Great food choices at Reading Terminal Market

If you're visiting the Philadelphia Flower Show, plan to do a lot of walking.

The Convention Center also happens to be across the street from one of America's best fast-food destinations, Reading Terminal Market, and is at the doorstep of Chinatown. (Here's Inquirer critic Craig LaBan's guide to Chinatown.)

All that walking? There are plenty of ways to pack in the calories to offset that exercise.

Here, in no particular order, are my favorites at Reading Terminal. Check the map, create a rough plan, and be prepared to deviate from this plan when something else catches your fancy.

Pastrami on rye from Hershel's East Side Deli: Warm, carved-to-order, glorious pastrami on fresh rye. Go ahead. Make it a Reuben.

Any dish with BBQ duck or the triple dumpling soup from Sang Kee.

A gyro from Olympia Gyro.

The falafel from Kamal's.

Italian hoagie (with marinated artichokes, please) from Salumeria.

A cheesesteak from Carmen's - the Texas steak, with bacon and barbecue sauce, in particular. Ask a buddy to order one from Spataro's. Compare notes.

A roast pork with sharp provolone (greens optional) from DiNic's, which has counter seating.

A sloppy Joe from Molly Malloy's, a full-service, sitdown restaurant; you'll need a beer, too - 24 on tap.

The fried mac and cheese balls from Beck's Cajun.

Any breakfast containing grits from Down Home Diner, a full-service, sitdown restaurant.

Dutch Eating Place's chicken pot pie, served in a bowl without crust - the Pennsylvania Dutch way - at this Formica counter. Cap it with an apple dumpling, and your walk will resemble a waddle.

Any of the wurst sandwiches from Wursthaus Schmitz.

Chicken korma platter from Nanee's.

Dienner's Pennsylvania Dutch-style Bar-B-Que chicken.

Quesadillas from 12th Street Cantina.

Oysters from Pearl's Oyster Bar, which has counter and table seating.

The turkey wings from Keven Parker's Soul Food Cafe, which has a few seats.

Salmon curry over rice from Little Thai Market, whose line is among the longest in the market.

The Spring Garden sandwich (sliced roast turkey, Provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, sweet peppers, Parmesan sauce) from the Original Turkey.

Any of the burgers - and regular and lobster mac and cheeses - at Hunger Burger.

Pick up a fresh-squeezed fruit or vegetable juice from Iovine's, the produce specialist in the corner.

The "Somerset," a grilled cheese and ham sandwich from MeltKraft, the grilled-cheese specialist.

Or: pick up a mozzarella ball from MeltKraft (owned by Valley Shepherd Farm), or perhaps a slab of pork pate from La Divisa, score a baguette from Metropolitan Bakery and create a snack out of that.