Hello and welcome to the Cornerstone Bed and Breakfast Blog! This is a place where Innkeepers Eric and Jill can share some of our insights into unique and exciting Philadelphia experiences as your local experts and guides. Philadelphia has so much to do, taste, and see that it can become overwhelming. We hope our suggestions help you find the best the city has to offer as you plan your Philly adventure.
One of our great pleasures when we travel is experiencing a city though its food and local flavors. There is no better place to start your “taste of Philly” than Reading Terminal Market, which was recently named Best Public Market in America!
The market boasts over 80 diverse merchants, two of which are descendants of original stand owners from when the market opened 125 years ago. Here at Cornerstone, we use ingredients from Reading daily in our scratch made breakfasts, such as the market’s exotic produce, artesian meats and cheeses, and Dutch Amish dairy. There are also dozens of restaurant stalls and prepared foods, making this the perfect place for lunch, even if you have picky eaters. You have your choice of BBQ ribs, soul, Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisines. Enjoy delicacies like Spanish Iberico meat sandwiches, decadent burgers, heaping hoagies, and Philly’s two most famous foods – cheese steaks and pretzels.
While Carmen’s does do the best traditional cheese steak in the market, Eric recommends heading over to Miller’s Twist for their union of what Philly does best- the cheese steak pretzel. Though not traditional, this beautiful mash up is always Eric’s choice when he is grabbing ingredients. Looking for something sweet? Between several legit Dutch and Italian bakeries you should have plenty of options, from whoopie pies, specialty chocolates, and cannolis. You should also visit one of the market originals over at Basset Ice Cream, churning up Jill’s favorite treats for 125 years. Afterwards, make sure to say hello to Philbert the Pig, the 3 foot tall, 225 pound brass pig. Philbert (named for the street adjacent to the market) is the unofficial mascot of the market and the Philly Food Trust, an organization that fights hunger in Philadelphia.
Lastly, enjoy discount parking at the parking garage at 11th and Arch Street, as well as 12th and Filbert, offering 2 hours of parking for $4 after validating your parking ticket. Spend $10 from any vendor at the market and have them validate your ticket to take advantage of the discounted price.
