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Mike Prince

The Philly Markets That Will Help You Shop Local This Holiday Season

Need produce? Turkeys? Butter and cream for baking? These local grocery stores are here to help

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It’s no longer news that prices for everything from dairy to flour to meat have gone up significantly this year, and are continuing to do so as we slide into the madness of the holiday season. With ingredients at a premium right now, some essentials are becoming increasingly harder to find at big-box grocery stores. So turning to smaller grocery markets that work with local farmers and producers — by extension, cutting out some of the middle man — is one way to make sure those Thanksgiving dinner plans go off without a hitch.

Vincent Finazzo, owner of Riverwards Produce in Fishtown and Old City in Philly, which stands on traditional Indigenous territory known as Lenapehoking, says that the key to pulling off the Thanksgiving dinner this year is communication with your local grocery purveyors about what it is you need. “Find out who is near you [and] start those conversations now,” he says, emphasizing that a lot of smaller stores will help you find what you need if they don’t already have it in stock. Timing is key: the sooner you start planning for Thanksgiving and holiday dinners, the better.

With costs already so high, it might seem additionally prohibitive to go to independent grocery stores, where organic and locally source products can be — but aren’t always — more expensive. For Finazzo, the most important thing is to try to make at least one thing you’re serving for Thanksgiving dinner locally sourced. If that local turkey is too expensive, try sourcing local sweet potatoes. “It doesn’t have to be everything on the table,” Finazzo says. But when you shop at local purveyors who are sourcing ingredients from farmers and producers in the area, you know where your money is going. “You can have some confidence in your splurge — that the money is going into the pockets of the grocery workers and the farmers.”

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Weavers Way Co-op (multiple locations)

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With three locations — in Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill, and Ambler — Weavers Way Co-op is a grocery store that prides itself on supplying its neighbors with staples from local producers. Items that are sourced locally are clearly marked with “I’m local!” stickers and some of the produce is even grown on the Weavers Way farm nearby.

Bee's Tiny Market

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Tiny but mighty! At Bee’s Tiny Market in the Northeast, there’s a little something for every need — from pantry items to baked goods — but when it comes to holiday cooking, Bee’s produce boxes, sourced from local farmers, will serve you well.

Riverwards Produce Market (multiple locations)

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With a location in Old City and Fishtown, Riverwards is the grocery store for Philadelphians seeking local produce, dairy, meat, and pantry staples of all kinds. Do they not have what you’re looking for? Riverwards’ staff is extremely helpful. Want to serve local turkey for Thanksgiving dinner? Riverwards is selling locally raised turkeys from Kyle Smith of Smith Poultry and Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative. You can preorder either (or both!) on Riverwards’ website — but make sure to get on it fast. They can sell out.

Castellino's Italian Market

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Though Castellino’s may be best known for its hoagies (and for good reason: they’re amazing), the Fishtown market also has a small grocery section with lots of Italian goodies, including some local products to boot. Making a big pie for a holiday party? Pick up pints of Float Dreamery vegan ice cream at Castellino’s on Saturdays.

Reading Terminal Market

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Reading Terminal Market is the not just the place you take your out-of-town friends for a lunchtime sensory overload — it’s also still a great destination for local products, from meat and poultry to produce, honey, and dairy. Take home a couple pints of local favorite Bassett’s ice cream or Beiler’s doughnuts for Thanksgiving dessert.

Honeysuckle Provisions

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The newly opened grocery store and takeout spot from chefs Cybille St.Aude-Tate and Omar Tate is worth frequenting for many reasons, not least because the mission of the shop is to highlight Black farmers and producers in everything Honeysuckle makes. Need pie for Thanksgiving? Honeysuckle is selling Princess Pamela’s Molasses Pie and a sweet potato pie — order by emailing orders@honeysuckleprovisions.com.

A hand slices sausages on a butcher board. Naomieh Jovin

Mariposa Food Co-op

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West Philly locals can shop at Mariposa Food Co-op for local produce, meat, dairy, and more, with discounts going to shoppers who choose to become member-owners. This year for Thanksgiving, Mariposa is sourcing its turkeys from Howe All Natural Turkey Farm in Downingtown — preorders can be made online now.

Biederman’s

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When you have visitors in town for the holidays, it’s easy to forget that you have to feed them for more than just that one big meal. Luckily, Biederman’s is the go-to option for local bagels, baked goods, cheeses, and more — all of which you can pick up alongside an array of fish salads that are made in-house.

Italian Market 9th Street

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Whether you grew up with a grandparent who took you to the Italian Market on Sundays, or you know it as the home to the best tacos in the city, the strip on 9th Street is still one of the best places in the city to find local produce, meats, dairy, seafood, and groceries of all kinds. Stop in any shop to find what you’re looking for, and don’t forget the DiBruno’s 9th Street Bottle Shop for all your wine needs.

Rowhouse Grocery

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A tiny grocery store on 17th and McKean, Rowhouse Grocery sells local produce and prepared foods to Philadelphians. Come for the bagel brunches and tamales, but stay to pick up some veg for your special holiday dinner party.

South Philly Food Co-op

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A pillar of the South Philly community, the South Philly Food Co-op is dedicated to selling local brands and products in its store, so much so that it has an entire e-zine on its website that shows off the shop’s local lineup.

Weavers Way Co-op (multiple locations)

With three locations — in Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill, and Ambler — Weavers Way Co-op is a grocery store that prides itself on supplying its neighbors with staples from local producers. Items that are sourced locally are clearly marked with “I’m local!” stickers and some of the produce is even grown on the Weavers Way farm nearby.

Bee's Tiny Market

Tiny but mighty! At Bee’s Tiny Market in the Northeast, there’s a little something for every need — from pantry items to baked goods — but when it comes to holiday cooking, Bee’s produce boxes, sourced from local farmers, will serve you well.

Riverwards Produce Market (multiple locations)

With a location in Old City and Fishtown, Riverwards is the grocery store for Philadelphians seeking local produce, dairy, meat, and pantry staples of all kinds. Do they not have what you’re looking for? Riverwards’ staff is extremely helpful. Want to serve local turkey for Thanksgiving dinner? Riverwards is selling locally raised turkeys from Kyle Smith of Smith Poultry and Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative. You can preorder either (or both!) on Riverwards’ website — but make sure to get on it fast. They can sell out.

Castellino's Italian Market

Though Castellino’s may be best known for its hoagies (and for good reason: they’re amazing), the Fishtown market also has a small grocery section with lots of Italian goodies, including some local products to boot. Making a big pie for a holiday party? Pick up pints of Float Dreamery vegan ice cream at Castellino’s on Saturdays.

Reading Terminal Market

Reading Terminal Market is the not just the place you take your out-of-town friends for a lunchtime sensory overload — it’s also still a great destination for local products, from meat and poultry to produce, honey, and dairy. Take home a couple pints of local favorite Bassett’s ice cream or Beiler’s doughnuts for Thanksgiving dessert.

Honeysuckle Provisions

The newly opened grocery store and takeout spot from chefs Cybille St.Aude-Tate and Omar Tate is worth frequenting for many reasons, not least because the mission of the shop is to highlight Black farmers and producers in everything Honeysuckle makes. Need pie for Thanksgiving? Honeysuckle is selling Princess Pamela’s Molasses Pie and a sweet potato pie — order by emailing orders@honeysuckleprovisions.com.

A hand slices sausages on a butcher board. Naomieh Jovin

Mariposa Food Co-op

West Philly locals can shop at Mariposa Food Co-op for local produce, meat, dairy, and more, with discounts going to shoppers who choose to become member-owners. This year for Thanksgiving, Mariposa is sourcing its turkeys from Howe All Natural Turkey Farm in Downingtown — preorders can be made online now.

Biederman’s

When you have visitors in town for the holidays, it’s easy to forget that you have to feed them for more than just that one big meal. Luckily, Biederman’s is the go-to option for local bagels, baked goods, cheeses, and more — all of which you can pick up alongside an array of fish salads that are made in-house.

Italian Market 9th Street

Whether you grew up with a grandparent who took you to the Italian Market on Sundays, or you know it as the home to the best tacos in the city, the strip on 9th Street is still one of the best places in the city to find local produce, meats, dairy, seafood, and groceries of all kinds. Stop in any shop to find what you’re looking for, and don’t forget the DiBruno’s 9th Street Bottle Shop for all your wine needs.

Rowhouse Grocery

A tiny grocery store on 17th and McKean, Rowhouse Grocery sells local produce and prepared foods to Philadelphians. Come for the bagel brunches and tamales, but stay to pick up some veg for your special holiday dinner party.

South Philly Food Co-op

A pillar of the South Philly community, the South Philly Food Co-op is dedicated to selling local brands and products in its store, so much so that it has an entire e-zine on its website that shows off the shop’s local lineup.

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