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DiNic's To Take Over Ochs' Spot at Reading Terminal Market
Don't know, but I imagine that would be a possibility. In any event, they plan to add meatball sandwiches.
DiNic's To Take Over Ochs' Spot at Reading Terminal Market
Since Michael Klein in his The Insider blog today picked up and added to my report yesterday on DiNic's forthcoming move to the vacated Ochs' location, here's the rest of the story (much of it also reported by Michael):
The prime reason for all the musical chairs is Flying Monkey's lease for its center court spot. Originally the market wanted to move Flying Monkey to a new spot where coolers are now located (behind the wall displaying photos from pubic markets around the globe), but that wouldn't be on center court. Flying Monkey proprietor Elizabeth Halen would have been put at a locational handicap, so with the opening of the Ochs' spot, the musical chairs began.
Getting the cupcakerie on center court will be accomplished by moving to the Spataro's spot once they move into DiNic's space. Flying Monkey will get some additional space from The Spice Terminal, which will extend a bit into the current seating area astride the existing Flying Monkey location.
Paul Steinke hopes that the move of DiNic's will reduce congestion at the nexus of center court, which long lines waiting for roast pork sandwiches create a traffic jam from for one or two hours every lunch time. DiNic's additional seating may help as well.
DiNic's To Take Over Ochs' Spot at Reading Terminal Market
Merchants will be playing musical chairs for the rest of the year as the Reading Terminal Market begins its major reconstruction project. One of the first moves will be by DiNic's to the center court stall vacated by Harry G. Ochs & Sons.
Before it's over, expect at least three more center court merchants either to move to new spots along center court or alter their footprint, according to sources who did not wish to be identified because details are not yet settled for any except the DiNic's move, which still awaits signatures. All the subsequent moves, as currently proposed, rely upon the DiNic's relocation.
The market will move Flying Monkey out of its current center court location to create a demonstration kitchen and meeting space along the Avenue D rear wall, and create additional retail space which will require adjustments to existing merchant footprints.
Additional moves of merchants along Center Court could be firmed up and announced as early as next week.
Alert shoppers may have noticed a sign at the now vacant Market Blooms spot on Avenue C, between Giunta's and Coastal Cave, announcing that L. Halteman's will shift its footprint to take over that space, since they will lose part of their existing footage to the Avenue D project. Preliminary plans call for Halteman's deli counter to front on Avenue C. Market Blooms continues to operate its Avenue A space along the 12th Street side of the market.
Paul Steinke, the RTM's general manager, emphasized that the market will retain the existing ratios of purveyors to food court businesses, although the locations within the market are subject to change.
Steinke said he is evaluating applications from a large number of potential vendors encompassing all four categories of merchants: Purveyors, Food Basket, Mercantile and Food Court.
The market's mission statement calls for it to provide a wide variety of produce, meat, fish, bakery and dairy products, and other raw and prepared food. Its Operating Policy Guidelines specify that in filling vacancies general preference be given to growers and purveyors of local and regional produce, and that businesses offering food intended primarily or exclusively for consumption within the market be limited to no more that the greater of one-third of the total businesses in the market, or one-third of the total leasable area of the Market.
DiNic's move will make its operations much more efficient, since Ochs is a considerably larger space and also features a walk-in refrigerator, which will eliminate the need to haul meats from storage areas elsewhere in the market. They will also be able to double seating capacity. A probable addition to the menu will be meatballs.
Reading Terminal Market fish?
Although John Yi (Eat Fish, Live Longer) generally has the best quality, that's not guaranteed. You really have to look at what each of the three fishmongers has, then decide who has the best of what you want. Sometime's is Wan, sometimes is Golden, sometimes its Yi. Price can vary too for fish of about the same quality.
RTM Plans to Acquire Farmers' Market Operator
The Food Trust is a not-for-profit. Bob Pierson actually started what is now the Food Trust's farmers' market program in 1992, when the Trust's predecessor organization, the Reading Terminal Market Farmers' Preservation Trust, hired him to organize neighborhood markets. See the link if you're interested in greater detail.
Where can I get Schweppes Bitter Lemon?
I prefer the Fever Tree to Schweppes, Canada Dry or others I've tried. It's got enough quinine to taste real, balanced to the lemon and not at all cloying like the over-sugared others.
RTM Plans to Acquire Farmers' Market Operator
The Reading Terminal Market plans to acquire Farm to City, which operates about a third of the region's farmers' markets, including Rittenhouse Square, South & Passyunk, and Fairmount. FTC, chartered as a for-profit limited liability company, would be dissolved and its staff, including founder Bob Pierson, become RTM employees.
Pierson says the benefits would be (1) co-branding the farmers' markets to an existing icon of the Philadelphia food world and (2) open program funding opportunities by becoming part of a non-profit organization.
Rather than clog up the board with details, for those interested in more detail, read about it here: http://bit.ly/93uYCq
kid friendly restaurants near Courtyard Marriott, Phillie
To add a bit more to Bluehensfan's good summary of the Reading Terminal Market, while the Pennsylvania Dutch (more properly, Deutsch) places are closed, probably three-quarters of the other restaurant and sandwich-type establishments are open. For Sunday brunch you could go to Heshel's ́East Side Deli for lox 'n bagels, latkes (potato pancaskes), and a full range of basic, overstuffed deli sandwiches (roast beef, brisket, corned beef, pastrami, turkey, etc.).
Although the market technically shuts at 6 p.m. weeknights (and most sandwich stalls shut down earlier), the Down Home Diner is open for dinner until 7 p.m. six days a week, until 5 p.m. on Sundays. I prefer the Down Home Diner for breakfast over the Dutch Eating Place, but both spots oare good.
You'll still be able to get a cheese steak on Sunday at the RTM (Carmen's), or a hoagie (Salumeria or Carmen's). And on Sundays (and Wednesdays) Beck's Cajun Cafe makes beignets! Besides the Amish, the only major eat-on-premises stalls closed on Sundays are Mezze and By George, Pearl's Oyster Bar, Spataro's and Little Thai Market. Just about everyone else is open, including Bassetts, DiNic's, Nanee's (South Asian), Franks a Lot, 12th Street Cantina, Basic Four Vegetarian, Beck's Cajun Cafe, Carmen's, Coastal Cave, Delilah's, Golden Bowl, Hershel's, Kamal's Middle Eastern, Down Home Diner, Olympic Gyro, Profi's Creperie, Sang Kee Duck, Salumeria (hoagies, Italian deli and salads), Shanghai Gourmet, Original Turkey, Tootsie's Salad Bar/Buffet, and Wan's Seafood.
As you can see, while you give up pretzels, apple dumplings and pizza on Sunday's, there's still just about every other cuisine represented.
For particulars on each establishment, including hours, visit this link for the RTM:
http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/merchants/category/restaurants
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How to get to Reading Terminal Market from 30th Street Station?
Yes, SEPTA's Regional Rail is the easiest and, as others have noted if you're arrived on Amtrak, it's free between 30th Street Station and Market East Station. As info, Market East is the second station once you leave 30th Street eatbound; the first will be Suburban Station, a.k.a. Penn Center.
At 30th Street, Amtrak and and SEPTA use different platforms. Amtrak's paltforms are beneath the station concourse and waiting area. SEPTA 's platforms are elevated. Upon arrival on Amtrak, once you reach the concourse go to the west end of the station and you'll see to your right, a wide corridor to your right heading up toward the SEPTA platforms. Check the monitors to determine which track has the next Eastbound train and get on it.
At Market East try to exit the platform to the west end; this will put you closer to the Reading Terminal Market. In fact, iirc, if the weather is bad you can stay completely out-of-the-weather by existing from Market East into the old Reading Terminal Headhouse (under which the station extends) and from there down a corridor to Filbert Street, which is protected from the elements by the grand hall of the convention center (what used to be the Reading Terminal's train shed). The Reading Terminal is on the other side of Filbert Street, also under the former train shed.
Favorite selection for lunch at Reading Terminal Mkt?
Difficult choice! There's no way I can pick one to exalt above all others.
I agree, Herschel's got a superior pastrami sandwich, and one in which I occasionally indulge. When I crave deli, that's my choice. The brisket is superb as well.
But how can I pass up DiNics? I usually go for the pork with aged provolone and rabe, but every once in a while I get their brisket (just as tender and delicious as Herschel's, but cooked with Italian seasonings rather than Jewish style) or the Italian pulled pork (again, not your southern pulled pork, but just as succulent).
Most folks don't think of pizza when they think of the RTM, but By George produces one of the better straight-ahead pies in town, much like your basic, everyday NY-NJ pie.
As for hoagies, I've got to disagree about Salumeria. If you get an Italian hoagie or any with one of the meat fillings that make up the Italian (I usually go for the prociutto) and add house dressing and artichoke salad, you'll have one of the finer hoagies in town. Quite different from most others because of those two fixings, but way tastier, imho. A bread with just a tad of crunch to the crust would make it even better. Carmen's makes a good classic hoagie, but I prefer Salumeria's.
And on a cold winter's day, I love the simple plates with rice, green vegetable and either roast duck or pork at Sang Kee. Nothing fancy or esoteric, just good, simple food.
I still love Bassets but miss sitting at the counter enjoying my French vanilla from a real dish, rather than a paper or plastic cup.
Bagels & etc. in Philly
On Sundays the RTM opens at 9 a.m., not 8. The bagels at Hershel's are from H&H; they come partially cooked frozen and are finished off here. I've never been as big a fan of H&H as others, but it's certainly a good bagel.
Hershel offers nova and salty lox (belly). The latter is usually served from the pre-sliced sides from Marshallls. However, if you ask, they will hand-cut from an unsliced side, which is usually less thick per slice (and better). The whitefish salad is also good.
It's certainly easier and cheaper to get to Hershels from the airport than 4th street. As noted earlier, the train from the airport goes directly to the Market East station which, for all practial purposes, is almost directly below the RTM.
Best Foods at Reading Terminal Market
All good suggestions. I prefer the Down Home Diner for breakfast to the Dutch Eating Place, though both are good. To my taste, the scrapple is better at the DHD, though my standard non-egg breakfast there is the plate with sausage, gravy, and biscuits.
Hershel's pastrami and corned beef are cured in-house, and they do a fine job. It's also one of the few establishments in town where you can get belly lox (i.e., salty, unsmoked) which is the REAL lox; all the others are smoked, including salmon. It's available both pre-sliced and hand-sliced; go for the latter.
For sweets, there's also Flying Monkey in center court. The cupcakes are excellent. I'm not a fan of Bieler's, the Pennsylvania Dutch bakery; they are representative of Amish baked goods, but much too sweet for me.
If you don't have access to decent South Asian food at home, you might want to try Nanee's Kitchen for pakoras and various Indian-Pakistani type fritters.
Although DiNic's is most known for its roast pork, all the other sandwiches are excellent, too: brisket, roast beef, veal, sausage. I've attached a photo of Tommy and one of his goodies in pre-sliced form.
To keep up to date on the Reading Terminal Market and find out what's happening there, go to its website -- http://www.readingterminalmarket.org -- or a blog I maintain about the market at http://www.bookschlepper.com/marketblog.
XYZ, Mount Desert Island (Acadia National Park)
Don't let famedlupo's comments dissuade you. He admits it's not to his palette. That doesn't mean it's not to yours. If you're expecting tacos and burritos, don't go. If you expect searing heat, don't go. But last night I had a nicely rounded and spiced short rib and pleased me immensely (in addition to being immense); it was braised to absolute succulence and aggressively, though not overpoweringly, seasoned.
