Reading Terminal Market

State: Pennsylvania. Type: historic indoor public market in Center City Philadelphia. Opened 1893 beneath the former Reading Railroad train shed. Home to over 100 merchants. Operated today by the nonprofit Reading Terminal Market Corporation. Named 'Best Public Market in America' by USA Today 10Best (April 2026).

Reading Terminal Market is a working 19th-century indoor market at 12th and Arch Streets in Center City Philadelphia, occupying the space beneath the former Reading Railroad's elevated train shed. It opened in 1893, evolving from open-air city markets that had operated nearby since the 1850s. Today more than 100 independent merchants sell fresh produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, Pennsylvania Dutch specialties, and prepared foods from a wide range of cuisines, arranged around a central court with communal seating. A handful of vendors, including Bassett's Ice Cream, trace their roots to the market's original 1893 opening. The market sits directly beside the Pennsylvania Convention Center and Jefferson Station, making it a natural stop for conference-goers, commuters and tourists alike, and it remains a genuinely local grocery destination as much as a visitor attraction.

The market is located at 1136 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA, at 12th and Arch Streets in Center City, adjoining the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It sits within easy walking distance of Chinatown and the Fashion District Philadelphia, and directly connects to SEPTA's Jefferson Station.

Philadelphia has a humid continental/subtropical transition climate with four distinct seasons: hot, humid summers (average highs in the mid-80s Fahrenheit in July) and cold winters (average highs in the 30s-40s Fahrenheit). Because Reading Terminal Market is entirely indoors, weather has little direct effect on a visit here compared with outdoor destinations.

Because the market is indoor and open daily year-round, any season works; weekday mornings tend to be quieter than weekend midday hours, when both tourists and local shoppers crowd the aisles. Visiting outside standard lunch hours can mean shorter lines at the most popular food stalls.

Reading Terminal Market opened in 1893 beneath the newly built train shed of the Reading Railroad Company's headhouse terminal, designed by architect F.H. Kimball in 1891. It replaced open-air markets that had run along a stretch of what became Market Street since the mid-19th century; two indoor markets, the Franklin Market and Farmers' Market, occupied the same site before consolidating under the new terminal. The market's basement originally held 52 refrigerated storage rooms totaling roughly half a million cubic feet, a state-of-the-art feature for its time. The market thrived through the mid-20th century, reaching 97% occupancy in 1944 and drawing its largest recorded crowd, over 12,000 visitors, on May 9, 1946, before declining in the postwar decades as rail travel and downtown shopping patterns shifted. A revitalization effort in the 1980s and 1990s restored the market to its current prominence as both a working market and a tourist destination.

Visitors can browse and eat from more than 100 merchant stalls covering produce, meats, seafood, baked goods, confections, Pennsylvania Dutch specialties and a wide range of prepared cuisines, from cheesesteaks to Ethiopian food. Guided tours of the market are available, and the central court offers communal seating for eating on-site. Many visitors combine a stop here with exploring the adjacent Fashion District Philadelphia and Chinatown on foot.

The market's central open court, ringed by merchant stalls in a grid layout, is the main feature, along with long-running vendors such as Bassett's Ice Cream, which has operated continuously since the market's 1893 opening. The historic train-shed architecture overhead is itself part of the draw, a remnant of the site's railroad origins.

The market sits directly above SEPTA's Jefferson Station, making regional rail and subway/trolley connections straightforward for visitors coming from elsewhere in Philadelphia or the suburbs. It is also a short walk from the Pennsylvania Convention Center and several downtown hotels. Philadelphia International Airport is roughly 8 miles away, with SEPTA's Airport Line running directly to Jefferson Station.

The market is open daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., per its official site, with occasional extended hours (e.g., 8 a.m.-7 p.m.) during major citywide events. Individual merchant hours can vary slightly; confirm current hours on readingterminalmarket.org before visiting.

There is no admission fee to enter Reading Terminal Market; visitors pay only for what they purchase from individual merchants.

Most visitors spend one to two hours browsing stalls and eating a meal; food enthusiasts wanting to sample multiple vendors may plan for longer.

Because the market sits in Center City Philadelphia next to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, numerous downtown hotel chains and independent hotels are within a few blocks' walking distance, making it one of the more hotel-dense parts of the city.

The market itself is the primary dining destination, with more than 100 vendors covering baked goods, seafood, meats, Pennsylvania Dutch fare, and prepared foods from many cuisines. Beyond the market, Chinatown and the Fashion District Philadelphia, both within a short walk, add further restaurant options.

The Pennsylvania Convention Center is directly adjacent. Philadelphia's Chinatown and the Fashion District Philadelphia shopping and dining complex are both within a short walk, and Jefferson Station connects to the wider SEPTA regional rail network for day trips elsewhere in the city.

SEPTA's Jefferson Station, directly connected to the market, provides Regional Rail, subway and trolley access. Philadelphia International Airport, about 8 miles away, connects via SEPTA's Airport Line to Jefferson Station.

As with any busy indoor market in a downtown urban area, keep an eye on personal belongings amid the crowds, especially during peak lunch hours. Standard city awareness applies when walking to and from the market in the surrounding Center City streets, particularly after dark.

A reusable bag is handy for carrying produce or bakery purchases, and cash or a card, since policies vary by individual vendor. Comfortable shoes help for browsing the market's full length.

Visiting on a weekday morning avoids the heaviest lunch-hour crowds. Because the market is a working grocery market as well as a tourist stop, arriving hungry and sampling from several different stalls rather than one large meal is a popular approach. Pair a visit with a walk through neighboring Chinatown or the Fashion District.

Dial 911 for any emergency. The market's general information line is 215-922-2317, per its official website.

Reading Terminal Market - https://readingterminalmarket.org

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.