EASTON, Pa. – The best public market in the country is right here in the Lehigh Valley.
Easton Public Market beat out Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia and Seattle’s famed Pike Place Market in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice awards.
- Easton Public Market opened in 2016
- It has 14 vendors at 325 Northampton St., just off Centre Square
- More than 375,000 guests passed through in the 12 months prior to March 2023
The Greater Easton Development Partnership (GEDP), which runs the market at 325 Northampton St., announced its victory Friday. The market opened in 2016 just off of Centre Square.
“We’re incredibly thankful for the support of our loyal fans who voted us as the best public market in the country,” Megan McBride, manager of the Easton Market District, said in a news release.
“We aim to be an asset to the community in addition to a food destination for everyone. As a result, we have an incredible amount of devotion and support from our regular local market-goers. People are passionate about the EPM and Easton as a whole – and it showed with every vote.”
Voters cast their ballots for 20 public markets in the contest. They were all nominated by a panel of experts that included USA Today editors as well as editors from 10Best.com. Voting occurred through most of June and ended July 3.
A celebration is being planned for Friday, July 28, in the space between the back of the market and the new parking garage, according to GEDP. It will coincide with the already-planned Fourth Friday/Easton Out Loud event.
Organizers were delighted to have won.
“To be only seven years old and win over bigger public markets that have been around for decades validates our decision to open EPM and attract the high-quality vendors who call it home,” McBride said in the release. “Easton’s reputation as a food destination began in 1752 with opening of the Easton Farmers’ Market and continues to this day with an amazing diversity of restaurants, big Easton food events like PA Bacon Fest, and this national award.”
Easton Public Market is an indoor market with 14 vendors. The GEDP says more than 375,000 people visited in the 12 months that ended in March 2023.
