The pretzel: New York’s must-try snack
Walking through New York's streets, you'll quickly spot pretzel vendors... Here's what you need to know about this iconic American snack!
What is a pretzel?
- Walking through New York’s streets and feeling a bit peckish? Time to grab a pretzel. You’ll find them easily from street vendors, especially in the Financial District and around Times Square, as well as in delis and grocery stores.
- What exactly is it? A pretzel is simply the American version of a German bretzel. This large, twisted, heavily salted bread first appeared in early medieval Germany. It crossed the Atlantic in the 18th century, arriving in Pennsylvania in the luggage of immigrants from southern Germany and the Alemannic regions of Switzerland. Along the way, the “B” became a “P,” but the recipe stayed the same.
The history of the pretzel in the USA
- The pretzel spread along the American East Coast throughout the 19th century, eventually reaching New York and the rest of the country.
- Today, the pretzel market is dominated by the American brand Snyders of Hanover. According to Statista, the company sold more than $629 million worth of pretzels in the United States in 2024. That’s a substantial market.
- One more piece of trivia, this time linguistic: the pretzel became so popular it turned into a verb in the United States. “To pretzel” means to contort, twist, or bend yourself—like a pretzel.