler's Donuts, and dozens more. International options include Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Middle Eastern, and Indian.

For families, the strategy is simple: grab a table (harder than it sounds on Saturdays), then take turns getting food from different vendors. Kids invariably end up at the Amish pretzel stalls ($2 for a warm soft pretzel the size of their head) or at Beiler's for donuts. Parents gravitate toward DiNic's or Hershel's. Everyone eats together at the communal tables.

The market's location in Center City makes it the natural lunch stop when visiting Philadelphia's major attractions. City Hall is 2 blocks west. Chinatown is 2 blocks north. The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall are a 10-minute walk east. The Jefferson Station rail stop is directly below the market.