Southeast Asian Market
FDR Park
1500 Pattison Ave.
Philadelphia
April 4, 2026
Seemingly every food-loving Philadelphian showed up to FDR Park this Saturday to celebrate opening day of the Southeast Asian Market. The market, which is a weekend staple from spring through most of fall, is a space where Lao, Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indonesian vendors share their cultural dishes with anyone interested in enjoying them. It’s one of those perfectly Philly experiences that always shows off the deep community roots our city has, and this weekend was no different.
Frugality is important to me, but so is having a quality meal. I was one of the many hungry folks attending the market this weekend, and I was eager to see how full I could get without breaking the very, very precarious bank. Here’s everything I ate (and drank) for under $40 at the SEA market:
Chicken skewer from #B1: $3 each
I arrived at the SEA market with a grumbling stomach, which was a bad idea. When you’re that hungry and you have nearly 100 options, you could end up settling for something just because you’re standing next to it. And that’s exactly what I did. However, I wouldn’t call it settling.
Even at 10:30 a.m., this booth had a 10+ minute wait for some of their food options, including beef skewers and stuffed chicken. Because I was in the danger zone of hunger, I asked for whatever was available, and was not at all disappointed by their chicken skewer. As it was my first stop of the day and I wanted to stretch my budget, I only got one and immediately wished I had at least two more. The skewer was fresh, well seasoned, and its sweet notes really hit the spot. I was off to a great start.
Cambodian donuts from #C9: 5 for $5
Cambodian donuts, or Noum Kong, look like big, shiny onion rings. As a self-proclaimed donut-head, I needed to give these a try. I was surprised by not only their taste, but their texture, too. When I think donut, I think fluffy or cakey and ultra sweet, but that’s not the case with Noum Kong.
These donuts had a sesame flavor and a harder texture than I expected them to have. They were sticky and crunchy and delicious. On a warm day, I was grateful to not end up feeling bogged down by sugar or a too-doughy treat.
Mango passion dragon lemonade with jellies from #B5: $8
On a given day, you will see me with at least three beverages that I’m working on. Like my sistren, I am a drink girlie. I like to have options, and I really like when there’s something for me to chew on in the drink (if not, the straw will not survive its time with me). Thankfully, the SEA Market did not mess around when it came to a fruity drink. And double-thankfully, I’m not afraid to run after someone to ask where they got something.
And so, after bothering a woman trying to wrangle her kids, I ended up at stall #B5 waiting around 30 minutes for a refreshment. At this point in the day, it was getting hot. I was looking at the sweating containers of different colored teas and juices like they were a mirage. And I’m sensitive to the heat, so I was kept upright by the promise of an ice cold lemonade with added flavors and jellies.
This was my favorite find of the day, and not just because it saved my life. It had the perfect level of sweetness, a large was actually big enough to last me a while, and the woman working at the booth had a real auntie vibe to her, where she was kind, called me “sweetheart,” and got my order together in under a minute.
Japchae noodles from #A19: $8
Having only eaten warm Japchae noodles, I was surprised to find that these were cold. For me, it was a welcome surprise because I was close to overheating. I appreciated the large portion, which I was able to take home with me as leftovers. It was also nice to find one of the few vegetarian options at the market, as it only included carrots, greens, and sesame seeds.
I will say, though, that I didn’t think these were anything special. The flavor, which I initially thought was just subtle, was truthfully just lacking. The noodles could have used a sauce, and I found myself thinking that maybe they were cold because they simply weren’t as fresh as some of what the other vendors had to offer. This vendor sold out of much of their food before I got to them, but if I went back I would try their summer rolls or pumpkin cake and skip the noodles.
Sticky rice with mung bean, coconut, and pork from #C8: $8
Bánh Tét is something I’d been wanting to try for a while, but hadn’t gotten around to. Its presentation at booth #C8 was simple, but the shape of it drew me in. Still wrapped in its banana leaf and kitchen string, I thought it might open up and look like the Puerto Rican pasteles I’m used to. But when you open the leaves, you find that the fillings retain the tube-like shape and is meant to be sliced like a loaf.
After taking my first bite of the cake, I was conflicted. I knew its elements were things I liked, and I appreciated how much effort it must take to make something like this. Pasteles take ages and the preparation requires a lot of energy and love. But in the end, I had to file it under “It’s Just Not For Me.” What threw me, I think, is that I expected it to be more savory. Instead, it had a deep, low-level sweetness to it, which my taste buds just could not appreciate alongside pork. My guess is that if this had a more uniform flavor profile, I would have loved it.
Veggie dumplings from #C9: $5
By early afternoon, every line at the market was at least 25+ people deep. There were no short line options, so it turned into a game of waiting and hoping you waited for something good. And after my boyfriend stood in line for more than half an hour for these veggie dumplings while I recharged on a nearby bench, I had high hopes that these freshly steamed dumplings would make up for the time spent. Sadly, they did not.
I found these dumplings to be quite plain, which can often end up being the case when a restaurant specializes in perfecting their meat options while letting their veggie options fall to the wayside. The filling was lackluster, and they overall just tasted like water. They were much better when dipped into the sauce provided, but that says much more about the sauce than it does about the dumpling. Perhaps this can be chalked up to the booth being run by only one person on a super busy, but I’m not sure I’d give it another shot.
And so, my day at the SEA Market wasn’t perfect, but it was a huge success when it came to getting full on a budget. My grand total, between six booths, was $37. I got to enjoy a warm day eating foods from different cultures alongside some of my favorite people. After a brutal winter, days like these feel too good to be true. The return of the SEA Market is one of those long-awaited signs of spring around here, and it's one that makes Philadelphia the greatest city in the world.
