Cocoa Beach

Philly Native Bringing Pretzels to Cocoa Beach

Famed Philadelphia-style pretzels are coming to Florida's East Coast.

Image from Philly Pretzel Factory's website

COCOA BEACH, FL — Franchisee Karen Amato plans to open a Philly Pretzel Factory at 2045 Atlantic Ave N, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931, targeting late 2026, Amato shared with Business Debut in a phone interview.

What to Expect

The shop will serve soft Philadelphia pretzels that Amato grew up eating. In her native Philadelphia, she said pretzels there show up at schools, stadiums, parties, and family gatherings.

"A pretzel could be a snack, it could be a meal, it could be a party tray," Amato told Business Debut.

Amato plans to pursue catering, party trays, and large orders for local bars, restaurants, and event venues.

She said she expects the menu to support both walk-in customers and larger preorders.

Ownership Background

Amato was born and raised in Philadelphia. She said soft pretzels were part of daily life there.

She recalled that her school served pretzels with milk before class. "All the kids sat around before school, we had our pretzels, we talked," Amato said. She said those mornings felt like a shared moment for students.

Amato and her husband later moved to Florida. She said they missed the snack options they grew up with in the Mid-Atlantic. They then decided to bring Philadelphia-style pretzels to Florida's east coast.