Bites Nearby: Philly Soft Pretzel Factory

I am much more of a Wawa person than a Sheetz/Turkey Hill person and anyone else who is a Wawa fan will probably be able to relate to my love for their soft pretzels. They were my "go-to" snack in college and one of my favorite things about visiting Philadelphia is the soft pretzels from their food carts.

Obviously, you can sense I have a sophisticated taste, right?

So when it came time to choose this week’s meal, I couldn’t put off paying a visit to the in Allentown. I wasn’t quite hungry enough to eat a meal, so I though noshing on one of my favorite snacks for the sake of journalism would be the perfect solution.

The Dishes: One cheesesteak pretzel, one cinnamon pretzel, two traditional soft pretzels, a box of pretzel ‘rivets’ and three different dipping sauces: yellow mustard, butter cream, and cinnamon.

What’s on the Plate: For this week’s menu, we dined sans plates or any tableware at all. But the snacks were just as self-explanatory as they sound and were served individually. Pretzel rivets were served in a small carry-out box.

How’s it Taste:  Prior to my visit, I preferred my pretzels plain and, if I was feeling crazy, with a side of yellow or brown mustard. But this time, I decided to try something new, and opted for the cinnamon pretzel with butter cream dipping sauce. Dessert lovers -- or anyone who has a sweet tooth -- I have found your new obsession. The butter cream was sweet, but not overly. Although the cinnamon got all over the place, I have a feeling my messy eating was more to blame than the pretzel.

My fellow foodie went out on a limb and tried the cheesesteak pretzel. The pretzel, which resembles more of a mini-Stromboli, is filled with warm steak and cheese and served in a fresh, doughy pretzel. So for cheesesteak lovers who just need their fix, it’s the ideal solution.

We each purchased a plain pretzel, too, just in case we weren’t a fan of our other options. Luckily, that wasn’t a problem. We used the leftover pretzels and box of pretzel nuggets (called Pretzel Rivets) to sample the cinnamon and butter cream dipping sauces with a plain pretzel. While we both agreed the butter cream was a better complement to the cinnamon pretzel, the cinnamon dipping sauce gave a little added flavor to the plain pretzels.

Eat This Because: You don’t always have time for meal, and you don’t always have time to wait for your pizza order to be done. The Soft Pretzel Factory is an in-and-out experience, and gives you the kind of selection you won’t find at the mall’s pretzel stands. Besides pretzels, they serve pretzel dogs and spicy pretzel sausages, too.

Tab: $13.

Etc: If you eventually end up getting hooked on these pretzels (which, let’s face it — you will) then try and recruit some other fans by having them at your next birthday party, work event, neighborhood block party, etc. The Soft Pretzel Factory offers trays and catering.