15 Pennsylvania Comfort Foods That Are Hard To Come By Outside The State
Pennsylvania has comfort foods that feel like a warm hug on a plate, with flavors you won’t easily find anywhere else.
From hearty sandwiches to sweet treats and savory classics, these dishes carry the essence of local tradition and pride.
Locals know the secret spots where every bite hits just right, making each meal unforgettable.
Tasting these specialties is like experiencing Pennsylvania’s culinary soul, showcasing flavors that outsiders might never discover on their own.
1. Philadelphia Roast Pork Sandwich
While cheesesteaks get all the glory, locals know the real sandwich star is the roast pork. Tender, slow-roasted pork sits on a crusty roll, topped with sharp provolone and sautéed broccoli rabe or spinach.
The combination of juicy meat, bitter greens, and tangy cheese creates a perfect harmony that puts its more famous cousin to shame.
Tony Luke’s and John’s Roast Pork serve legendary versions that have Philly expats booking flights home just for lunch.
2. Primanti-Style Sandwich
Forget about choosing between a sandwich and sides. Pittsburgh’s iconic creation stuffs everything between two slices of thick Italian bread – meat, melted cheese, tomatoes, vinegar-based coleslaw, and yes, a handful of hot french fries.
Born in the Strip District during the Great Depression, these massive meals-in-one were designed for truckers who needed to eat with one hand while driving.
The soft fries soak up the slaw’s tang while the warm meat melts the cheese into a glorious mess.
3. Pittsburgh Salad
Only in Pittsburgh would people look at a perfectly good salad and think, “You know what this needs? French fries on top!” Yet somehow, it works brilliantly.
A bed of iceberg lettuce and typical salad fixings gets crowned with still-hot fries, grilled chicken or steak, and a shower of shredded cheese.
The warm fries slightly wilt the lettuce while the dressing (usually ranch) seeps into the potatoes. It’s the ultimate comfort food masquerading as something healthy.
4. City Chicken
Spoiler alert: there’s no chicken involved! This Depression-era dish features cubes of pork (sometimes veal) threaded onto wooden skewers to resemble chicken drumsticks, then breaded and fried until golden.
Popular throughout Western Pennsylvania, City Chicken arose when pork was cheaper than scarce chicken.
The meat gets marinated, often in a mixture with vinegar and spices, before being coated in seasoned breadcrumbs. Grandmas across Pittsburgh still serve it with mashed potatoes and gravy for Sunday dinner.
5. Old Forge Pizza
In the tiny borough of Old Forge, they don’t serve pizza – they serve “trays,” and they’re unlike any pizza you’ve had before.
The crust falls somewhere between traditional and Sicilian, with a crispy bottom and chewy middle.
The red version comes topped with a slightly sweet onion-laced sauce and a blend of cheeses that notably doesn’t include mozzarella.
The white variety features no sauce, just layers of cheese, herbs, and sometimes thinly sliced onions and olives, all baked until bubbly and served in rectangular cuts.
6. Norristown Zep
The zep is Norristown’s answer to the hoagie, but locals will fight you if you dare call it that.
Served on a round roll with a firm crust and soft interior, the classic zep contains only cooked salami, provolone, raw onions, and tomatoes, with a dash of oregano and oil.
What makes it special? No lettuce ever, and that distinctive roll that’s neither too soft nor too crusty.
Eve’s Lunch and Lou’s Sandwich Shop have been zep battlegrounds for decades, with loyal customers swearing their favorite makes the only authentic version.
7. Chipped Chopped Ham BBQ
Isaly’s dairy stores made this Western Pennsylvania staple famous. Paper-thin slices of ham are chopped fine, heated in a sweet-tangy barbecue sauce, and piled onto soft hamburger buns.
The meat’s fine texture soaks up the sauce perfectly, creating a sloppy, messy sandwich that requires multiple napkins.
Pittsburgh families still serve these at birthday parties and gatherings, often made in slow cookers. The secret? Some add a splash of Coca-Cola to the sauce for extra sweetness.
8. PA Dutch Chicken and Waffles
Forget the Southern version with fried chicken. Pennsylvania Dutch chicken and waffles features pulled stewed chicken and rich gravy ladled over fresh waffles.
This savory-sweet combination dates back generations in Lancaster County. The waffles are often made with a hint of malt and stay crisp just long enough to soak up the gravy’s goodness.
Many PA diners serve this comfort classic with a side of buttered peas or cranberry sauce for a touch of brightness.
9. Apple Dumplings
Whole cored apples wrapped in pastry, baked until tender, and drenched in a buttery cinnamon syrup – this Pennsylvania Dutch classic appears at farm stands and church bake sales across the state each fall.
The magic happens as the apple cooks inside its pastry shell, creating a sweet filling that mingles with the syrup.
Some families serve them warm with milk poured over top for breakfast, while others add vanilla ice cream for dessert. Either way, they’re autumn in edible form.
10. Potato Filling
Mashed potatoes are boring compared to their Pennsylvania Dutch cousin.
Potato filling mixes mashed potatoes with sautéed celery, onions, and bread cubes, creating a stuffing-like side dish that appears at every holiday table east of Harrisburg.
The vegetables get slowly cooked in butter until soft before joining the potatoes and bread.
After baking, the top gets deliciously crusty while the inside stays creamy. It’s the perfect partner for turkey, but locals know it’s even better the next day, fried in butter until crisp.
11. Red Beet Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs shouldn’t be this gorgeous. After pickling in a mixture of beet juice, vinegar, and spices, these eggs develop a stunning purple-red exterior and a ring of color that penetrates just below the white.
Found in Pennsylvania Dutch country markets and roadside stands, they add vibrant color to any cold plate. The earthy sweetness from the beets balances perfectly with the vinegar’s tang.
Farm families traditionally made these to preserve eggs through winter, but now they’re a year-round staple at potlucks.
12. Chow-Chow
This colorful relish is Pennsylvania Dutch ingenuity at its finest – a way to preserve summer’s end garden vegetables in a sweet-sour brine.
A rainbow of corn, beans, peppers, cauliflower, carrots, and onions create a crunchy condiment that brightens up any plate.
Every family’s recipe differs slightly, with some leaning sweet and others more tangy. It accompanies everything from hot dogs to ham dinners.
The name likely comes from the French word “chou” for cabbage, though some versions skip the cabbage entirely.
13. Pepperoni Balls
Erie’s contribution to Pennsylvania’s food legacy started in Italian bakeries during WWII.
These softball-sized bread rolls contain pepperoni slices that release their spicy oils into the dough while baking, creating pockets of flavor. Some versions include cheese, but purists prefer the original.
The outside develops a golden crust while the inside stays soft and fragrant with pepperoni goodness.
Originally created as portable lunches for factory workers, they’re now enjoyed at tailgates, parties, and anywhere portable food is needed.
14. Gobs (Whoopie Pies)
Two chocolate cake-like cookies sandwiching a thick layer of sweet white filling – in Western Pennsylvania, these treats are never called whoopie pies, only gobs.
Coal miners’ wives reportedly created these portable desserts that wouldn’t crush in lunch pails.
The true gob has a slightly drier cake than its Maine counterpart and a filling made with shortening rather than pure buttercream.
While chocolate is traditional, pumpkin versions appear in fall, and some bakeries offer red velvet year-round. They’re best eaten with a glass of cold milk.
15. Philly Water Ice
Don’t call it Italian ice if you’re in Philadelphia. Water ice (pronounced “wooder ice”) is smoother, softer, and served slightly melty – perfect for hot summer nights in the city.
Unlike granular snow cones, authentic water ice has a velvety texture that’s somehow both frozen and silky.
Classic flavors include lemon, cherry, and blueberry, often scooped into paper cups with flat wooden spoons. The best spots, like John’s and Pop’s, have lines around the block on summer evenings.