Italian Market (Philadelphia)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Italian Market is an area of Philadelphia featuring many grocery shops, cafes, restaurants, bakeries, cheese shops, butcher shops, etc. with an Italian influence. It is generally considered to extend along 9th Street from Fitzwater Street at the north to Wharton Street at the south.
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[edit] History
The Italian Market, frequently referred to simply as 9th Street, has its origins as a marketplace in the later 19th and early 20th centuries. The area, outside the original boundaries of William Penn's planned city, was an area for immigrants to settle in. Italian immigrants began to move into the area around 1884, when Antonio Palumbo began receiving "hundreds of Italian immigrants into his boardinghouse." Shops along 9th Street opened up shortly afterwards to cater to the new Italian community and have remained in the area to this day, with many of the present vendors tracing the founding of their business back to the first decade of the 20th century. The area continues to attract new immigrants as a number of Korean, Chinese and Mexican-run businesses have joined the traditional Italian shops in the market.
The market also plays host to an annual Italian Market Festival with music, activities and, of course, food.
[edit] Today's Italian Market
The Italian Market is considered to be an "outdoor" market. Bright colorful metal awnings cover the sidewalks where vendors of fruit, vegetables, fish, and housewares conduct business year round. Ground floor shops in traditional Philadelphia rowhouses line the street. Owners would have originally lived above their shops, and many still do.
The market is open year round, generally from 9 am to 5 pm, though it varies from business to buiness. Most businesses are closed Monday. The broad awnings shield shoppers from sun, rain and snow. In the winter vendors set up burn barrels in the street near their stands which adds warmth, and character.
As Philadelphia has gentrified so has the Italian Market. Outdoor seating at cozy cafes, upscale gift stores and top notch gourmet shops are thriving among the markets traditional produce vendors and specialty butchers and cheese mongers.
The term Italian Market is also used to describe the surrounding neighborhood that's nestled between South Street to the North and Steakland, where the cheeseteak was invented and is still sold 24 hours a day, to the south.
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[edit] Visiting the Italian Market
The Italian Market is a must see for Philadelphia visitors. The variety of shops and restaurants accommodate a range of budgets and ages. Where else will you see hanging cheeses the size of torpedoes? Or 12 different types of egg poacher?
However, the Italian Market is not a tourist trap or museum, it's a bustling urban market. Many locals shop and eat there every day and restaurants around the city rely on its vendors for their pasta, produce and specialty meats.
Visitors are advised to wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. It's a good idea to bring a tote bag for carrying purchases. Many stores also sell coolers to get your perishables home safely. For the best selection, fewest crowds and best service visit on a weekday. Wheelchairs and strollers are welcome and contribute to weekend crowds.
Though many locals may park "creatively" visitors should park in the free municipal lots or other legal spaces to avoid getting a parking ticket.
In some ways the Italian Market is like stepping back in time, it's not your local supermarket. Uncommon sights and smells are an important part of the experience. Many butchers display their wares whole and visitors extremely sensitive to smells are advised to visit during a temperate or cooler time of year.
[edit] Film
The Italian Market was featured in Rocky. Most notably, the running/training montage where a vendor tosses the boxer an apple. Legend has it the vendors were annoyed with the intrusive film crew and the apple toss which seems friendly was actually meant in another spirit.
Hack (TV series) also filmed several episodes that featured the Italian Market.
[edit] List of Vendors
- Anastasi Seafood
- Anthony's Italian Coffee House
- Armand Rey Jewelery
- Betty Ann's Flowers
- The Butcher's Cafe
- Cannuli's Meats (est. 1908)
- Carl's Farm Eggs
- Claudio Specialty Foods
- D'Angelo Bros. Products, Inc.
- Dan Khang Chinese Apothocary
- Di Bruno Bros. House of Cheese (est. 1939)
- Esposito's Meats
- Evantash Ladie's Foundations
- Fante's Gourmet & Kitchen Wares Shop (est. 1906)
- George's Sandwich Shop
- Grassia's Italian Market Spice Company
- Iannelli’s Bakery
- Isgro Pastries (est. 1904)
- Lorenzo's Pizza
- The Market Smoke Shop
- Micali Fish
- Michael Anastasio Produce
- Orlando's Meats
- Queen Cut-Rate
- Ralph's Restaurant
- Renzulli's Water Ice
- Spice Corner
- Superior Pasta Co. (est. 1948)
- Talluto's Pasta & Cheese
- Triple Play Sporting Goods
- Villa di Roma Restaurant
[edit] External links
- Official website of the Italian Market
- Italian Market Festival
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Satellite image from Google Maps or Microsoft Virtual Earth
| Neighborhoods of the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
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Bella Vista - Girard Estate - Greenwich - Grays Ferry - Hawthorne - Italian Market - Marconi Plaza - Moyamensing - Packer Park - Passyunk Homes - Pennsport - Point Breeze - Queen Village - Schuykill - Southwark - Southwest Center City - Tasker - Wharton - Whitman - Wilson Park - West Passyunk |
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Center City - North Philadelphia - Northwest Philadelphia - The Northeast - South Philadelphia - Southwest Philadelphia - West Philadelphia |
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