Tastykake to Water Ice: Grading Iconic Philly Snacks
From Peanut Chews and Tastykake to pretzels and water ice, Philly has some great treats. Host Trenae Nuri and City Cast Philly producer Abby Fritz taste and grade their favorite snacks.
City Cast Philly’s Grading System
A - Free Wawa coffee
B - Finding a parking spot on Broad Street on a Saturday
C - A bike ride on MLK Drive, but it’s a cloudy day
D - Your kid is on the waitlist for a school
F - You’re stuck in traffic on I-95, I-76, Walt or Benny Bridges
If you’re looking for a great outdoor spring activity, check out Wissahickon Park. Read the Hey Philly newsletter’s Urban Almanac to learn more about the beautiful trails.
Read more about the history of Peanut Chews here.
Discover more on Philly's version of soft pretzels with these articles from Billy Penn, Serious Eats, and Philadelphia Magazine.
To learn more about Tastykake, check out Philadelphia Magazine, Thrillist, and Penn State University.
For more on the origins of water ice, Rita's and Pop's Italian Ice have descriptions on their websites.
If you need to know more about Peeps, check out their website and this Vox article.
Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Philly.
We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Follow us @citycastphilly.
Have a question or just want to share some thoughts with the team? Leave us a voicemail or send us a text at 215-259-8170.
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Philly and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
House of Horrors in Olney, Judge Wants Krasner Investigated & an Evacuation at City Hall
City Hall was evacuated Thursday morning during City Council’s first meeting of the season after a suspicious package was found. Host Tre...

Should PPA Rent Parking Spots to ICE? Plus: Job Search Tips & Pay-What-You-Can Dining
A couple of Philadelphia restaurants are bringing back the pay-what-you-can model of customers ordering what they want and then just payi...

Stopping Data Centers, Preserving Murals & Welcoming … Polo?
Data centers are everywhere, but it’s a booming industry that’s created contentious conversations in communities – Philly included. This...

Ranking Philly Sports Experiences, Housing vs. Third Spaces & Where to Scream
Our city's professional sports teams are on a roll — the Eagles won their home opener, the Phillies look like they’re headed to the playo...

John Fetterman: Our Very Controversial Senator, Explained
U.S. Senator John Fetterman is inching closer to President Trump and the Republican Party. Is he simply working across the aisle, or dram...

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Las Vegas Is Handling Record-Breaking Heat — Presented By City Cast Philly
It may not feel like it right now, but extreme heat is coming for Philly, and Las Vegas might have the answers you need. An already sizzl...

Eagles! Merch & Weird Linc Food, Johnny Doc is Free & Where Else Can 'Open Streets' Go?
In an unexpected move, President Trump commuted former local labor leader John Dougherty’s six-year sentence for bribery and embezzlement...

Will Philly Benefit From New Sports Arena? Plus: A Challenger in Mayor’s Race & Your Last Philly Meal
We’re reacting to the renderings of the new Sixers, Flyers, and WNBA arena in South Philly. City Council will need to review and approve...

How Philly Became the Country's Public Garden Capital
Philly is home to 38 public gardens and historic landscapes, more than anywhere else in the country. Today we're revisiting a conversatio...

Making Friends in Philly As an Adult
We’re talking about friends and friendship in Philly. If you’re a lifelong Philadelphian, you have friends from your childhood, but where...

