Doughn't You Love Pretzels?

Some people bike for affordable housing. Some people bike for mad street cred in France. And some people bike for getting places, we guess. But forget all of them; there are those who bike for a way worthier cause, and that cause is pretzels. Soft innards, a crispy shell, and salt the size of those crystals they throw on the street when it snows? Pretzels are so totally twisted. Literally!

In honor of the feature in tomorrow's issue of 34th Street, which follows these valiant riders on a weekly pretzel mission, we present to you after the jump our top three Philly pretzel palaces that bring Philly its twisty, salty, fame. Get on your fixed gear and tell these pretzel princes to throw it in the (paper) bag.

Center City Pretzel Co. 816-18 Washington Ave.

The Holy Grail of the pretzel riders’ quest, King Arthur’s prize ain’t got nothin’ on these golden beauties. A buck a piece for the iconic soft pretzel in a brown paper bag, Center City Pretzel Co. can’t be beat. From the wee hours of the morning to the afternoon, their ovens are hot, and so are their chewy, fresh namesakes.

. Philadelphia Soft Pretzels, Inc. 4315 North 3rd Street.

While this gem brings in most of its revenue from wholesales around the city, the real experience comes from visiting the store itself. Order at the window and choose from a variety of mustards to achieve the classic pretzel-condiment pairing, perfect for any discerning palate.

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. The Pretzel Boys Locations listed here

Alright, so this one's in the 'burbs, but no matter which P.A. 'burb you're in, there's probably a Pretzel Boys. And even Bobby Flay knew that these boys could throw down in a pretzel battle. While its classic Philly Softees fresh from the oven steal the show, don’t miss their sweet glazed pretzels or famous pretzel nuggets for deliciousness that goes beyond the figure-eight.