I made my first ever trip to Philadelphia last year for a conference, and while I did not expect to see much aside from talks on ethical AI training, Reading Terminal Market quickly became my favorite spot in the city. It was the perfect escape from stress to find the yummiest food I had ever had. The first time I walked through was while I waited for our shuttle back to the hotel, just glancing at all that the market had to offer. I ended up buying a caramel pecan banana pudding from a place called Sweet Nina’s.
While the energy of the vendors called me back to explore again, this banana pudding sealed the deal. The minute I stepped into my hotel room I threw my things onto the ground and cracked it open. Smelling the bananas and the caramel in harmony was unforgettable. Once I took a bite, I had no idea how to go back to my mom’s banana pudding recipe again. The caramel wasn’t overly sweet and the crunch of the nuts complimented the silkiness of the pudding and fluffiness of the whipped cream beautifully. I stayed sitting on the edge of the bed in my business casual while I finished it, totally ignoring the fact that my group had a dinner planned in the next hour.
By the next morning before we went to our first sessions, a few other girls and I had decided to stop back into Reading Terminal Market to get a vibe of where we could get a breakfast sandwich or a coffee. I decided to get a delicious sausage, egg and cheese croissant and a pineapple coconut smoothie. Once again, genuinely transcendent. Words cannot describe the way that these local vendors had created a heaven for foodies.
My friends and I went back again and again, spending any downtime at the conference plotting which booth we would hit for our next meal. Even when we weren’t looking to grab a bite, we still found ourselves here shopping for goodies to take home with us. I found myself buying tons of candy and seasoned nuts to give to my family members.
At the end of our trip, we had a free day, half of which I am sure every person spent in Reading Terminal Market. After a week of passing by a spot called Miller’s Twist, I knew it was time to try a pretzel. I had somehow gone the whole week without a philly cheesesteak, so I knew that their cheesesteak pretzel was the perfect pick. It was warm, cheesy, and buttery as it took the lead as the best item I had eaten the whole week. As I boarded the shuttle back to the hotel for the final time, hands full of souvenirs and snacks, I realized that although I had come for the conference, I knew I would be returning to go back to the market.
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