South Philly’s Southeast Asian Market named one of the best in the country by Food & Wine

The weekend Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park — just west of the South Philadelphia sports complex at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue — started informally in the 1980s as Cambodian and Lao immigrants began selling their foods and maintaining cultural connections.

For decades, it was unsanctioned and frequently shut down by the authorities. But even with no formal advertising, it attracted more vendors and shoppers. A city study found that vendors drew nearly 200,000 visitors per year, creating an economic impact of at least $5.75 million and at least 92 full-time jobs.

In 2020, after three groups stepped in, the SEA Market was legitimized. A board supports vendors with training and helps navigate licensing and tax issues.

» READ MORE: FDR Park’s Southeast Asian Market will find a permanent home in southwest corner of park, city announces

Today, Food & Wine named it one of the best food markets in the nation.

SEA Market’s honor comes as plans proceed to move it to a plot near the old tennis courts and skatepark in the southwest corner of FDR. In January, the city awarded a $100,000 grant to the Cambodian Association of Philadelphia for planning and design. The move is part of a multiyear makeover of FDR Park for environmental reasons.

Right now, the market is set up through late October near the Taney Baseball field (Picnic Area 11). In spring and early summer, it is near the Broad Street exit, at Picnic Area 17.

“Indeed, this market is more than just a place to sell food,” F&W wrote. “It transcends the boundaries of a traditional food market; it is a sanctuary of shared experiences and a testament to the resilience of the many immigrants and survivors of war that kept and continue to keep the market alive today.”

The article recommends sugarcane juice or Vietnamese coffee as a start, stuffed Cambodian chicken wings as a main course, and mango and sticky rice for dessert. “But this is a true cornucopia of irresistible treats,” it said. “You can’t go wrong trying just about everything.”

The market happens to be subject of the third installment of The Inquirer’s Taste Philly With Craig LaBan newsletter. “Nowhere else could people find our food in the city but at Spectrum Park,” one Cambodian refugee and market organizer told LaBan, using the community’s original name for the park. “This was a place of belonging, where long-lost friends found each other after the war — where food brought us together!” Sign up for the free newsletter here.