Did you know that pretzels are believed to be the world’s oldest snack? It’s widely accepted that Italian monks created the first pretzels from leftover scraps of bread dough. The pretzel (or brezel) gained popularity in Germany and is a popular Oktoberfest snack. Brotfrauen—or bread ladies—carry giant soft pretzels in large baskets from table to table. There are few better snack complements to a cold beer.
No matter if you crave them as an appetizer or in the form of sandwich bun, here are a few restaurants serving up some of the tastiest twisted snacks in the state.
BBC Tavern & Grill
BBC serves a basket of hot, soft pretzel sticks that come with your choice of dips like house-made apple mustard, spicy horseradish mustard or melty cheese sauce.
4019 Kennett Pike, Greenville | 655-3785 | bbctavernandgrill.com
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Catherine Rooney’s
This Trolley Square hotspot serves up a giant warm Bavarian-style twisted snack with a side of IPA mustard, beer cheese and sweet goat cheese cream.
1616 Delaware Avenue, Wilmington | 654-9700 | catherinerooneys.com
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Chelsea Tavern
Tavern pretzel crullers are a popular appetizer at this Wilmington tavern. Served with beer-cheese and a soft garlic herb butter, these warm pretzel sticks are the perfect start to a tavern-style dinner.
821 N. Market St., Wilmington | 482-3333 | chelseatavern.com
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Crooked Hammock Brewery
Crooked Hammock Brewery’s giant Bavarian pretzel is perfect for sharing and pairs well with the maple mustard and jalapeno cheese sauce. Find it at both the Middletown and Lewes locations.
316 Auto Park Drive, Middletown | 601-7837
36707 Crooked Hammock Way, Lewes | 644-7837 | crookedhammockbrewery.com
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The Cottage Café
This beach café serves an Eastern Shore Crabby Pretzel, which consists of logs topped with hot, cheesy crab dip, melted cheddar jack cheese, green onions and Old Bay.
33034 Coastal Hwy., Bethany Beach | 539-8710 | cottagecafe.com
Deer Park Tavern
Deer Park serves a similar starter of pretzels, crab dip, melted cheese, green onions and Old Bay. The historic Newark tavern also serves a hot turkey Dijon sandwich and a burger on a warm pretzel roll.
108 W. Main Street, Newark | 369-9414 | deerparktavern.com
Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats
Start off your meal at Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats with the pretzel bites, which are served with 90 Minute IPA cheddar sauce and honey mustard.
320 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth | 226-BREW | dogfish.com/restaurants/brewpub
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McGlynn’s Pub
The Eastern Shore pretzels are a popular appetizer at this popular Delaware eatery with locations across upstate Delaware. Three soft pretzel logs are smothered in crab dip, jack cheese, Old Bay and green onions.
Locations in Newark, Greenville and Dover | mcglynnspub.com
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Pizza By Elizabeths
It’s hard to turn down Pizza By Elizabeths hummus or Buffalo chicken dip, but the restaurant’s crab pretzel appetizer is another must-try.
3801 Greenville Pike, Greenville | 654-4478 | pizzabyelizabeths.com
Washington Street Ale House
Pretzels are the perfect complement to a cold beer, and Washington Street Ale House is the perfect place to find both. The Bavarian-style appetizer is served with honey Dijon and cheddar cheese sauce.
1206 Washington Street, Wilmington | 658-2537 | wsalehouse.com
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Woody’s Dewey Beach
Woody’s Dewey Beach serves a decadent crab pretzel which is just what it sounds like: a “ballpark pretzel” topped with crab dip and smothered in melty shredded cheese.Â
1904 Highway One, Dewey Beach | 260-9945 | deweybeachbar.com
Related: Enjoy Beer and Brats at Oktoberfest Celebrations in Delaware