Two Truths and a Lie: The Pennsylvania Food Myths People Fall For
Pennsylvanians will argue about food with a total stranger and mean every word of it.
The catch is that some of what they swear is true about their own classics turns out to be a tall tale.
So, let’s play a game: Two truths and a lie.
Can you guess the fib in each of these categories?
Primanti Bros.
Primanti Bros. built its name on a move that stops tourists cold in Pittsburgh: The French fries and the slaw go inside the sandwich, stacked between thick Italian bread.
Philly Cheesesteak
A Philly cheesesteak sparks a cheese argument at nearly every corner counter.
Cheez Whiz, American, or provolone. Every Philadelphian guards a rule and a loyalty.
The ordering lingo trips people up just as often, so see which cheesesteak story falls apart.
Wooder Ice
Water ice means summer in Philadelphia, where locals order it as “wooder ice.” The lines stretch down the block once the weather turns warm.
See what holds up about the frozen cup before your next cherry order.
Scrapple
Scrapple anchors Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast plates from Lancaster to the Lehigh Valley.
Outsiders flinch at the ingredients, then reach for a second crispy slice anyway.
Two of these scrapple lines are true, and one is fiction.
Pittsburgh Salad
A Pittsburgh salad arrives with French fries piled right on top of the greens.
Order a salad in the Steel City and the fries count as a feature, not a slip-up.
Can you spot which of these three is a myth about the Pittsburgh salad?
Tastykake
Tastykake has filled Pennsylvania lunchboxes since the trolley era.
Butterscotch Krimpets and Kandy Kakes are the treats every Pennsylvanian pictures first.
But one of these Tastykake claims is baked from nonsense.
Hershey
Hershey, Pennsylvania smells like cocoa because Milton Hershey built a town around his factory.
Kiss-shaped streetlights and a street named Chocolate Avenue are no exaggeration.
Spot the tall tale about the chocolate man below.
Pierogies
Pierogies are stitched into Pittsburgh life, from church halls to the ballpark.
The Pittsburgh Pirates even race them around the field while the crowd picks a favorite.
Sort the truth from the tall tale about the pierogi race.
Chipped Ham
Chipped chopped ham built Saturday sandwiches across Pittsburgh for generations.
The old Isaly’s counters shaved it so thin you could nearly see through a slice.
Two of these are true, and one is fake.
Soft Pretzels
Soft pretzels are a Pennsylvania birthright, sold from carts, firehouses, and school fundraisers.
Yellow mustard, a warm twist, and you’re set from Philadelphia to Reading.
Take a swing at this pretzel trivia.
8 Pennsylvania Diner Habits That Instantly Mark You as a Local
Pennsylvania diners run on unwritten rules, and locals follow them without thinking twice.
From how you order coffee to where you sit, a few small habits give a regular away in seconds.
8 Pennsylvania Diner Habits That Instantly Mark You as a Local
10 Things You Can’t Say About Pennsylvania Around a Local
Every Pennsylvanian keeps a short list of opinions that start arguments.
Say the wrong thing about the state’s teams, towns, or food, and you’ll hear about it fast.
