Spring Break
Reading Terminal helps to escape urban madness
Jessica Leung
Issue date: 3/13/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Reading Terminal Market, with its generally populated Amish merchants, gives locals a chance to leave the city for just a couple of hours.
First opened in 1892, Reading Terminal is one of the oldest and biggest farmers markets in America. Upon entering, Reading Terminal is usually extremely crowded and bustling with people making the place feel overwhelming - but the experience is unbelievable.
There are specialties made by the Pennsylvania Dutch, local jewelers, fresh fruit stands and restaurants from almost every ethnic group. With that being said, here's the low down on some of Reading Terminal's hot spots:
Beiler's Bakery: Every pie, cake, bread and breakfast-good is baked fresh. Sticky buns are always warm from the oven. The smells are incredible and one of my favorites is the giant whoopie pie for just $1.25. Moist chocolate cake with sweet-cream filling - it doesn't get any better than that!
Famous 4th Street Cookie Co.: From simple sugar cookies to chocolate-dipped ones, these heavy but delicious cookies will have anyone licking their lips. Cookies here are charged by the pound, so you may end up spending more than $2 for just one cookie, but I'll let you in on a little secret that I just discovered: around 6 p.m. when things are getting ready to close, all cookies are $1.
Termini Brothers Bakery: A must for anyone who comes into the market. This place serves a variety of Italian pastries but is most well known for their cannolis. The waiting line here always seems jam-packed no matter what time of day, but their $3 cannoli is worth every cent. Cannoli shells are crispy and piped with a sweet, rich cheese filling that leaves customers feeling satisfied and not sick.
DiNic's: Yes, Philadelphia is famous for their cheesesteaks but pulled-pork sandwiches are another big hit among many locals. Experience soft and chewy Italian white bread stuffed with pork cooked in a flavorful barbeque sauce. And like most of the restaurants in Reading Terminal, these sandwiches are under $8.
Miller's Pretzel: Before coming to Drexel University, I had never had a soft pretzel but once here, I realized that soft pretzels were a craze among the majority of Philadelphians. I had my first soft pretzel last year as a freshman but couldn't see why everyone raved about them. My first one was not "soft" and it was covered in a layer of salt. Then I had one of Miller's, baked by the Pennsylvanian Dutch, and it was amazing. This was the epitome of a perfect Philadelphian favorite - a giant twisted pretzel that was soft and chewy, glazed with butter and sprinkled with just the right amount of salt.
Iovine Brothers Produce: One of two fresh produce stands in Reading Terminal, this place is filled with fresh fruit and vegetables coming out of the wazoo. This stand has more varieties of pears, apples and oranges than any grocery store I know - all for relatively cheap prices. Iovine also has a shelf in the back that offers bags of one-two day old vegetable or fruits for only $1. Not to mention, college students get a 10 percent discount off their total purchase on Wednesdays and Sundays.
These are just some of the highlights of Reading Terminal even though there could be so much more to write about.
So, for those of you who have not ventured down to this end of the City, I suggest taking an afternoon to roam around and take in all the culture that this unique market has to offer. Take a break from the same old daily routine and experience something else.
Reading Terminal Market is open Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. *Pennsylvania Dutch merchants only operate Wednesday-Saturday.
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