The Reuben at Hershel's East Side Deli
Philadelphia Reuben Tour #2
In this entry, I’ll introduce two categories to the Reuben Blog. Two? I’ll explain…
I have a goal of trying every Reuben sandwich in Philadelphia. To accomplish this and track my exploits, I’m starting what I’ll call the Philadelphia Reuben Tour. Within that category, I’ll add related subgroups when necessary. This marks the start of the Reading Terminal Market Reuben sub-sub-series. Well, technically, Munchie’s Cafe was #1 and I originally only made a TikTok about that one, so I made a quick post for it.
Within 24 hours, you get two! Here’s Philadelphia Reuben Tour #2: Hershel’s East Side Deli.
The Reading Terminal Market sits in Center City Philadelphia, sandwiched between City Hall, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and Jefferson Station. I’ll jump into the market’s history in a future entry, but know that Jefferson (formerly Market East Station) is an important part of its past.
I came from the PATCO Speedline at 8th and Market Stations. Though I sometimes walk underground through the Gallery Mall/Fashion District to access the market (and peek at Jefferson Station), I heard blasting speakers and loud crowds as I neared the steps to the street level. Once before, I had inadvertently traveled to the city without realizing there was a parade, and I wondered if that may be the case. A trip above ground confirmed the suspicion.
I made this lunch trip on a Sunday (March 10th, to be exact, a week before St. Patrick’s Day) to witness a sea of green, kilts, and Irish music. I have no clue of the planning process and I’m certain there was a strong logistical reason to have the parade a week before the actual holiday, though I must admit that it feels a bit of a missed opportunity to hold a St. Patrick’s Day Parade on the Sunday exactly 1 week prior to the actual day. Nevertheless, the parade was entertaining for this writer, and the attendees appeared to enjoy themselves (in particular, the swaths of college-aged people clad entirely in green and likely several beers deep).
Reading Terminal Market hosts a plethora of food options from nearly every culture. The market has everything from Cajun to cheesesteaks, Caribbean to Kosher, or tapas to Thai; from breakfast to beverages, or deli to dessert. There's something for everyone, from the meaty to the meatless, and from candy to collectibles.
On this day, I wanted a Reuben. Where better to start off this list than Hershel’s East Side Deli?
Except, I didn’t feel like waiting in line at first. I’ll get into that later. I had delayed snacking in preparation for this visit and was a bit hungry. I proceeded to the nearby Molly Malloy’s, an Irish pub within the market (how fitting for the day?), where I was able to get a single seat right away at the bar.
Molly Malloy’s had a vast selection of local and other craft beers. I was excited to see Conor MacGregor’s Forged Irish Stout on the menu. As I mentioned in the last entry, the flavor is comparable to a Guinness, and I think this visit confirmed my preference for Forged. Though it’s slight, the Forged Irish Stout has a simple smoothness which puts it a hair above Guinness by comparison for me.
Molly’s also had some amazing Crispy Brussels Sprouts as an appetizer, which I promptly devoured. The one thing they didn’t have, though? A Reuben. I contemplated ordering the cheesesteak, which sounded amazing, but I had a strong desire for a Reuben that day, and decided I was up for a short wait to get one from Hershel’s.
Hershel’s East Side Deli was opened in 2000 by Stephen Safern as a tribute to his uncle Hershel, who spent over 40 years as a chef at the legendary Katz’s Deli in New York City. in addition to being a regular deli, the menu features breakfast, authentic sandwiches, and soup. One can pick their meat and bread, and choose to upgrade to a Reuben (among a Rachel and other options), of course adding Russian dressing, sauerkraut, and cheese before being toasted on a panini press
Since pastrami was an option, I naturally ordered it for my Reuben instead of corned beef. Perhaps the greatest feature of Hershel’s (and many market vendors) is the inherently intimate nature of the preparation. Through a plexiglass barrier, one can gaze at mounds of slow-cooked meat bathing in the bright lights of their respective heat lamps. With each order, an employee expertly shaves off the right amount of meat as the juices ooze from the slab. Everything is made to order in a coordinated tango of chefs squeezing through a small galley aisle not larger than 2 or 3 feet wide, moving back and forth to prep and package each part to fill an order. Like a well-oiled machine, they skillfully craft items with a certain finesse. While the customer gets an excellent meal, they are also treated to a front-row seat to the controlled chaos of an efficient kitchen.
In a word, the Reading Terminal Market is….busy. During most of its opening hours, expect to get nowhere fast as you navigate its grid layout. The market’s popularity hardly wanes even at the end of a normal lunch period, so be prepared for large crowds at less-ordinary times. All of this is to say to give yourself time. There’s a reason the place is so busy: everywhere has great food. While some spots can accomplish a quicker service, the long lines indicate the most popular establishments and the made-to-order nature of most vendors.
I made it through the line at Hershel’s in decent time. Even when you may see a line extended towards its counter-seating side, the energetic culinary staff can effectively serve many customers with ease. The greater conundrum, of course, is where to sit once you’ve received your order. Hershel’s has a small seating counter, a luxury not possible at many other market vendors. The market has a few open seating areas near the core, though, at most times, you’re likely better off finding tickets to a Taylor Swift concert.
On this day, I was fortunate that the adjacent business was closed (being a Sunday, several vendors were closed for the day). Since they did not fully close off their counter as others may, many patrons took the opportunity to utilize the space for a table (myself included).
Without further delay, I dug into the Reuben. This one certainly sits near the top of the list. Hershel’s uses a panini press to quickly grill their sandwiches, and it toasts the marbled rye to a sweet, crunchy perfection. The thick layer of meat blends with the melted cheese, tangy sauerkraut, and Russian dressing to deliver a tasty mix of flavor with each bite. I devoured this sandwich (and recommended it to a curious passing patron, who I saw in the line a few moments later awaiting his creation). To get the full experience, I washed it down with Dr. Brown’s Celery soda. Despite my hesitation to drink a naturally flavored celery beverage, I was pleasantly surprised. The lightness of celery nicely complemented the deluge of flavors from an authentic Reuben, and I recommend this drink if you visit the deli.
Overall, Hershel’s is a must-visit when in Philadelphia. If you have the appetite, they also serve chicken noodle and matzo ball soups, plus a daily rotating option (which I would have considered had I not already filled up on Brussels sprouts earlier.
There are countless options at Reading Terminal Market, and it would take dozens of visits to try every great item from each vendor. If you’re visiting from out of the area or just local and want a hearty lunch, you won’t regret making your way to the market. It’s easy to get to from the SEPTA Regional Rail at Jefferson Station, the Market-Frankford Line (L, under the new SEPTA Metro branding), Broad Street Line (B), and the Subway-Surface Trolleys (the T, any route). It’s also not far from the PATCO, and the walk can be made underground or above ground from its connection with the SEPTA 8th Street Station (where it transfers with the L and Broad-Ridge Spur of the B Line). Any number of SEPTA bus routes, NJ Transit buses, and the PHLASH bus through Center City have stops within blocks of the market.