Finally, a list in the Daily Mail that I can more or less agree with, because food. The markets (ranked by the DM; * means I’ve been there):
1. Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia, USA*
No argument. Best frigging food choices on the planet. I’d like to mention my favorites, but we’d be here all day. It’s actually worth going to Philly just to visit the place; then get the hell out. One of my buddies used to fly to Europe via PHL and used to break his trip there, just to get road food from Reading. I might do the same, if ever…
2. Borough Market, London, UK
Missed this one, somehow (makes note).
3. Adelaide Central Market, Adelaide, Australia
Strylia, ergo no chance.
4. (tie) Mercado Central, Valencia, Spain / South Melbourne Market, Melbourne, Australia
See above; but I wouldn’t mind going to Valencia.
6. Torvehallerne, Copenhagen, Denmark
I’m not a huge fan of Scandi food, generally speaking, but if I ever get there, sure (because Copenhagen).
7. Marché Bastille, Paris, France*
Been there and it’s lovely (because Paris); but I’ve been to two or three others in the city that are just as good.
8. Granville Island Public Market, Vancouver, Canada*(?)
I’ve been to a foodmarket in Vancouver, but it’s been so long that it might have been another one. Still, if this is the same one, it’s excellent.
9. Chelsea Market, New York City, USA*
Went there at least a dozen times when I lived in Joyzee. Great but overpriced (#NYfC).
10. Ferry Building Marketplace, San Francisco, USA*
Excellent with amazing choices of seafood, but parking (back when I went) was nosebleed, even for SF. Easier to take a cab.
11. Milwaukee Public Market, Milwaukee, USA*
Best foodmarket in the Central Midwest, by a country mile. Nothing Chicago does can compare.
12. La Boqueria, Barcelona, Spain
Never been to Barcelona, but if I do, I’ll definitely give this one a shot.
13. Marché Atwater, Montreal, Canada*
Disagree. Jean Talon is far better than Atwater, although it’s a fur piece outside downtown (but reachable by the metro). I want to get back there SO badly, because saucisson.
14. Pike Place Market, Seattle, USA*
Nice, but I was unimpressed with the bread offerings (not everyone likes sourdough).
15. Viktualienmarkt, Munich, Germany*
Should be much higher on the list. Best Bavarian foods ever. Just the sausage selections alone are worth the trip. I and the kids must have tried four or five different kinds of wurst, and all were wonderful. And we won’t talk about the pastries and cheeses… oh and the upstairs doughnut shop sells the best berliners in the world.
16. (tie) Or Tor Kor Market, Bangkok, Thailand / Mathallen Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Never been, unlikely to go to either.
18. Municipal Market of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
See above. Brazil has never been high on my list.
19. St. Lawrence Market, Toronto, Canada
Anything Toronto has, Montreal usually has better, and cheaper.
20. Foodhallen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands*
Another one that should be higher up the list. From breads to pannekoek to fries to (duh) cheeses, it’s tops. If I lived nearby, I’d weigh 600lbs.
That’s my 2 cents. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the kitchen.
I went to one of these markets in Cork, Ireland. It was interesting but I’m sure there are better and bigger ones out there. The one in Munich has my attention.
Wow! Living near Philadelphia, the wife and I go to Reading Terminal a couple, three times a year. I did not know it was Internationally known, surprised and pleased to see it written up in Britishland.
We take a wheeled cooler with us. Not only do you want to pick a place (or three) to eat there, the shopping is terrific. From the Amish farmers’ vegetables, to the Koreans’ fish, to the Italian butchers, it’s a great place to shop.
JC
It’s the ONLY good thing about living in Philly.
Before they tore it down to build the World Trade Center, NYC’s wholesale market used to host Del’s Seafood, and numerous other retail feeders. Beat anything at Fulton Market, five blocks away.
.
Bloody hell, you’re old.
The Late Wife, born in Brazil but raised in Milwaukee, took me there on our first date. We probably went there 50-60 times over our 34 year marriage. I’ve been to almost all on that list and many, many, more, but few compare to Milwaukee. Back in The Long Ago (middle 70’s) if you went there in uniform you didn’t pay for a morsel of food or a drink.
Today, you’d be lucky to escape intact. That city, long a bastion of Social Democrats (Communist Adjacent, if you will), is now a 24-hour crime scene.
I’ve been to Pike’s place but its been 20 years or more. Went there with first-wife. I did the fish catch thing…..but overall I thought it was kind of meh. I’ll bet its overrun with Fentanyl Zombies now.
My fear, too.
I live half an hour from Amsterdam, never been to that place.
Knowing Amsterdam it’s probably a tourist trap with sub-par food sold at heavily inflated prices.
Been to Pike’s Place market in Seattle, was a noisy, crowded, place with very poor lighting. Ideal for pickpockets.
I prefer quiet, secluded places myself.
ORD is the armpit of the flying universe. (ATL is Purgatory; eventually you exit hell…). However, there is one distinct advantage to a long layover: Giordano’s on Rosemont. I order the pizza on the plane (over the Atlantic in 2024…), catch an Uber who picks me up, waits at the restaurant for me to do a pick-up, then brings me right back to the airport with the pie.
(There were eateries in central KY i would have recommend flying in for, but all have managed to close in the last few years. I’m down to one past place Milady and I used to eat, and it’s nice but not fly for it nice.)