Philly Pretzel Factory Massapequa, Massapequa

It sounds strange, but Dan DiZio found the perfect pretzel machine hiding in a nondescript Florida garage. Once he saw it, he knew what he had to do. With help from his friend Len Lehman, DiZio hauled the equipment back to his native Philadelphia—where as a child he once sold homemade pretzels to his neighbors. He soon opened the original Philly Pretzel Factory.

Today, Philly Pretzel Factory whips up fresh batches of secret-ingredient dough at more than 150 locations. The pretzels are twisted by hand onto surfaces covered with salt or cinnamon sugar. The warm creations then pair with the shop's signature brand of mustard or sweet blends of chocolate and buttercream. The menu also tucks hot dogs and spicy sausages into pretzel rolls, dusts salt on "rivets," or soft pretzel bites, and proudly serves Hershey's ice cream sundaes, milkshakes, and cakes.