🥔 PA’s best potato chips

‘Violence Interrupters’ Deployed at City Pools

Outreach workers will drop by Pittsburgh pools this summer as part of a city-wide safety initiative. It’s the latest in a series of new efforts to curb violence among teens, including chaperone requirements at Kennywood and a curfew at Market Square in Downtown. [WESA / City Cast Pittsburgh]

Pitt Buys Hemingway's Cafe Property

The beloved bar closed in May after 43 years on Forbes Avenue — and now the University is taking it over. Pitt hasn’t confirmed its plans for the property but says “the university appreciates this rich history and recognizes that Hemingway’s will always have a place in the hearts and memories of countless Pitt students.” [TribLive]

Walnut Capital Plans Apartments in East End

Bakery Square developers are scrapping plans to expand the tech hub’s commercial footprint and instead looking to build nearly 200 apartments near the complex. The six-story, mixed-use building is part of a 14-acre expansion, which was approved by the city last year. [Public Source]

Dynamic Coffee Roasters Opens Second Shop

The coffee shop expanded from its original location at The Highline on the South Side to a spot on Penn Avenue in East Liberty — adding to the nearby coffee scene, which includes newer shops like Spot of Coffee, Delanie’s, and Pre Amp Coffee Studio. [🔒 Business Times / City Cast Pittsburgh]

With nationally distributed brands like Wise, Utz, and Herr’s — along with nostalgic names like Gibble’s and Good’s — it’s no wonder Pennsylvania’s known as the “Potato Chip Capital of the World.”

This crispy, salty treat is part of PA’s larger snack and confectionary empire. And if you look at a map of where chips are produced, you’ll notice a beltline along the southern and eastern part of the state. This overlaps areas where Pennsylvania Dutch communities live, like Lancaster and York counties.

These descendants of German-speaking European immigrants brought pretzels to PA in the 18th century. When potato chips became popular around the turn of the 19th century, they fit perfectly into PA’s agricultural and food customs.

Our state’s acidic soil and humid climate are ideal for growing “chipping potatoes.” And the Pennsylvania Dutch fried potato chips in lard, making them extra flavorful and crunchy and leading to a surge in popularity. (Some brands keep this tradition sizzling, like Utz’s “Grandma” kettle chips and Gibble’s “Kay and Ray’s.”)

Today, more than a dozen potato chip businesses operate in the Keystone State, giving rise to modern styles and trendy flavors — from red hot and jalapeño cheddar to dill pickle and honey BBQ.

🥔 Bookmark these brands for your next stroll through the snack aisle or road trip across the state.