Philadelphia PA

August 2009 - Philadelphia PA

While in Philadelphia for a few days in 2009, we stayed in a hotel right behind the Reading Terminal Market.

I was researching the history of the market and I loved this service mentioned on their site.

In later years, business flourished as suburban housewives began to take advantage of another aspect of the railroad’s involvement in the Market–a free market basket service on suburban trains. Under the system, the homeowner could arrange for her grocery order to be filled in the Market and the basket placed upon a train bound for her town and held at the station until she picked it up.

As soon as we checked in we headed out for a Philly cheese steak sandwich!!

Beiler’s is owned and operated by multiple generations of the same Pennsylvania Dutch family, using recipes and techniques that have been passed down for hundreds of years. Though the donuts draw the biggest crowds—especially on Saturdays, when the line often winds out the door and along the Arch Street side of the market—the barrel pickles and traditional PA Dutch puddings and salads at this stand are also worth the stop, all made with natural ingredients and served with a smile.

We went back on the Saturday and had breakfast.

Reading Terminal Market hosts the annual Pennsylvania Dutch Festival in August. The Festival features: homemade traditional foods, handmade crafts, cooking demonstrations, family entertainment, horse and carriage rides (Saturday only), and a farm animal petting zoo (Saturday only). The three-day festival also takes place in the Market’s Center Court seating area and features handmade crafts including quilts, woodcrafts, paintings, hand braided rugs, wooden toys, and cedar chests. Traditional foods including chicken pot-pie, donuts, ice cream, pies and canned fruits and vegetables are available.


On Saturday the festival moves outdoors to create an urban farm. The 1100 block of Arch Street is closed to traffic and a petting zoo with sheep, goats, chickens, donkeys, calves, horses and pigs fill the street. Amish buggy rides and horse drawn wagon rides around the Market, as well as country and bluegrass bands, round out the entertainment.