Information
Landmark: Broad Street MarketCity: Harrisburg
Country: USA Pennsylvania
Continent: North America
Broad Street Market, Harrisburg, USA Pennsylvania, North America
Overview
In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Broad Street Market has been selling fresh produce and baked bread longer than any other farmers market in the country.Since 1860, it’s been the heart of Harrisburg’s Midtown, where the smell of fresh bread mingles with lively conversations over food, culture, and community.The market weaves centuries of history into the bustle of bright stalls and fresh aromas, earning its place as one of the city’s most beloved landmarks.During the Civil War, the Broad Street Market sprang up to feed Union soldiers at Camp Curtin, offering crates of fresh bread, meat, and produce.The market’s early boom spurred the building of two main halls, the first being Stone Market House, finished in 1863, its Classical Revival style marked by a grand, perfectly balanced façade of pale stone.Brick Market House, built between 1874 and 1878 in the graceful Italianate style, brought bustling new stalls and much‑needed room to the market.Both buildings appear on the National Register of Historic Places, a mark of their rich history and striking architecture-like the weathered stonework that still catches the afternoon light.In the 1920s, Broad Street Market hit its peak, buzzing with more than 700 vendors, many of them Amish and Mennonite, a mix that earned it the nickname “Dutch Fair.” Stalls overflowed with ripe tomatoes, warm loaves of bread, cuts of meat, and handmade crafts.By the 1960s, officials had outlawed outdoor vending, and the market’s buzz faded-no more rows of stalls spilling out onto the sidewalk.In 1979, the City of Harrisburg took ownership and began major renovations, eventually leading to a 1996 revitalization that brought the market back to life as a bustling community hub, with stalls once again filled with the scent of fresh bread.Today, the Broad Street Market buzzes with more than 40 vendors, from fresh bread still warm from the oven to colorful handmade soaps, drawing in both locals and curious visitors.The market’s famous for its fresh, local produce-crisp apples, bright carrots, and other seasonal fruits and vegetables straight from nearby farms.Specialty foods and baked goods-think warm, crusty artisan bread, delicate pastries, and other gourmet treats.International cuisine comes alive in a row of food stalls, each serving dishes that carry the flavors and traditions of its culture-like the smoky spice of jerk chicken drifting through the air.Craft beverages-from the rich aroma of a neighborhood coffee roaster to the crisp bite of a small-batch brewery.Notable vendors include Evanilla Donuts, famous for their gourmet cake donuts in bold flavors like strawberry–rhubarb and silky lavender caramel.Elementary Coffee Co.serves up small-batch coffee, roasted right here in town, with every cup brewed to bring out its full, rich flavor.Ward of Health is a plant-based eatery serving creative plates like the smoky “shroomsteak” and a rich, cheesy crab mac sandwich.Zeroday Brewing Company Outpost pours a changing lineup of craft beers, from crisp pale ales to rich, malty stouts.Raising the Bar Bakery offers everything from crusty, hand-shaped loaves to buttery croissants and desserts that change with the seasons.In July 2023, a fire tore through the Brick Market House, scorching its wooden beams and leaving a deep scar on this cornerstone of the market’s history.In May 2024, workers put up a temporary tent so the team could keep things running, its canvas flapping in the breeze.Harrisburg plans to rebuild and update the market, linking the old Stone and Brick Market Houses with a brand-new, two‑story building that smells faintly of fresh-cut pine.The Brick Market House should reopen by 2026, carrying on its long-standing market tradition while adding upgrades like brighter stalls and better walkways.If you’re planning a visit, you’ll find Broad Street Market at 1233 N, right where the smell of fresh bread drifts out onto the sidewalk.Third Street in Harrisburg, where the pavement still smells faintly of summer rain.It’s open Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays it runs until 6.You’ll find plenty of parking right on-site, and its spot in Midtown means both locals and visitors can drop by with ease.Broad Street Market bustles with life, blending more than a hundred years of tradition with the energy of modern local shops and the warm scent of fresh bread.You’ll find a one‑of‑a‑kind place to shop and eat, with fresh produce from local farmers, handmade goods from artisans, and an array of flavors-all set inside buildings rich with striking architectural detail.With its deep history, tight-knit community, and fresh energy-think lively street murals and restored storefronts-it stands out as one of Harrisburg’s must‑visit spots.
