The Original Turkey

I thought this place was absolutely fantastic.
The staff was very friendly and willing to offer suggestions of what their favorite things on the menu are. (It always bothers me when restaurant workers don’t have a quick suggestion or a favorite.) Anyway, very nice, very helpful, very generous with the food!
And on that note of generosity with the food. Portions! I only got the sandwich, and damn was I full after eating it! I’m bummed I didn’t get a side, but I’m also glad I didn’t because I wouldn’t have been able to eat it!
I went with the stuffin’ cranberry, and I couldn’t be happier with the choice. The bread was soft, the turkey was as moist as can be, and the cranberry just sent the sandwich over the top. It was like Thanksgiving leftovers… only with Turkey much better than I make for Thanksgiving.

Delicious hand cut turkey sandwiches. One of my favorites is the turkey dinner sandwich. Reminds me of thanksgiving left overs. Absolutely delicious and a must try.

Great food, good customer service. One of the best places to go in the market if your a turkey lover like me.

I ordered the 2 side platter (mashed potatoes and corn as my sides) and it as delicious. Turkey was perfectly cooked and moist. Service was fast and done with a smile. Will definitely visit again when in reading terminal market.

I stopped by the Original Turkey for a late lunch around 3:30pm on Wed. I’d been looking forward to trying this booth’s offerings during my last trip to Philly; however, I ended up visiting RTM for breakfast rather than at my usual time. This time, given that I visited at my usual time, I knew I couldn’t pass up the siren song of freshly roasted turkey, so I stopped by to get my fill.
Given my love of Thanksgiving foods and turkey sandwiches, I opted for the turkey and stuffing sandwich ($ 9.35). This sandwich consists of roast turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce on your choice of bread (I chose sourdough white per the suggestion of the guy who served me). Per my custom, I must qualify this review with the disclaimer that I’m from DE, where Capriotti’s bobbie – a sub with a similar composition – reigns supreme, giving me high standards for sandwiches in general, and Thanksgiving-​esque turkey sandwiches in particular. In light of this disclaimer, it may come as a surprise that I would rate the sandwich I received from the Original Turkey above the bobbie in terms of quality (sacrilege, I know!).
The turkey on the sandwich is impressively moist despite a lack of gravy, and I found the thick slices preferable to the shredded turkey that is used on the bobbie. Both the cranberry sauce and the stuffing were fresher and more flavorful than the versions used on the bobbie, as well. Finally, the sourdough white bread was airy yet substantial, making for a great envelope for the principal ingredients of the sandwich. My only criticisms were that the turkey and stuffing were concentrated in the middle of the sandwich, and that one of the slices of bread used for my sandwich contained a substantial hole from an air bubble, allowing cranberry sauce to escape the sandwich onto my fingers.
Needless to say, I was impressed by the Original Turkey’s offerings, based on my sandwich. Service was friendly and efficient, and prices, while a bit high, weren’t unreasonable given the quality of the product. There is a Unilocal check-​in offer for a free drink with a sandwich order that I was unable to take advantage of due to poor check-​in timing, so take note and check in in a timely manner to take advantage of it. Although it is perhaps one of the less well-​known merchants in RTM, the Original Turkey is well worth a try, so if you’re a fan of turkey, be sure to check it out! 4.5 stars.

Got the turkey platter. Really loved the turkey, was very tender and tasted great. The gravy and the cranberry sauce was fairly good as well.
Giving 5 stars, just for the turkey :)

Great sandwich, great guys. The market is fun, with lots of choices, but the Orig Turkey snagged us and we were happy!

Reading terminal is always an awesome experience. The terminal gives off the feel that you’ve traveled back in time and been dropped right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of a local city market. The Original Turkey is located around the center of the market and conviently right next to the tables you dine on. It was my first time at this particular vendor. The glass display looked amazing and the Unilocal reviews seemed to back up the display, so I gave the special turkey sandwich a try. The sandwich looked great but the first bite was a disappointment. Ingredients were very fresh, sauce was delicious, however the turkey was served lukewarm. It was a sad moment because I could almost taste the what the sandwich it could have been. But the sandwich failed on me. It might be worthy to note, that I did try this on Pope Sunday. I am really hoping that the regular guys couldn’t make it into work. I may give it another try but with so many great merchants in Reading Terminal, I wonder if I’ll take that risk.

Good sandwich, but probably wouldn’t eat there twice. Definitely over priced. I had a sandwich, and two small sides and paid $ 17.50. Perhaps I didn’t order the right thing. Upside: The Mac and cheese was delicious. Friendly staff. Quick service.

This place reminds me of a Boston Market if they actually cared about the quality of their food.
The turkey is moist and flavorful. The stuffing did not seem to be homemade but it was still yummy. Corn, veggies, etc… all great! Gravy was a nice touch and not too salty or starchy.
One small word to the wise: do not eat the dinner sandwich for lunch break and then attempt to go back to work!!! It was far too big and made me pass out at my desk. Maybe this is why they called it a «dinner» sandwich. I think it was meant to be shared between two people.
I will be back here often!

Totalmente delicioso. Compré pavo con puré de papas y macarrones con queso. Todo estaba delicioso. Especialmente el cranberry sauce. Nunca lo había probado. Ojalá hubiera descubierto este lugar antes.

When you have the name of a food in your restaurant’s name, you better be ridiculously awesome at making that food. The turkey here deserves top billing, no question about it. It is absolutely perfect. I know it sounds stupidly grandiose, but this is the best turkey I’ve ever had.
I got the Stuffin’ Cranberry, but I added the g because talkin’ like that just ain’t me. The sandwich was big enough to make 2 meals out of, and it was less than $ 9. The roll/​loaf of bread it came on was almost as good as the turkey, too. It was fresh and soft, really excellent. The sandwich had a generous amount of everything on it, including a bunch of thick slices of hot turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. But it wasn’t so overstuffed that it got all over the place. I know I can’t eat a loaf of bread with like 8 pounds of Thanksgiving on it every day, but TOT makes me really want to.

First of all, the portions are huge.
Second, the people at the booth are super nice.
Third, the turkey is TO DIE FOR. It’s basically what you wish your Thanksgiving turkey tasted like all around. The roasted turkey was very tender and not tough at all.
Why the three stars then? I wasn’t super impressed by the sides. The stuffing was pretty dry. The mac & cheese… was possibly worse than Kraft. It was just so dry and flavorless. I know, I know, it’s been sitting under a heat lamp for hours but still. So, so bland. If you’re here, just go for the greens instead as a side.
DO get the cranberry sauce and gravy — so good with the turkey!

Turkey cranberry is a great low fat option — tons of protein and flavor from the cranberry sauce. I also like the sour kick from their fresh artisan rye bread. 8.25 $ is a bit pricey, but the quality is worth it. And if you check in on Unilocal you get a free drink sooo you can think of it as getting a great sandwich for like 7 $~~ I think most would be content with a lunch this good for under 10 $

Always love the «Thanksgiving» sandwich here. Once brought a friend who hates turkey, and SHE loved it!

Let me begin by saying that turkey is one of my least favorite meats. Sure, I’ll eat it at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but otherwise I tend to avoid it. Almost always it is either too dry (in the case of roasted turkey) or too salty (in the case of cold cuts) for my taste.
That being said, during a recent trip to Reading Terminal Market, I happened to catch a glimpse of what looked like the freshest, juiciest turkeys I had ever seen. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, I ordered a turkey Reuben with a side of mashed potatoes. Note that their «Reuben» is more of a Rachel in that it substitutes coleslaw for the sauerkraut. Coleslaw being one of my least favorite foods, I decided to substitute tomatoes instead.
All things considered, this was one of the best meals I have had in a while. Ingredients tasted very fresh, everything had great flavor, and the turkey was thick cut and so moist. I also thought they provided a good amount of food for the money ($ 8 for a good-​sized sandwich, mashed potatoes, gravy, and pickles). My girlfriend ordered the Stuffin’ Cranberry (turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing) and likewise enjoyed it.
I will be sure to return the next time I visit Philly. If all turkey was this good, I’d celebrate Thanksgiving everyday!

I’ve come here twice now and bought the original turkey sandwich with onions both times. While the turkey is very juicy and the bread is very good, it’s a little too pricey. The sandwich is $ 8.25!!!
I only come here when I feel like treating myself. If you’re in the Reading Terminal area, I would recommend giving it a try but just know it’s pricey.

Best turkey club bacon sandwich I had ever eaten! The turkey was juicy, fresh, tender and most of all moist. The bacon complimented very well with the turkey. I wish I could’ve had a second stomach to consume another one on rye. It came with chips and a drink for under 8 bucks!!! I will be back again!

Another gem in the Reading Terminal Market.
Before I begin I have to say the hustle and bustle of the market always made me uneasy prior to visiting for the first time. Now I can’t get enough. There is just so much going on. I often thought everyone there must be a true local. This is not the case; it is loaded with tourists who came a lot further than me to grab a guilty pleasure of a meal.
So on my last visit I ordered the Spring Garden sandwich, and my friend ordered the Turkey Reuben. We ended up trading each other half of our sandwiches because we argued with each other which one was better. This place rocks. I was so impressed with the food. It was the best turkey sandwich ever. I think the Turkey Reuben actually was better, but don’t tell my friend, I hate it when they know they are right.
If you are in town for a convention, or if you have regular business in the city, put this landmark of an eatery on your list to try along with my other pics. I really do think that there are more good eateries per square foot in the Reading Terminal Market than anywhere else in the city.

Best turkey sandwiches in the city! They have delicious turkey sandwich and wrap specialties and you can create your own if you wish. They also have turkey platters and different sides to pick from. I usually order the specialties they have for the day and they have never let me down. The meat is very fresh and tasty and once you have a turkey sandwich here you can’t enjoy it anywhere else! They get really busy at lunch time but the line goes pretty quickly.
Tip: check in on Unilocal they have an offer for a free drink with a sandwich!

I am a terrible foodie. With all the amazing places to try in Reading Market, I went back to The Original Turkey today for lunch for the second day in a row. And I ordered the same exact thing.
Look — there’s nothing special about this. If you get the 2-​side platter, it’s a typical Thanksgiving meal. I got turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and it came with gravy and cranberry sauce. The meal TOTALLY transports you to Thanksgiving. I think the reason why I like it so much is because this meal is a once a year thing. It’s special. And The Original Turkey has made it accessible for every day eating.
No fifth star because just like most Turkey-​day meals, nothing they served me was anything beyond ordinary. Sure, the meal provides an experience– nostalgia — and that’s why they get the 4^th star. But my sides… just plain. But I still liked it. The star on the plate was… DUH, the Turkey! Yum!
If I lived here, I would eat at the Original Turkey every day until I got tired of it. Luckily they have a couple of great menu items (turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sandwich? Yeah!) that I’d love to try.
It’s worth a visit!