Why Foodies Love Philadelphia Soft Pretzels

It's been a staple of Philadelphia's food culture for generations, beloved by children and adults alike. With its thin outer crust and pillowy center, soft pretzels are synonymous with the Philadelphia. Their signature figure-eight twist makes them a Philly icon, writes Paige Hughes for the website The Takeout.

German immigrants brought the pretzel to Philadelphia during the 1700s. Local bakers soon developed the soft, chewy version of the traditional hard pretzel about a century later.

The Philadelphia soft pretzel's signature figure-eight shape likely happened by accident, Hughes said. The shape emerged in the 1920s when pretzels were compressed on a conveyor belt at the Federal Pretzel Baking Co. in South Philadelphia, a design that helped set it apart from similarly made pretzels. That oblong, looping form helped the pretzel rise to local fame, embedding the shape in Philadelphia's snack-food culture.

Some pretzel enthusiasts claim that the water used to prepare pretzels contributes to their distinctive flavor, though the exact factor is debatable.

Some of the more unique dishes featuring soft pretzels are distinctly Philadelphia. Hughes highlights the Center City Pretzel Co. and its "zagel." This pretzel bagel features a cream cheese "schmear," vegetables, or lox. Lost Bread Co. turns the Philly soft pretzel into a cookie. The bakery prepares pretzel shortbread cookies, combining the salty taste of a pretzel with the crunch of shortbread. Tasty Twisters creates pizza pretzels, Philly soft pretzels covered in tomato sauce and cheese, with optional pepperoni for toppers.

Dutch Twist, at the Amish Market in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, unites the Philly staple, the cheesesteak, with the pretzel in a creation known as a Philly cheesesteak pretzel roll-up.