In April 2012, Joe Mack and Juliah Berkowitz began to plan their food truck, Pretzelria. Offering low-priced stuffed pretzel wraps and pretzel sticks, the truck is located next to the Sabatino’s truck and across from the Planetarium. After two years of planning, the truck officially came to West Chester University’s campus in April of 2014. [pullquote align=”right”]The owner is really nice, and their food is unique, good quality, and just flat-out delicious![/pullquote]
Born at West Chester Hospital, Joe Mack was a cook at Avalon restaurant on East Gay Street in West Chester before deciding to open his own food truck. A modern Italian restaurant and bar, Avalon has become known outside of West Chester residents and has even served celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse.
Juliah Berkowitz, on the other hand, is a senior at West Chester University, majoring in psychology. She works frequently at the truck, while also balancing school work and other responsibilities.
The food truck took two years of planning. Mack and Berkowitz were funded through an ad on Craigslist and renovated the truck themselves. Afterwards, in order to get the permit to be a regular WCU food truck, they needed to go through the Health Department and the city of West Chester.
When asked why they chose to make a pretzel truck, Mack responded, saying that pretzels are “all-American.” He knew they were a popular food among college students and that pretzels would be good to “grab and go.”
He wasn’t wrong. Since coming to West Chester, the Pretzelria truck has gathered a loyal following and attracted students who do not typically eat at the food trucks.
Ashley Dreyer, a WCU senior, said, “The owner is really nice, and their food is unique, good quality, and just flat-out delicious!”
Katherine Kocotas, a WCU senior, said, “The food is consistently amazing, while also being an affordable and quick option. They don’t ever skimp on any of the good stuff, like the cheeses.”
The menu is diverse, offering the typical cinnamon sugar and pretzel sticks. It also offers a unique variety of stuffed pretzels, including chicken spinach feta, cheesesteak, ham and cheese, buffalo chicken, pulled pork and provolone, chicken bacon ranch, chicken bacon cheddar, and chicken and sundried tomatoes. Particularly popular among students are the dessert stuffed pretzels, which include apple pie pretzel wraps and Nutella peanut butter pretzel wraps.
Menu prices remain affordable as well. For $5, you can purchase a stuffed pretzel wrap, and for $3, you can get a dessert stuffed pretzel. Pretzel sticks and cinnamon sugar pretzel sticks are also inexpensive. Sodas and waters are $1. For $6, students can get a combo, which includes a stuffed pretzel wrap, a cinnamon sugar or regular pretzel stick, and a drink.
What is a stuffed pretzel wrap, you wonder? In the case of the chicken spinach feta stuffed pretzel wrap, it is a delicious meal. The pretzel is a thin wrap, lightly coated in butter, salted, and warmed to perfection. Cutting into the wrap, there is fresh, moist chicken. The spinach is cooked to perfection, and the feta cheese is both crumbly and tasty. Eating on the go? No problem. Just peel the aluminum foil back and take a bite.
The Pretzelria truck has been successful outside of WCU as well. Last year, they were invited to be at the Bloomsburg Fair, a large state fair in Pa. They hope to attend Music Fest and the Phoenixville Festival this year, as well as go back to the Bloomsburg Fair.
The Pretzelria team is a group of hard workers. Other than Joe and Juliah, there are also two student employees and one full-time adult employee.
Theresa Kelly is a third-year student majoring in English literature secondary education. She can be reached at TK780615@wcupa.edu.
Our company, Weston Solutions, has food trucks come for lunch during the summer/early fall months and I would like to reach out to you to see if you have any interest in allowing us to try your food truck. If you do, please email me and I will send you details.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Kristie Pommerer