Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is a historic pretzel bakery that opened in Lititz, Pennsylvania in…read more1861. It was founded by baker Julius Sturgis. During the 1850s, Sturgis worked as an apprentice bread baker. There are a number of variations of the origin story, but the most popular one seems to be that Sturgis was preparing a batch of soft sourdough pretzels and accidentally double baked them due to the summer heat. This "happy accident" resulted in dried-out pretzels. The head baker felt that no one would want them, but it gave Sturgis an idea to exclusively produce and sell crispy pretzels. By 1861, Sturgis had purchased a historic stone house and added a pretzel bakery in the back. Sturgis' brand of crispy pretzels soon became a big hit. He would continue to operate the business alongside his family for several years. The Sturgis Family is still in the pretzel business to this day. His grandson Marriott "Tom" Sturgis founded Tom Sturgis Pretzels in Reading in 1946. Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is the oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the United States. The current president and majority owner is Tim Snyder, uncle of current Tom Sturgis Pretzels owner Bruce Sturgis. My family and I recently visited Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery while we were traveling through Pennsylvania's Lancaster County. The area may be known for its rich Pennsylvania Dutch culture, but it's also known for its rich pretzel history and production. It just so happens that pretzels are my favorite snack! We arrived at the bakery just minutes after it opened for the day and signed up to take a tour. Participants have the opportunity to roll their hands in dough and make their own hand-made pretzels, just like workers did in the late 19th century. Our guide showed us all of the various tools of the trade from that period, but the highlight was seeing the original brick ovens. At the conclusion of the tour, participants were all given a complimentary bag of Tom Sturgis "Little Ones" pretzels. Afterwards, we headed into the retail shop which was stocked with various Julius Sturgis and Tom Sturgis pretzel products. Some of the varieties that we purchased for the road included "Little Cheesers" and "Honey Mustard". We also bought some freshly baked soft pretzels, which tasted out of this world! If you love pretzels then we highly recommend a visit to the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery!

Cute little storytelling tour that lasts just under 30 minutes. You learn some history and get…read moredough to shape your own pretzel, but you don't get to cook it or take it home. At the end, they give you a small bag of hard pretzels. The storytelling was good and the workers were friendly, but I wasn't too impressed. It's a small, cramped space, and I'd recommend the tour for kids 8 and up. Our group had several kids ages 2-5, with lots of crying and screaming, making it hard to hear and very difficult for the storyteller. You can reserve your tour online, and they start on time, so keep that in mind. There is street parking and a few spots in the back, and we had no trouble finding a spot. There's a gift shop available and fjeu also sell soft pretzels and other snacks. Overall, it's a cute and cheap activity if you have an extra 20-30 minutes.

Unlike the other reviews, I actually enjoy the pretzels. Best when eaten warm though, once they…read morereach room temperature, not so great. But that comes with any pretzel. I like the mustard varieties. 5 pretzels for $4, not a bad deal. Especially for the size. Places like Bavarian are a quarter of the size and twice the price. If you are willing to spend a little more, get one of the specialty pretzels. I enjoy the stuffed ones and the wrapped hotdogs. Mustards are good too.

They delivered pretzels to my dad for his birthday, during a snowstorm. Enough said on commitment…read moreto their customers. I've gone here many times. The pretzels are always good and you're getting Philly pretzels in Lititz. True, they don't hold their original texture and all that goodness if you keep them more than a day. Nothing a little time in the oven can't solve. I'll tell you this. It's easy to take a Philly pretzel for granted until you're no longer in the area and the closest alternative is a Super Pretzel that's been in that rotating display for the last month.

The only thing better than the quick, friendly service at Candy's is the amazing variety of…read moredelicious ice cream treats and hot, tasty food. Candy's may be our favorite ice cream place. Yum!

This small ice cream shop just north of Shoemakersville is a gem that you need to try!…read more To start their ice cream is house made and there are currently 46 flavors of hard ice cream on the menu! They also have soft ice cream, water ice and a nice size hot menu of burgers, hot dogs and appetizers as well as frozen treats for sale in the freezer. All food is counter service, there are 5 booths and 2 tables in the main room and 3 booths in a side room for seating. House made is the key here! I have been here multiple times and have never had a flavor I didn't like! Today I asked if I could customize a banana split and they said yes! You can get any 3 flavors of ice cream, I choose the Double Peanut Butter and cookies for all 3 scoops with Peanut butter sauce over all and the banana slices, whipped cream and cherries like a normal sundae. This turned out to be a great choice. My wife opted for the traditional Banana split! Candy's has been known to get busy as it is a small place, but they usually have plenty of help behind the counter to take care of the line. They have a nice sized parking lot off to the side of the building and a back entrance on East Bellevue Ave. If you are looking for good homemade ice cream and like options, this is the place for you!

These stuffed pretzels are AMAZING. The buffalo chicken one is so delicious. I discovered your…read morefood truck about 5 years ago and I always look for it at the Harrisburg events. You guys rock!!! P.S. I'm the guy from last week who joked that if I ever have to get executed, I'd want your food to be my last meal!!!!

I've had my share of restaurants and fair food and I have to tell you- The BEST Stuffed Pretzels…read moreI've ever had. They are golden brown and STUFFED with your favorite ingredients. You can get the following: Cheesesteak (my favorite with sauce) BBQ Pulled Pork Chicken Bacon Ranch Buffalo Chicken Pepperoni pizza Ham & Cheese Sometimes they have "special" item but man are they delicious!!!! And if it's May-September they have this Lemonade Slushy that is so freaking refreshing it's ridiculous. The Owners are very nice and work hard at making it right if you have a complaint. I've not had one myself in 5 years of being a loyal fan! Do yourself a favor and follow them on Facebook and go get a Stuffed Pretzel. The "others" are not even a close 2nd!!

The store is amazing with a wide selection of cheeses, desserts, ice cream, and a eatery for…read moresandwiches. We ate the farmhouse burger, and the honey bacon sandwich. They all come with chips and pickles. Cheese tarts tasted fresh and the lemon ice cream was creamy. They have a factory in the back to handmade their cheese which was nice to see. The only negative thing was they had forgotten our order but the staff were very apologetic and nice so worth to give a second chance.

Beautiful interior nice people and mediocre food…read more I'm a local and I've tried this place a couple of times over the years and every time walk away disappointed with the hot food. This time had the cheeseburger and fries. The patty itself was frozen preformed what you find at a fast food restaurant the bun itself brioche, and the cheese were both very good though. The accompanying french fries were heavily over salted. My recommendation. These guys do three well cheese, ice cream and cheese tarts Everything else skip. If you have to eat at the little café stick with the Honeybrook sandwich. Otherwise, stick to the ice cream, cheese, cheese tarts .

I literally started crying the moment I tasted my tiramisu milkshake. Never in my 70 years of…read moreliving have I ever been in genuine tears over a milkshake, and I served in the iraq war. For this place to be in such a remote spot is criminal. Im considering giving my entire will to this restaurant instead of my deabeat children. I have arthritis in all 10 fingers and toes and I still have enough passion to give this review. Ive never seen such great teamwork in an establishment. The US army could take notes. This may have taken my blood sugar up 200% and might die soon, but this place is to die for. Literally.

hands down the best ice cream I have ever had. and I'm a professional ice cream connoisseur. I…read morewalked in and was greeted with the best customer service ever, something here just felt like home. the old timey ambiance added so much to my experienc. Gavin W especially gave me a warm embrace mentally, he refilled the cups the moment he looked over, gavin really said "on it!" He made my disabled friend walk again with his incredible ice cream. If you're looking for a milkshake, you sure did find yourself one! My 47 year old taste buds have never tasted something quite as enthriving as the birthday cake milkshake he bestowed upon me. To say that absolute least, the best customer service ever. This guy needs a raise. to anyone who is graced by this amazing place will understand how perfect it is. One final note-- I want you all to know that every hardship and endeavor you've ever faced in life was worth it because it led you right here, to this moment in sweet ride. Thank you.

Im a big chocolate lover so this place was right up my alley! They have their own parking lot and…read moreit's a nice little store! They have samples out which is a nice touch. They offer lots of different choices, from chocolate chips to chocolate covered Oreos, you can find something for everyone here. It's a little pricey but honestly not too bad for good quality chocolate (I have spent much more at other places!) The service was great and the inside wasn't crowded and was decently easy to navigate. It's a cute shop with a historic vibe on the outside as well.

The only chocolate I had was a free sample of a milk chocolate bud (like a Hershey Kiss). It was…read moregood, but no better than a kiss. $17 for a pound bag of them.

This place feels like a flash in the past! The staff were lovely, and the menus were still from the…read moreoriginal opening, I believe. The menu is a great grabbing go or to sit on the edge of the river and enjoy a beautiful summer day. Sadly, we were not able to try any of the ice cream because we went for lunch however it looked delicious and the menu was large

First time here. It won't be the last time. Good food. There are picnic tables on both sides of the…read morerestaurant. Next time I'll get the ice cream.