Where Can You Find Pennsylvania's Famous 'Pretzel Belt?'

The world knows Pennsylvania as one of the 13 original American colonies, famous for the Liberty Bell, Declaration of Independence, and other crucial tenets of U.S. history. But the state's cultural components also extend to celebrated culinary innovations such as Hershey's chocolate, the Philly cheesesteak, and the lesser-known but equally famous treat — pretzels. That's right; at least 45 pretzel companies dot the landscapes of Pennsylvania, churning out roughly 80% of the nation's sometimes-crunchy, sometimes-doughy snacks. 

These pretzel magicians congregate primarily in Midstate Pennsylvania, as well as the bordering south-central region, earning it the moniker of the Pretzel Belt. The region churns out endless amounts of hard and soft pretzels, while a slew of pretzel festivals, celebrations, and demonstrations showcase these edible works of art, especially on April 26, the designated National Pretzel Day.  Fortunately, it's not just a seasonal thing: some of the Pretzel Belt bakers share their secrets throughout the year, offering factory tours and hands-on demonstrations. 

Pretzel lore runs deep in towns like Reading, Pennsylvania, the self-proclaimed Pretzel Capital of the World. Of equal historical fame is the town of Lititz in Lancaster County, home to Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery. It's acknowledged as the first commercial pretzel bakery in the nation, founded in 1861 and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is where visitors can get hands-on in doughy delight, learning the art of pretzel twisting in the Sturgis family's original home and bakery. A larger Sturgis factory, opened by a grandson of Julius, still operates on the outskirts of Reading.

When shopping at standard supermarkets, it's easy to assume that all pretzels are hard, salty, and crunchy. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Many types of pretzels exist, some going back hundreds of years. However, most fall into two primary categories: Hard and soft. The soft kind reportedly made its way across continents to land in Southeastern Pennsylvania, where German-speaking settlers cultivated them into the snack we know today.

These softies are arguably the most beloved kind in Pennsylvania, both inside the Pretzel Belt and in major cities. At least one well-known pretzel factory operates right out of Philadelphia, the state's largest city with about 1.6 million potential snackers. That's the Philly Pretzel Factory, which epitomizes the concept of iconic Philly soft pretzels. After 25 years in business, the pretzels still get twisted by hand and baked fresh using basic, uncomplicated ingredients: Flour, water, yeast, and a touch of salt. No fuss, just the real deal. 

Then there's hard pretzels, also known as Pennsylvania Dutch pretzels — or its abbreviated moniker of PA Dutch pretzels. As you might imagine, these crispy cousins have equally strong ties to Pennsylvania's pretzel history, as well as to the Pretzel Belt region. In fact, as the story goes, it came by accident from Julius Sturgis himself, founder of that first commercial pretzel bakery in Lititz. On a busy day, a batch of soft pretzels apparently remained in the hot oven too long, turning them hard and crunchy — and the rest is snack-food history.