Skip to main content

Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia



Hubby and I had to make a quick run to Philadelphia and for me, that meant one thing, a visit to the Reading Market.

Philadelphia has a lot of really great restaurants, cheese steak and pretzel places, and it is all just a two hour drive from NYC.  Philadelphia is a city full of great historical importance, with beautiful old neighborhoods and terrific museums.
My choice for lunch, snack or a treat is always the Reading Market.  This market first opened its doors in 1892 and has been a very popular destination ever since.  There, you will find everything from fresh meats, seafood, handmade confections, baked treats right out of the oven, kitchen ware, fresh flowers, a large variety of restaurants with either counter top or table and chair seating.  There are over 75 independent small businesses operating withing this huge market hall.



 We first like to stroll slowly, taking it all in.  There are so many tempting choices, it is really difficult to settle on just one thing.  Today, we knew that we were all in a mood for a cheesesteak, pretzels and donuts.  
  















 This wonderful ear or a palmier was calling my name.....maybe next time.






I'm not a fan of carrot cake but this looked quite inviting.


Long line for the cheesesteak, but we were going to a different vendor.






























 I personally am not a fudge fan but got some rocky road for my husband. 





 This was our cheesesteak stand.  Steak on the griddle till nicely done and moved quickly into a fresh hoagie roll.
   






I don't like cheese on my steak, just onions and a bit of ketchup.  This was absolutely delicious, the meat was cooked perfectly and the bread was soft and light.  Some places use a very heavy hoagie roll which, in my opinion,  overwhelms the taste.  This sandwich had just the right balance. 







 Miller's Pretzels, while not the traditional Philly pretzel, are still terrific.
 








 Really nothing beats a hot and buttery pretzel.









 These are the traditional Philly pretzels but we like to get them from a different shop.







 Beiler's Donuts

 This is where I tend to lose my mind.  At first, I told my husband that I would like to get two dozen, I'm glad that he looked at me like I was crazy.  A dozen is plenty.
We have been huge fans of these donuts for a few years now and I always bring some home for the boys. 



These apple fritters are their big sellers.  


Huge vats of filling are just waiting to be used. 








While waiting on line, we can watch them fill, powder and glaze the donuts.






I don't know about this one, bacon?


 I am partial to this baby, a plain glazed donut.  It is soft and a bit chewy, delicious and not overwhelmingly sweet.
















 Cookie cutters of every shape imaginable.
 




We leave with full bellies and smiles on our faces.

Reading Terminal Market
51 North 12th Street
Philadelphia
Monday - Saturday 8am -6pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm


I said that we didn't get pretzels at the market, they have them there, but we prefer another store.



Philly Pretzel Factory, in our opinion, has the most delicious pretzels.  Most of the time, the pretzels are hot and right out of the oven.  They are soft, delicious and for the full experience should be eaten with mustard.






 One of my boys likes the cinnamon pretzel.




Philly Pretzel Factory
locations throughout Philadelphia.

Joanna


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bordier Butter - The Best Butter in France

France is in the midst of a butter shortage!  Due to a decrease in milk production and a substantial demand for French pastries all over the world (mainly China and the Middle East), the price of butter has increased by 60% in one year.  The French are stocking up and thus creating shortages.  French newspapers are publishing articles titled "A guide to cooking without butter".  So, with hopes that the shortages are temporary, here is my ode to the best butter in the world.  I'm not kidding.  The. Best. Butter. In. The. World. Mr. Bordier, a grandson and a son of cheese mongers, became a butter artisan in 1985.  He acquired a creamery originally founded in 1927.  The supreme taste of the Bordier butter was first recognized by a chef from the Plaza Athenee while vacationing in Brittany, a beautiful region in northwestern France. Bordier is the lone butter master to still use the old method of kneading the butter according to the 19th century t...
5 comments
Read more

Azura, Jerusalem

Azura, an eatery in the Machane Yechuda market was opened by Ezra, nicknamed "Azura" in 1952 after he emigrated from Turkish Kurdistan. These days, Azura, run by Ezra's nine children, has a cult-like status, and the crowds to prove it. Azura is not easy to find and your best bet is to enter it from the Iraqi part of the Machane Yechuda market.  It is almost impossible to find it from the street. The restaurant is located on a small square filled with older man playing backgammon and sipping tea, which just adds richness to the already wonderful atmosphere. The food is cooked slowly in these large pots over gas burners. The menu was so packed with delicacies, we had a difficult time choosing just a few dishes. We started our lunch with this wonderfully creamy hummus with warm mushrooms and onion, a combination which has always been my favorite. The tomato, cucumber, and onion salad came garnished with parsley and a healthy dose of ta...
Post a Comment
Read more

OCD Restaurant, Tel Aviv

After our  first very memorable visit to OCD, we were eager to repeat the experience.  I booked our dinner about a month in advance since, deservedly, OCD has become much more popular in the last year or so.  They still do two seatings per night and one Friday brunch per month. There is something very exciting about the surprise aspect of the dining experience at OCD.  There is no menu; while booking the reservation one is asked about any dietary restrictions, and during the evening the diners watch each dish being meticulously prepared by the team in the open kitchen.  We marveled as we watched attention being paid to every minute detail and the choreography utilized by the chefs in assembling each plate.  This is more than a dinner; it is a theatrical production with spectacular and beautifully presented food. Our dinner began with this beautiful poori with cardamom leaves foam and cucumber ceviche. Marinated amberjack with soy and lemon, b...
Post a Comment
Read more