Adobo and the Allure of Pike Place Market: A Daily Tourist Attraction

ID YOU KNOW that at the back of a modest store in a world-famous market can be found a lunch counter serving authentic Filipino dishes, like adobo, and other novelties?

Despite its small 18-seat capacity, the Oriental Mart has been a mainstay of the Pike Place Market since the 1970s and has emerged as one of the hotspots in Seattle, Washington’s defining icon of business.

So how did this three-generation, family-owned business make a mark on the patrons of one of the oldest and largest continuously operating public markets in the United States? What makes the name “Pike Place Market” ring a bell in the international scene?

From a fisher’s village to a commerce and creative hub

Since its establishment over a century ago to provide a central location for a direct link between farmers and consumers, Pike Public Market has grown with more new stalls for other varieties of local products.

Craftspeople, artists, and other small businesses such as bookstores, antique shops, and coffee houses are now welcomed in the market. Truly a cradle and incubator of small enterprises, it’s the birthplace of the globally famous coffee chain, Starbucks.

Staying abreast with change, modern demands

Due to its practical and strategic importance, the place gathered a swell of farmers and fish vendors that soon called for the constructing of a permanent market building in 1912. Just as Seattle evolves, the Pike Place Market continues to undergo redevelopment and expansion to keep up with the needs of the city.

Recent expansion included a new plaza, art installation, retail and commercial establishments, revitalizing the waterfront area, and providing new opportunities for vendors and visitors alike. Its famous Public Market Center Clock & Sign also underwent a period of restoration.

Can Iloilo City have its version of Pike Market? Imagine more of the likes of Oriental Mart, introducing Batchoy, Kansi, and KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, and Langka), among a multitude of local produce and products, to the rest of the world—all within the comforts of the Ilonggos at two major public trade centers here.

Similar to the Pike Place Market, Iloilo City’s Central and Terminal markets are also regarded as tangible symbols of the past that bridged the local supply chain, bear witness to the transformation of Iloilo City as a regional hub, and its continuing journey to be one of the most livable and sustainable cities in the country.

While the markets have mightily endured time, the century-old icons call for an upgrade to ensure public safety, efficiency in operations, and resilience for the future. For this, the Iloilo City government and SM Prime have set the redevelopment of the Central and Terminal markets.

As redevelopment nears completion this year, the world can anticipate a modernized facility characterized by clean, conducive, and spacious retail areas, comfort rooms, ample parking spaces, and efficient water and drainage systems. This revitalized market is expected to become a hub of commercial and cultural convergence, serving as a venue where international visitors and resources from the uplands meet.

Moreover, the modern markets will be a premier venue to showcase a variety of local Ilonggo delicacies, becoming a key attraction for visitors and reinforcing Iloilo City’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

By preserving its cultural significance while incorporating improved facilities, the redeveloped markets shall serve as an image of ‘tradition meets modernity’ in Iloilo City.