Lancaster Central Market

Lancaster Central Market is the beating heart of the city and the best single stop for anyone who wants to taste the county. A market of some kind has operated on this spot since the 1700s, and it is often described as the oldest continuously operating public farmers market in the United States. The current building, a red-brick Romanesque Revival hall with turrets and a clock, dates to 1889 and sits in Penn Square, the city's central plaza. Inside, farmers, bakers, butchers, florists and craft vendors sell goods from stands, and a number of them are run by Amish and Mennonite families who travel in from the surrounding countryside.

A visit follows a rhythm. You enter through one of the arched doors into a lively, echoing hall where smells of coffee, baked bread and smoked meat hit at once. Produce stands change with the season, with asparagus and rhubarb in spring, tomatoes and sweet corn in summer, apples and squash in autumn and root vegetables and preserves in winter.

Prepared foods are the main draw for visitors: soft pretzels, whoopie pies, chow-chow, shoofly pie, fresh noodles, sticky buns, chicken pot pie, sandwiches and a growing selection of international options. Eating from stand to stand is an easy way to build a lunch.

Market days are limited, and timing matters. The market typically operates on a handful of days each week, usually Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, with Saturday as the busiest and best-stocked day, but you should confirm current hours before going. Arrive early, since many stands sell out of baked goods by midday, and bring cash for smaller vendors even though many accept cards.

The hall can be crowded on Saturday, so be ready for narrow aisles. The building is accessible, and restrooms and seating are available nearby. If you want a sit-down meal, restaurants around Penn Square offer alternatives.

Central Market is also a window into the city's history. Lancaster was a major inland town in colonial Pennsylvania, and in 1777 it served briefly as the capital of the United States when the Continental Congress fled Philadelphia, meeting for a single day before moving on. The market has been a constant through that history, and the building has been restored and maintained as a civic landmark.

Looking up at the roofline and the interior iron work is a pleasure in itself. The area around the square also holds shops, galleries and cafes, so you can turn a market stop into a morning on foot.

For visitors, the market works at several levels. It is a quick way to sample local food, a good place to buy gifts such as jam, honey, pickles and baked goods that travel well, and a chance to see ordinary exchange between farmers and city customers. It pairs naturally with a city walking tour, a food tour or a stop at Lancaster's galleries. Families enjoy the variety and the freedom to choose, and it is cheap compared with a restaurant meal. If you only have one morning in Lancaster city, spend it here.

Allow time to look up and around as well as at the food. The hall's brick arches, tall windows and iron work are handsome, and the square outside is a good place to sit with a pretzel and watch the city go by. On busy Saturdays, split your group so that one person can queue at a popular stand while others explore. Bring a reusable bag, since vendors sell far more than you plan to eat, and a small cooler is useful if you are buying cheese or meat for later in the day.