Happy National Pretzel Day!

04/26/2026

Happy National Pretzel Day! Here's a short and sweet bonus post for you.

Greetings from The Salted Knot in Mesa, Arizona.

Kenny and Sarah Love wanted to wish you happy tastings and tidings on this special day celebrating our favorite salted snack. Although this blog started off as a joke and Simpsons' reference, it has evolved into a full-time hobby which we thoroughly enjoy.

Today we visited one of the most spectacular (if not the only) local pretzel bakery in the area, The Salted Knot. Their selection of breaded baked treats is nothing short of exemplarily. The menu ranges from sweet to savory pleasing every taste and desire imaginable. Patrons can choose from the classic "Butter and Salted Knot" or if they're feeling a bit more adventurous, maybe the "Garlic Parmesan Knot" or "Jalapeño Cheddar Knot". And if it is something sweet you're craving, the "Sweet Knot" covered with cinnamon sugar does not disappoint.

On this most auspicious of occasions, National Pretzel Day, Sarah Love and Kenny received a free "Butter and Salted Knot" pretzel with their purchase of the "Pretzel Dog" and "Pepperoni Pizza Knot". They were all equally mouthwatering!

Unfortunately, this will be our last visit to this much esteemed pretzel bakery as they are closing their doors permanently on May 31st, 2026. The amazing couple that run this establishment are moving in a new direction to explore other creative facets. Their pretzel shop will be dearly missed. If you have a chance to visit before they say goodbye we do highly recommend stopping by for a final delicious treat.

Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love

The Salted Knot at Phoestivus Festival -- Phoenix, AZ

The Salted Knot Pretzel Booth - Phoestivus Festival - Phoenix, AZ

On a Wednesday night, a little over two years ago today, Kenny and Sarah Love parked in their usual spot on Culver Street by the park. We actually met on our second date at this location to spend time together on Roosevelt Row. But we digress. That evening we were headed to the Phoestivus Festival located on 5th Street between Roosevelt & Fillmore in Downtown Phoenix.

Phoestivus is a jolly and gay time to be had. There are boat loads of vendors selling all sorts of goods and wares.  Think Farmer's Market at Christmas time. Jewelry, soap, wood working, candles, vintage goods, and... pretzels? Why, yes! Kenny and I happened to stumble upon a local pretzel bakery called the Salted Knot. Their home store is located in Mesa, however we were super excited to try out their snack at the festival.

Unfortunately, we didn't think to take a picture of the morsel but who could blame us as we feasted on the deliciousness of the doughy goodness the Salted Knot had to offer? (In all reality, we were probably eating standing up and it just did not occur to us.) Sorry, there is no snapshot for this one, here's a stand-in potato.

12/14/22

A buttery smell wafted at us as the pretzel were delivered through the window. The baked treat's color was that of a light golden brown. It was topped with a moderate to heavy amount of salt; surprisingly, it was not too salty as it was sea salt.

There was a little crunch to the outside that gave way to a delicious fluffy inside. The dough had a slightly sweet taste making for a very well balanced pretzel.

An absence of accoutrements accompanied this one.

4.0/5.0

Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love

State 48 Funk House Brewery - Westgate Entertainment District -- Glendale, AZ

This day our pretzel tasting experience was at State 48 Funk House Brewery
located in the Westgate Entertainment District. It was Sarah Love's friend's 30th birthday party with many unique people in attendance. Attached to the brewery was a typical bowling alley where we spent our time trying to bowl a decent scoring game.

The Funk House is a large venue that has a decent sized food and drink menu. The attached bowling alley accommodates traditional & glow-bowl games, billiards, and shuffle board as well. While perusing the menu's Small Plate selections, the pretzel of course, caught our eye and we had to give it a taste in between our ten-pin game.

November 19, 2022

Fresh out of the kitchen came the salted, tasty treats which were served on a culinary

board. The number '48' was written in mustard in the upper right corner. The three baked pretzels were shaped in the fashion of long, skinny logs; the color was a light golden brown. Our thought on the amount of salt was just shy of perfection.

Upon tasting, they had a crunchy exterior with a complementary soft, moist interior that completed the baked goods perfectly. Accompanying the pretzels was a cheese fondue that packed a bit of a bite.

3.5/5.0

Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love

Ric’s On 95th Sports Grill FKA The Nest -- Glendale, AZ

The Nest is one of Sarah Love's favorites; she just feels at home there. It has since been renamed to 'Ric’s On 95th Sports Grill' and they revamped the joint so it is definitely less dive than before. The Nest has always been an amazing place to just go chill or catch a football game. Although they fixed it up so it's a little fancier, it still has the same great food and drinks.

On this particular Sunday, Kenny and Sarah Love were at the Nest sitting outside watching football. Commandeering two TVs to be exact in order to watch Sarah's favorites - the Bills and the Eagles, of course!

Sarah Love was extremely excited to share this special place with Kenny. And of course, we had to try the pretzel menu option.

October 2nd, 2022

Out from the kitchen came four mini 'loaves' of pretzels, not bread. Each fried mini-loaf was about four inches long. There was a nice crisp to the outside. The color was golden brown and it tasted a little buttery, though not overly so. The salt was light and evenly distributed.

The spicy nacho cheese was a great addition.

4.0/5.0

Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love

Hotel Valley Ho -- Scottsdale, AZ

First, we apologize for our absence and thank you for your patience.  Due to a myriad of reasons, Kenny and Sarah Love have decided to update our pretzel blog posts every month instead of bi-weekly.

Here's the next post for your reading pleasure.

On a random weekday, specifically Thursday, July 14th, 2022, Kenny and Sarah Love experienced the most interesting of tastings to date. We walked into a room with vintage decorum and a shabby chic feel. After we sat on the high stools at the bar top we were greeted by a bartender and procured a menu. 

The whole place had a 1950's atmosphere. Exploring the hotel was an appealing thought, but we were not guests, so we didn't.  Luckily, we did not have to be guests to experience our first official, "unofficial" pretzel review at ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho.

July 14, 2022

Hotel Valley Ho -- Scottsdale, AZ

GARLIC PRETZEL BOMB! (Yes, it was legitimately capitalized.) The lightly salted cream puff shaped pretzel was stuffed with garlic and mascarpone.

It was like a personal pan sized pizza but out came a hot a magnificent pretzel instead.

For the actual pretzel part, the nice crunch of the baked outside made way for a moist, soft and chewy (though not too chewy) inside. It felt different chewing the treat because of the stuffing, but it was just part of the deliciousness.

We were very impressed. Instead of a regular old pretzel we were presented with a nontraditional, culinary masterpiece; it was quite the unique snacking experience and one that spoiled us for sure!

Sadly, it appears they no longer have this exact item on the menu. It is a travesty for all those that did not get to experience it!

5.0/5.0

Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love

Saddle Mountain Brewing Company -- Goodyear, AZ

We started off our Saturday in the west side of the valley exploring one of our favorite antique malls, the Brass Armadillo. The mall sells an eclectic variety of old timey items and is a pure joy to visit and explore. We have found wares ranging from wall art, to toys and collectables, to jewelry, movies, books, clothing, and particularly hats, which are Sarah's favorites! There is something for everyone at this establishment.

The Brass Armadillo is great for spending an afternoon in a cooler, indoor environment. Especially in mid-May Arizona, when it is warming up prior to the extreme summer heat. After working up a bit of an appetite, we decided to pay a visit to a local brewery and had the experience of a lifetime.

We landed at Saddle Mountain Brewing Company, around dinner time and were seated outside near a wall covered in ivy. The ambience was pretty chill, and our server was extremely personable. He answered questions about the beer menu for us and even made a few drink recommendations to quench our thirst. Of course, we immediately scouted out the menu for a pretzel and were delighted to see there was one! It was here we had the privilege of tasting our highest rated pretzel to date!

So without further ado, let us dive into the review.

May 14, 2022

Saddle Mountain Brewing Company -- Goodyear, AZ

Never have we ever tasted anything like this since starting our pretzel tasting reviews. The delectable appetizer was caramel brown in color and seasoned with a plentiful amount of salt. It had the exact shape of a heart with two twists joining in the center. (Sarah Love related to the heart shape in her own sort of way.)

As we tasted the braided, twisted treat, we noted that the exterior had a nice crunch which was complemented by a light and fluffy interior. The pretzel was warm and savory which went well with the side of creamy beer cheese, and as far as we could tell, sweet horseradish ground mustard.

Although we are passionate about all our pretzels this particular pretzel was hands-down, one-hundred percent stellar!

5.0/5.0

Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love