Are you a pretzel fan? If you're in the PA Dutch county area, make sure you check out Uncle…read moreHenry's! This unassuming gem of a pretzel factory has been around since '83 and offers freshly-baked, handmade pretzels that come in a variety of flavors (regular, extra salt, reduced sodium, extra dark versions, whole wheat options, low protein, as well as flavored (garlic and sesame)). They're all certified Kosher, too! When the hubs and I knew we were going to be in the area, we made sure to call ahead to make an appointment to take one of their free tours. Our tour guide was Ms. Vera, and she was super informative and sooo sweet! We got to see the making of the dough, how it was kneaded by the machines, how each pretzels were all made by hand (super impressive!), how they were put in the oven and baked, and then saw how the pretzels were seasoned and packaged in the bag. We also had the chance to try a hot-out-of-the-oven extra dark pretzel - super crunchy, but a little too 'burnt' for me, but it would be super delicious dipped in hot spicy mustard or some type of cheese! The hubs and I bought a bag of extra salted pretzels and the garlic, so can't wait to dig in! Just note that this is a true pretzel factory, very no-nonsense, and even the sign is hard to miss. However, once you find it, you'll have an educational time. The managers and the employees were all super welcoming and super friendly :D +free pretzel factory tour :D +handmade pretzels! :D +plenty of parking in private lot

Tours no longer given! Was told they will soon build a seperate facility for buying the pretzels…read more Such a bummer.

Last summer, while exploring Lititz, I walked past the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery and…read moreimmediately wanted to go inside. There was only one small problem...they were closed. Fine, Universe. NOTED. I'll come back. Fast forward to an early August Thursday when my Lancaster Adventure Day brought me back within striking distance of Lititz. I remembered my unfinished pretzel business from the year before and worked a visit into my afternoon. This time, I did my homework first! The Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is more than just a place to buy pretzels. Founded in 1861, it's America's first commercial pretzel bakery, and the Sturgis family is the oldest pretzel-baking family in America. The historic building itself dates all the way back to 1784, so you're walking into a legitimate piece of Pennsylvania history. Even better? They offer interactive tours! I was able to reserve my tour online ahead of time, selected the 3pm time slot and received a confirmation letting me know I'd pay when I arrived. For only $6 for an adult tour, this felt like a ridiculously inexpensive addition to my adventure day. Supposedly, I was also going to learn how to twist a pretzel. An interactive food experience AND some Pennsylvania history for $6?! Heck yes! Let the countdown begin! Traffic getting into Lititz was a bit challenging that afternoon, but I pulled in right on time for my 3pm tour. I found metered street parking within a short walk of the bakery and paid about $3 for an hour and a half, which gave me plenty of time for the tour and some shopping afterward. I checked in at the desk just inside the door, paid my $6 and headed directly into the tour. Our guide was energetic, engaging and really good at keeping both the adults and the little kids interested. The tour lasted about 25 to 30 minutes and covered the history of Julius Sturgis, America's pretzel-baking history, the original ovens and how pretzel making has changed since the bakery opened in 1861. Then came my favorite part...WE GOT TO TWIST PRETZELS! Everyone received a piece of practice dough and our guide walked us through how to roll and properly twist it into that iconic pretzel shape. Learning the history and meaning behind the different steps of twisting the pretzel was probably my favorite part of the entire tour. One important thing to know ahead of time: you aren't actually making an edible pretzel during the tour. The dough is strictly for practicing the twisting technique and gets discarded afterward due to food safety regulations. I was a tiny bit disappointed because I had visions of proudly eating my handcrafted masterpiece, but once I understood why, it made sense. But what DID I get to keep?! My OFFICIAL PRETZEL TWISTER CERTIFICATE! Listen, I'm a kid at heart. You give me a certificate announcing that I have successfully learned how to twist a pretzel and I am going to treasure that thing like I just completed an advanced degree in carbohydrates. I'm absolutely framing it. And I'm absolutely hanging it somewhere among my legitimate professional certificates. After the tour, everyone received a small bag of Julius Sturgis hard pretzels and was encouraged to explore the bakery store. They had all kinds of pretzel goodies and souvenirs, including pretzels, shirts, aprons, magnets and other fun little mementos. I found the prices surprisingly reasonable for a tourist attraction. Since I couldn't eat the pretzel I twisted, there was really only one responsible course of action...buy a soft pretzel. And it was fantastic! Their soft pretzels are baked fresh on-site using Julius Sturgis' original recipe, and mine was fluffy, warm and generously covered in salt. It was my first Julius Sturgis soft pretzel and a pretty fantastic way to finish the experience. For $6, I thought the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery tour was an awesome little experience. It's interactive, educational, inexpensive and extremely family-friendly. There were some very young kiddos in my group, and our guide did a great job keeping them involved and entertained. Would I take the tour again? Probably not, simply because I feel like I got the full experience the first time. But should you do it once? Absolutely! It's Pennsylvania history you can touch, twist and then celebrate afterward by eating a completely different pretzel someone else professionally made for you. And you'll have the certificate to prove it!

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.

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!!

Beware! Unique's organic sprouted pretzel splits now list sodium hydroxide as one of their…read moreingredients in place of baking soda. Most people who buy organic food at an extra cost do NOT want this ingredient in their food. Will not be buying this product anymore.

Good place for gifts. Not really a spot for good deals and no don't have all items stocked…read more Employees were very friendly. Easy parking. I was the only customer on a Saturday morning.

Absolutely amazing! Prices are great and the place is beautiful with a small playground and large…read moreoutdoor seating area as well as indoors. The staff were kind and give you a lot of bang for your buck. The food and drinks and especially ice cream is absolutely phenomenal and complimentary water soda and other beverages for first time customers.

If you love ice cream, visit Fox Meadows Creamery. On a 1920s dairy farm with almost 100 cows, the…read morecreamery makes noteworthy ice cream using local premium ingredients. In fact, they make 23 flavors of ice cream and two sorbets. Family-owned, the creamery also comes with a store and restaurant. Visiting on a Friday afternoon, the cafe was packed with families eating sandwiches, soups, and ice cream. One point of pride is many of the ingredients are natural and local. For example, rather than using purple dye, they use the extract from purple carrots. In their chocolate ice cream, they use cacao from Wilbur, a nearby chocolate company. This place is a gem!

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.

Food here is AMAZING! We order the honey brooker every time. It tastes just like a turkey super…read moremelt from friendlys (rip) and an another option every time. I love that they package the cheese separately for the cheese. The roast beef sandwich was smothered in cheese and delicious. We will return many times! Just in the off hours as the line to order gets quite long . Also, I don't know how they do it, but the water that comes out of the soda machine is quite possibly the best water I've ever tasted.

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.

Oh man, where to start - I love this place!! I've not been to the nursery section, cause I have a…read moreton of plants already, but the farmer's market has everything and then, some. *Note: freshly made sandwiches are Outstanding and inexpensive. If you're going on a picnic or are out and about and want some good, quick grub; this is your place. My hubby got a cold cut, packed with fresh veg, meat, cheese; a half was enough to fill his tummy for the rest of the day. In the center of the store (it's kinda cramped - I advise going on a week day), there are watermelons (yellow/red), peaches, plums, strawberries, corn on the cob and to your immediate left, popcorn/snacks, followed by a frozen section (mashed potatoes, pot pies, casseroles, soups, creamed chipped beef, gravy...), follow that around to a refrigerated section (salads, pickles, puddings, sandwiches...), then there's the grill (hot/cold sandwiches, hotdogs, chips); I forgot about the cookies, shoo fly pies and there's a deli - SEE; this is why you absolutely must make this a stop by. There are tables outside, plenty of room to stretch, relax and eat.

We went to Lapp Valley farm for the most creamy and delicious ice cream…read more Very short distance from it is the village farm market. It is a beautiful farm filled with trees, plants, succulents... anything you need for your flower/plant needs. But it is a secret gem that hides the most amazing sandwich shop in the area. It is filled with fresh bread, baked goods and most amazing pies, fresh fruit and vegetables. But all of it hides this amazing sandwich shop that has one of the best Philly Cheese Steaks. It is gooey with melted cheese and if you ask for chopped hot peppers... you can get the perfect blend of banana peppers and jalapeño peppers to get the kick! You don't want to miss this store if you are in the area! We stayed in a nearby Airbnb tiny home. You can't beat the kind attentive service and the care by which they make every sandwich. Everything is so fresh and well made! No indoor seating... so be ready for the heat if you plan to eat here.