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One of Philadelphia’s brightest culinary treasures, the Southeast Asian Market at Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) Park offers a can’t-miss foodie experience in an unlikely location.
Most spring, summer and fall weekends, 70 to 80 vendors offer Southeast Asian street food, produce and other items in one of Philly’s top public parks opposite the South Philly Sports Complex.
A local secret for decades, the Southeast Asian Market has now become nationally renowned. Case in point: Food + Wine named the attraction “one of the best food markets in the United States.”
Nestled against the vibrant backdrop of FDR Park’s greenery, the Southeast Asian Market features vendors with roots from Laos to Thailand to Vietnam.
The distinctive scent of chicken skewers and beef sticks sizzling on a Cambodian-style barbecue fills the air, as do the sounds of kids playing and families picnicking together.
— Photo by Visit Philadelphia
Throughout the market, visitors find traditional dishes and street food, including sweet-and-spicy papaya salad, savory sate, perfect-for-snacking sesame seed balls and fresh sugarcane juice, as well as produce native to Asia (but often difficult to find in local supermarkets).
Rounding out the offerings, some stalls have plants, clothing and jewelry to buy as well.
The best part: The market’s footprint is massive, so folks can come back again and again to get their fill of deliciousness.
Two tips:
Currently, the market sets up near the Broad Street exit of FDR Park from April through June. From July through October, the market relocates near the park’s Taney Baseball field.
Need a visual? A map with more information can be found here.
The market opens seasonally from spring through fall on most Saturdays and Sundays. For the most current dates and hours, please check the market’s official website and Instagram.
Want a little guidance on how to navigate the market?
Throughout the season, the Fairmount Park Conservancy offers tours with an in-the-know guide who leads patrons through the many food tents, stopping to sample the cuisine and chat with some of the vendors.
The Southeast Asian Market also offers private tours — led by bilingual Philadelphia natives — for groups of six or more, with small complimentary food samples for attendees.
Both tours are good options for those who are not super familiar with the food or those who simply want to learn more about the culinary traditions of Southeast Asia. Be prepared and wear stretchy pants. (Translation: You will not leave this tour hungry.)
The open-air market started in the 1980s as a gathering place for Laotian and Cambodian refugees and quickly became a magnet for Southeast Asian immigrants seeking community and a taste of home.
For the majority of its existence, the market operated quietly as a safe haven for vendors and community members. Thanks to critical support from the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, city and park officials, the market has seen huge growth and increased support for its role as an important “cultural landmark” and community resource.
For more information on the Southeast Asian Market at FDR Park, click the button below.
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