14 Pennsylvania Comfort Foods You’ll Rarely Find Anywhere Else
Pennsylvania’s food culture is every bit as rich and varied as its history. Whether you’re in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country or grabbing a bite in busy Philadelphia, the state serves up comfort foods with deep roots and big flavor.
These iconic dishes reflect local ingredients, cultural heritage, and a kind of culinary creativity that’s hard to find anywhere else.
1. Scrapple: The Breakfast Block of Mystery
Nothing says Pennsylvania farm breakfast like a sizzling slice of scrapple. This savory loaf combines pork scraps, cornmeal, and spices into a sliceable delight that crisps beautifully in a hot pan.
My grandfather used to say good scrapple should be crispy on the outside, soft inside, and never questioned too closely about its ingredients.
Locals serve it with maple syrup, ketchup, or apple butter—take your pick!
2. Shoofly Pie: Molasses Magic in Pastry Form
Sweet tooth alert! This sticky, gooey dessert features a molasses filling beneath a crumbly topping, creating a perfect balance of textures. Pennsylvania Dutch bakers have perfected this treat over generations.
The pie comes in wet-bottom and dry-bottom varieties, with wet-bottom fans swearing by the gooier version.
The name supposedly comes from flies being attracted to the sweet molasses during cooling, requiring bakers to shoo them away.
3. Philly Cheesesteak: The Sandwich That Started a Movement
Thinly sliced ribeye, melted cheese (Whiz, American, or provolone—choose wisely), and grilled onions stuffed into a crusty roll create this iconic sandwich. The proper ordering technique is just as important as the ingredients.
I once spent an entire weekend hitting every famous cheesesteak joint in Philadelphia and learned the hard way that saying “with” means you want onions.
Real Philadelphians know to order quickly and move aside—there’s always a line forming behind you!
4. Soft Pretzels: Twisted Perfection
Pennsylvania’s soft pretzels aren’t just snacks but an art form. The distinctive figure-eight shape, mahogany crust, and fluffy interior make these pretzels stand apart from imitators.
Philadelphia vendors twist them differently than their Lancaster County counterparts. The secret lies in the brief alkaline bath before baking, creating that unmistakable chewy exterior.
Most locals skip fancy dips, preferring just a smear of yellow mustard on these hand-twisted treasures.
5. Lebanon Bologna: The Tangy Lunchbox Legend
Forget what you know about bologna because this Pennsylvania version packs a tangy, smoky punch unlike any other lunch meat. Made in Lebanon County since the 1700s, this fermented, smoked beef sausage has a cult following.
Growing up, my lunchbox always contained a Lebanon bologna sandwich on white bread with a smear of sweet mayo.
The sweet variety balances tanginess with a hint of sugar, while the regular version delivers full-strength flavor that makes regular bologna taste like nothing.
6. Chicken Pot Pie (The Soup Version)
Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie isn’t what outsiders expect—there’s no crust! Instead, square noodles, chicken, and vegetables swim in rich broth, creating a hearty one-pot meal perfect for cold winter evenings.
Amish and Mennonite cooks hand-roll these thick, square noodles before dropping them into simmering broth.
Farm families gather around steaming bowls of this comfort classic, often made with whatever vegetables are in season from the garden.
7. Tomato Pie: Pizza’s Saucier Cousin
Philadelphia’s tomato pie emerges from Italian bakeries as thick-crusted rectangles topped with zesty tomato sauce, and that’s it! No cheese covers this focused flavor bomb, though some bakers sprinkle a dusting of Parmesan or oregano.
Served room temperature, these saucy squares have fueled Philadelphia neighborhoods for generations.
The best versions feature bread-like crust supporting a thick layer of slightly sweet, intensely tomato-forward sauce that somehow never makes the base soggy.
8. Fasnachts: The Pre-Lenten Doughnut Tradition
Fat Tuesday means one thing in Pennsylvania Dutch country: fasnachts! These special doughnuts use potato in the dough, creating a uniquely tender texture that regular doughnuts can’t match.
The tradition began as a practical way to use up fat, sugar, and lard before Lenten fasting. I still remember my grandmother rising before dawn to prepare these treats, filling our house with the irresistible aroma of frying dough.
Traditional fasnachts have no holes and come unglazed, though modern versions might feature cinnamon sugar.
9. Chipped Beef on Toast: Creamy Comfort with a Nickname
Affectionately called by a military nickname not suitable for polite company, this dish features dried beef in creamy white sauce over toast. Pennsylvania diners elevate this humble meal beyond its army mess hall origins.
The key lies in properly rehydrating the salty beef and achieving the perfect sauce consistency, not too thick, not too thin.
Many Pennsylvania families hold special memories of this budget-stretching meal, often served with home fries or a side of stewed tomatoes.
10. Butterscotch Krimpets: The Lunchbox Treat That Sparks Joy
These spongy, butterfly-shaped cakes topped with butterscotch icing represent pure Pennsylvania snack nostalgia. Made by Philadelphia’s Tastykake company since 1914, Krimpets have survived countless lunch trades unscathed.
The light cake perfectly balances the sweet frosting layer. Even as an adult, finding these in my grocery store’s snack aisle triggers immediate happiness.
Pennsylvania expats have been known to request care packages featuring these iconic treats when they move to Krimpet-less regions.
11. Apple Schnitz: Dried Fruit Magic
Long before freeze-drying was trendy, Pennsylvania Dutch families preserved apples through a drying technique called “schnitzing.” These dried apple slices transform into pies, cakes, and the famous schnitz un knepp (dried apples and dumplings).
Farm families would gather for apple schnitz parties, peeling and slicing bushels of apples for winter storage.
The concentrated apple flavor develops during drying, creating an ingredient that delivers powerful fruit taste to winter dishes when fresh produce was historically unavailable.
12. Pepper Pot Soup: Philadelphia’s Historical Brew
Legend claims this spicy, tripe-filled soup sustained Washington’s troops at Valley Forge. Whether historically accurate or not, this pepper-spiked soup became a Philadelphia specialty with West African and Caribbean influences.
The distinctive ingredients include honeycomb tripe, vegetables, and a healthy dose of black pepper. My first encounter with pepper pot came from an elderly neighbor who swore it could cure any winter ailment.
Modern versions sometimes substitute other meats for the traditional tripe, but purists insist on the original.
13. Pierogies: Pittsburgh’s Polish Treasure
These potato-filled dumplings found their American home in Pittsburgh’s Polish neighborhoods. Boiled and then pan-fried in butter with onions, pierogies represent the ultimate comfort food for western Pennsylvanians.
Church basement kitchens still produce these by the thousands for fundraisers. The Pittsburgh Pirates even feature racing pierogi mascots at baseball games!
Traditional fillings include potato and cheese, sauerkraut, or prune, though creative modern versions incorporate everything from buffalo chicken to chocolate.
14. Teaberry Ice Cream: The Pink Forest Flavor
Bright pink and tasting faintly of wintergreen, teaberry ice cream captures the essence of Pennsylvania’s forests in dessert form. Made from the wild teaberries that grow in Pennsylvania woodlands, this regional flavor mystifies outsiders.
Local creameries still churn this distinctive treat that tastes like a sophisticated version of wintergreen gum. As a kid, I thought all states had teaberry ice cream and was shocked to discover my favorite flavor was unknown outside Pennsylvania.
The subtle medicinal note balanced with sweetness creates devoted fans or confused first-timers, rarely anything in between.