Restaurant Review: Zwick's Pretzels

ZWICK'S PRETZELS 12415 107th Avenue ~ zwickspretzels.com Instagram: @zwickspretzels ~ Twitter: @zwickspretzels Co-Diner: Tim Golem

When you think of pretzels you likely think of the little hard kind that come in a bag (kinda like chips) or the ones that hang in those spinner machines (covered in salt) at sporting events. Unfortunately in Canada, that's generally the extent of our pretzel experience. Thankfully Zwick's is on the scene to forever change Edmonton's severely lacking pretzel situation. It's something that you didn't even know that you needed. (But you absolutely do!) They were even featured on Big Food Bucket List in season two! (And I've obviously got them listed in the Worldwide Faves section of this blog as well!) You'll find Zwick's in Westmount (in a small area that is particularly packed with amazing food) and you'll spot their tiny location when you see their turquoise signage. The space is very small and there isn't much to it. The walls are painted with black chalkboard paint, turning almost every inch of wall space into the menu. (Whoever writes the menu has very nice printing!) There's a large communal table that takes up the rest of the tiny space, which makes it possible to eat-in should you want to. The staff is friendly and the restaurant is almost always lined up and busy. I visited on a Saturday evening with full intentions of building an entire dinner meal out of pretzels. Each pretzel is made fresh-to-order so sometimes there's a bit of a wait while your food gets prepared. Because of this, Zwick's will give you a buzzer so that you can wait outside (again, the inside space is very small) which will alert you once your food is ready. I started my journey with a drink and was delighted to find an array of housemade sodas on the menu - but especially the Strawberry Apple Shrub ($3.00). As far as I'm aware, Zwick's is the only place in Edmonton that serves shrub, which is very exciting.

What is "shrub" you ask? Now stay with me because this is going to get a bit weird. Shrub is a drinking vinegar. The acidic syrup is mixed with fruit creating a beverage that is full of depth and complexity. It's really interesting; you get that slight vinegar flavour but it's incredibly enjoyable. Non-alcoholic cocktails have come a very long way in recent years. The shrub at Zwick's is truly wonderful and refreshing, and I loved the way that it tasted like real, fresh strawberries. (Plus vinegar and strawberries are totally friends already - have you tried balsamic black pepper strawberries? They're fabulous.) Next, let's talk about the pretzels. These dough twists originated in Germany and have been around for a very long time. Zwick's makes regular-sized pretzels but also nubs that come in a bag, all hand-rolled. There are basic, dusted, and cheese varieties (ten different flavours in total!). Personally, I'm a huge fan of the cheese pretzels... Because CHEESE! There are three different Cheese Pretzels ($3.00 each) and I ordered one of each for a full "flight" of cheese pretzels. (I highly recommend doing this for maximum life enjoyment.) They also offer eleven different Dips ($1.00 each) which are a must.

Each pretzel is freshly baked, warm and soft, and positively covered in cheese. If you're a fan of crispy fried cheese bits (who isn't?) this is the snack for you. First up, the Spicy Scallion & Mozza, which is probably the most popular pretzel at Zwick's. Covered in a garlic chili sauce, mozzarella, scallions, baked, and then painted with garlic butter... This pretzel is a masterpiece. It's got heat and is packed with flavour. I love this one. Next is the Guajillo Feta, which I also loved. The guajillo chili brings a light heat and I enjoyed the saltiness from the feta. Lastly, the Cheddar & Black Pepper feels like a great classic. I mean, melty cheddar cheese? It doesn't get much better. All three of these pretzels are absolutely perfect. There are a lot of dips to choose from and I grabbed the Zesty Tomato and Dill & Onion Cream. They were both very delicious and complimented the pretzels well. (They also have cheese dips if you want even more cheese.) I wanted to order something from the Sides section of the menu to round out our meal. The Dill, Pea & Potato Salad ($3.50) seemed like a good bet.

This simple salad was decently nice. The potato chunks were tender and I liked the pops of bright green peas. I would have liked it to be a bit more flavourful but this was a good way to make the meal feel like more than just bread products. Next, I rolled on over to the Sausages section because I absolutely had to try the Pizza Zweenie ($7.00), which is something new that they've recently started serving.

Zweenie topped with zesty tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmesan & pepperoni.

It's a smoked pork weenie on pretzel bun - covered in pizza toppings! The weenie itself was very juicy, flavourful, and nicely snappy. And you certainly can't go wrong with heaping amounts of pizza stuff. I really liked the tiny pepperoni. You know that your mouth wants this. I saved the best for last. It's time for the best thing on the menu at Zwick's: from the Sandwichzel section (yes, sandwiches made out of pretzel buns) you'll find the McZwick ($9.00). They do make four different sandwichzels and I'm sure they're all great. But the McZwick is the one that you want.

Warm roasted chicken, candied bacon, tomatoes, mozzarella & paprika aioli on a pretzel bun.

Gooey, saucy, crispy, moist. The McZwick is everything. The thinly sliced seasoned chicken was the perfect amount and didn't overpower the whole sandwich. The candied bacon was a crispy, brown sugary dream come true. It was cheesy and the aioli added the right amount of kick. Plus the handmade pretzel bun had that wonderful glossiness (which is achieved by dipping the dough in an alkaline solution). Everything about this delicious thing was amazing. It's one of the best sandwiches in Edmonton and everyone must try it! I could go on raving about Zwick's all day. This little business is offering the city a unique product and do an incredible job of executing each and every item on the menu. I'd say that they're a "hidden gem" or a "best kept secret" but I know that this is no longer the case. Everyone is aware of how good Zwick's is and I know that they're going to become an old mainstay that keeps making the city delicious pretzels forever.