![\"Italian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Italian_Market_TT.width-704.jpg\")
Thom Carroll\/for PhillyVoice<\/p>\nPhiladelphia is bracing for a surge in tourism this summer with dozens of events directly or indirectly associated with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Translation: Expect long lines at the Liberty Bell, Rocky statue and anywhere else that could be viewed as quintessentially Philly by anyone from outside the Delaware Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To help expand out-of-towners’ appreciation of what’s authentic to the area, we’ve compiled lists of alternatives to 10 tourist hot spots in the city. (We apologize if we’re blowing up your favorite neighborhood spot.)<\/p>\n
For this collection of staff picks, we’ve recommended some food hubs that are not the highly acclaimed Reading Terminal Market. Look, the culinary mecca is worth getting lost in its grid-designed maze at least once.\u00a0Ditching it is like going to Seattle and steering clear of the Public Market.\u00a0But the famous indoor hall that’s home to over 80 vendors can be a bit overwhelming \u2014 especially during lunch on the weekends.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you’re trying to check out a comparable food hub without the masses tagging along, check out these dining destinations instead:<\/p>\n
Thom Carroll\/for PhillyVoice<\/p>\n
The Italian Market is one of the largest outdoor food hubs in the country.<\/p>\n
The Italian Market<\/a>S. 9th Street from Wharton to Fitzwater streets<\/p>\n \nAs long as you\u2019re willing to muscle through some crowds, the Italian Market is in a league of its own. It\u2019s one of the largest open-air food markets in the country and has some of the best meat, coffee and baked goods in the city \u2014 if not the region. While the opportunity to watch some truly deranged people attempt to climb a greased pole<\/a> has passed this year, there is still plenty to explore. You also can\u2019t visit Philadelphia without going to (nearby) Isgro Pastries. I don\u2019t make the rules! –\u00a0Molly McVety<\/p>\n Southeast Asian Market<\/a>1500 Pattison Ave.<\/p>\n The city’s community of Lao and Cambodian immigrants started selling food out of FDR Park in ’80s. Decades later, it’s still running most Saturdays and Sundays while the weather is warm (roughly early spring until mid-autumn). The tents have expanded over the years to include Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian cuisine, as well as some housewares. Expect authentic dishes like fried sesame balls and lumpia spring rolls \u2014 and bring cash. Many vendors accept nothing else.\u00a0– Kristin Hunt<\/p>\n Gather Food Hall opened last year at the Bulletin Building in University City.<\/p>\n Gather Food Hall<\/a>3025 Market St.\u00a0<\/p>\n Located directly across from 30th Street Station, Gather Food Hall is a relative newcomer in Philly. The food court occupies the ground floor of the former Philadelphia Bulletin newspaper. All of the vendors are local businesses. Sahbyy Food<\/a> has Southeast Asian flavors. Mucho Peru<\/a> has Peruvian cuisine. El Mictlan<\/a> has traditional Mexican food and Bowl’d Masala<\/a> offers healthy options. There’s also Assembly Pizza Co.<\/a>and Federal Donuts<\/a> for coffee, pastries and fried chicken. For a visitor, it’s a great spot to grab a bite and then head over to 30th Street Station to take in the neoclassical and Art Deco architecture. –\u00a0Michael Tanenbaum<\/p>\n![\"Gather](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/52826_Gather_Exterior.width-704.jpg\")
Michael Tanenbaum\/PhillyVoice<\/p>\n