Philadelphia is the definition of a delicious destination.
Home to the Liberty Bell and the place where the country’s Founding Fathers signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Philadelphia has long been a beloved destination for group travelers. But alongside its proud political history, the Pennsylvania city has become recognized for its thriving, diverse food scene, said Annie Jirapatnakul, global tourism sales and services manager for the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“We have a lot of immigrant communities, which bring new cuisines into the city,” she said, “And there are a lot of BYOB and vegan options, and restaurants of all different price points. So, there are plenty of opportunities for groups to enjoy and experience all that we have to offer, food-wise.”
That includes not only legendary spots like Geno’s Steaks and Pat’s King of Steaks, two cheesesteak rivals conveniently located across the street from each other in South Philly, but also the following four culinary attractions. From staples like the Reading Terminal Market to Yards Brewing Co., part of the city’s booming craft beer renaissance, they give group travelers a chance to fill their bellies while exploring the historic wonders of the nation’s first UNESCO World Heritage City.
Reading Terminal Market
Reading Terminal Market — which Jirapatnakul noted is “consistently ranked as one of the best public markets in America year after year” — is one of the country’s oldest and largest gastronomic bazaars. Opened in 1893, it is home to more than 80 merchants offering not just foodstuffs, but also handmade Pennsylvania crafts, clothing, jewelry, books and more.
And then there are the comestibles. Crowd-pleasing local and regional fare at the Market includes soft, butter-dipped Philadelphia-style pretzels and hearty Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine, like chicken pot pie and molasses-sweetened shoofly pie. There’s plenty of global cuisine, too, from places such as Georgia, the Philippines, India and the Middle East.
The most popular tourist destination in Philly after Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, Reading Terminal Market serves 100,000 people every week. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., so Jirapatnakul recommends it to groups for breakfast or lunch.
“If you don’t want your groups to deal with cash, they also offer gift cards,” she said. “You can order them in advance, and they’ll ship them to you, or groups can pick them up in the office.”
City Food Tours
While City Food Tours is the official guide for Reading Terminal Market, travel planners may want to take advantage of one of the company’s other themed experiences. They include Flavors of Philly, focusing on local treats like tomato pie, a savory, pizza-adjacent dish served room temperature in Italian mom-and-pop bakeries; East Passyunk, which explores the celebrated foodie neighborhood in South Philly; and the Historic Old City Dine-Around, combining Philly heritage with a four-course dine-around.
City Food Tours also hosts a Local Favorites’ walk from the Market to Rittenhouse Square, featuring a stop at the gourmet superstore Di Bruno Bros. Like all the company’s offerings, the walking tour can be customized to fit each group’s interests. Or leaders can opt for the Uncovering Chinatown tour, which comes highly recommended by Jirapatnakul. Led by a Chinese native, it features samplings of everything from Peking duck to dumplings and bubble tea.
“Philadelphia has one of the largest Chinatowns in America, and this neighborhood is a really important part of the city’s history and identity,” Jirapatnakul said. “We are a sister city with Tianjin, China, and they actually gifted us the beautiful Friendship Gate that serves as the entrance to Chinatown.”
La Cucina at the Market
For group travelers who want to get hands-on during their Philly gastronomic getaway, La Cucina at the Market can provide a wide range of engaging culinary activities tailored to group needs. Originally located in Reading Terminal Market, La Cucina moved a half-block down the street in 2016. Owner Anna Maria Florio, who has taught Italian cooking and language classes at Temple University Center City, is a native of the city and the daughter of Italian-born parents.
“La Cucina is a premier demonstration kitchen offering interactive cooking classes and private culinary events,” Jirapatnakul said. “We just used La Cucina in early February when we were hosting some pre-FAM tours. We had them do a pasta-making class for 20 people, and they walked them through all of the steps of making the pasta and the sauce.”
La Cucina, which can mean both “the kitchen” and “the cuisine” in Italian, leans into its founder’s proud heritage, specializing in instruction around the culinary delights of places like Rome, Tuscany and Sicily. It can accommodate 50 for a seated, private lunch or dinner, or 60 for hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.
Yards Brewing Co.
With more than 100 breweries in Greater Philadelphia, there’s no doubt that the area is a prime mover and shaker in the country’s celebrated craft beer revolution. Named one of the best American cities for beer by publications including USA Today and GQ, Philadelphia was founded by suds-lover William Penn, who had his own brewhouse and encouraged the growth of the beer industry.
By the mid-19th century, there were nearly as many breweries in the city as there are now. Prohibition killed the industry completely, but with the founding of the trailblazing Yards Brewing Co. in 1994, beer was back big-time in the City of Brotherly Love. Today, Yards pays tribute to Philly’s roots with the beloved “Ales of Revolution” line, made with the re-created recipes of historical heroes like Benjamin Franklin.
According to Jirapatnakul, groups can tour the Yards facility with an expert guide who walks visitors through the process of creating the brewery’s local beers.
“As part of the tour, they give you samples and a can of one of their current beers,” she said. “Leaders can also make this a full stop for groups by adding on food or beer flights. They’re located in the Northern Liberties neighborhood, so they even have parking for buses.”
