The 17 Wawa meals that matter, ranked

Some name Wawa a fuel station. Others think about it a comfort retailer. However right here within the nice state of New Jersey, Wawa is rather more than that. Wawa is a life-style.

The Pennsylvania-based chain of shops with greater than 1,000 places nationwide — and 288 in New Jersey — has turn into engrained in Backyard State tradition. It’s an irreplaceable piece of life for a lot of New Jerseyans — particularly in Central and South Jersey — the place residents depend on the meals market for lots extra than simply comfort and fuel. The place else are you able to get breakfast, lunch, dinner, sweets, snacks, sandwiches, pizza, espresso, gas and a lot extra, multi functional cease?

Certain, there are shops in the identical area — 7-Eleven and QuickChek come to thoughts. However none are as universally beloved right here as Wawa for its unmatched degree of comfort, high quality and consistency. It’s a borderline obsession for New Jerseyans, who love speaking about Wawa virtually as a lot as they love going there.

Anybody value their Wawa salted pretzel, er, salt, has a go-to order right here, and their favourite menu objects. However which meals objects of Wawa’s infinite choices are the perfect? Listed here are the 17 Wawa meals that matter, ranked.

17. Pizza

Wawa has pizza? Sure, Wawa has pizza. The shop isn’t being refined about it, they even introduced the solid of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” in to chop a promo for the pie. Just like the present, Wawa’s pizza isn’t rather more than a responsible pleasure — the pizza high quality has dropped immensely since they have been doing check runs of it in Philadelphia again in 2022. However the truth that now you can get pizza at Wawa solely provides to the shop’s lore.

16. Chocolate milk

No beverage personifies childhood fairly like chocolate milk. Your mother and father may not allow you to get a soda, however they needed to allow you to get chocolate milk, proper? It’s virtually wholesome! Even now as an grownup I discover myself grabbing a bottle of these things, and never only for the nostalgia. Wawa makes a dang good chocolate milk. Candy sufficient to really feel like a deal with however not so candy that you simply really feel you simply had dessert.

15. Quesadilla

Wawa’s enterprise into Mexican meals was one thing of a shock. However we knew that if there was anyplace that would make it work, it’s Wawa. And belief me, it really works. With varieties so simple as plain cheese and as adventurous as buffalo rooster and pierogi, any skeptics are shortly transformed with one chew.

14. Broccoli cheddar soup

Did these things come out of a large plastic bag after which get reheated? Sure. Is it higher than the broccoli cheddar soup at Panera? No. That isn’t going to cease you from ordering it, although. As a result of when a broccoli cheddar soup craving hits, there’s no stopping it till you get some. And Wawa scratches the itch shockingly nicely. Plus, the broccoli lets us fake that the soup is wholesome!

13. Rooster strips

Let’s be trustworthy. The following dangerous rooster tender you eat would be the first one. And the following particular person you meet that claims they don’t like rooster tenders might be a vegetarian — and even so, they’ll admit they miss these fried beauties. An ideal vessel for dipping in different issues on this record (method higher in soup than bread, belief me) and an elite addition to any order. Wawa calls these rooster “strips,” however all of us simply name them tenders.

12. Rotisserie rooster salad wrap

After perusing the aisles and clicking via the contact display to no avail, choice paralysis is about to set in. That’s, till this unsung hero steps in and saves the day. Previous dependable, tried and true, ready for you within the chilly part simply able to be picked up and scarfed down. Wawa rooster salad is actually probably the most underrated meals objects, far more flavorful and satisfying than you’d count on. If you happen to don’t know, now .

11. Mac and cheese

A step up from Kraft Mac & Cheese, a step down from what your Mother makes at Thanksgiving — a cheerful little zone, good for the last word consolation meals coming from the last word comfort retailer. Macaroni and cheese is yet one more meals that’s just about by no means dangerous, and Wawa’s rendition of the dish is astonishingly good.

10. Meatball hoagie

Nobody will confuse a Wawa meatball sub the meatballs from these from Luca’s Ristorante in Somerset anytime quickly. NJ.com named these the perfect meatballs within the state. You don’t need the perfect meatballs within the state on a sub. You need small, dense mounds of pork and beef in a generic marinara sauce that’s paying homage to what you ate in your center faculty cafeteria. Wawa delivers that in saucy spades.

9. Bacon, egg and cheese bagel Sizzli

New Jersey loves its breakfast sandwiches. Have we talked about this earlier than? We love our bagels, too. Rather a lot. Usually the concept of getting a breakfast sandwich or a bagel from a series could be sufficient to to query your Backyard State bonafides. However to paraphrase Nicole Kidman: By some means, a breakfast sandwich feels good in a spot like this. We don’t at all times have the time to hit our favourite bagel store. In these occasions, a Wawa breakfast bagel will get the job achieved.

8. Stuffed pretzel

Chances are you’ll not at all times see Wawa’s stuffed pretzels ready on the Sizzli rack by checkout. However when they’re in inventory, it’s essential to pounce. They’re heat variations of a basic delicate pretzels, oozing with gooey goodness as quickly as you chew in. The candy cream cheese pretzel is my private favourite, a dessert-centric tackle the new pretzel. However the jalapeño cheese is robustly savory with the correct quantity of spice.

7. Turkey hoagie

If you happen to don’t make turkey sandwich, you don’t make good sandwiches. Interval. However Wawa hoagies are the stuff of legend, so they get this proper. Whilst they add extra artistic and impressive sandwiches to their arsenal, I discover myself pulled again to the basic turkey sub time and time once more. No placing on airs right here, it’s merely a sandwich of the folks. A canvas for mayo and sufficient oil and vinegar to have it seeping out onto its wrapping paper, a Wawa turkey hoagie is the MVP of seaside days all summer season lengthy.

6. Chocolate chip cookie

I consider it was Nick Miller, of “New Lady” sitcom lore, who as soon as made the profound proclamation: “Gave me cookie, obtained you cookie.” And there aren’t many higher cookies to get than a large cookie at Wawa. The baked items listed here are terrific — I’d say surprisingly so, however each Wawa vet is aware of this at this level. The doughnuts and danishes are marvelous, however a large chocolate chip cookie takes the cake. It’s like a chocolatey hug for the soul … which you can dunk in milk.

5. Espresso

Not “meals,” however mainly meals. Java snobs and low casuals alike can agree, Wawa espresso is important. It’s at all times contemporary and there are such a lot of totally different flavors and varieties it may be virtually overwhelming, mixed with each milk and creamer possibility recognized to man. But it surely wouldn’t be Wawa if it didn’t embrace a smorgasbord of choices, wouldn’t it? And that’s simply the common sizzling espresso choices. We haven’t even touched on the iced espresso or frozen espresso drinks. We don’t have to. A sizzling cup of joe from Wawa is iconic.

4. The Gobbler

Wawa is seasonal, child! Each fall, our favourite Thanksgiving sandwich finds its method again onto the contact display at Wawas throughout New Jersey. What higher option to have a good time our most gluttonous vacation then with Wawa’s most gluttonous hoagie? Scorching turkey, gravy, stuffing and cranberry sauce on a roll — simply writing that makes me need to go to sleep in entrance of a TV whereas watching a foul soccer sport. It’s hardly essentially the most aesthetically pleasing sandwich at Wawa, however it’s one in every of their most satisfying.

3. Iced tea

If you happen to go to Wawa and didn’t get an iced tea, did you actually go to Wawa? We will quibble about which taste is finest — raspberry is my private favourite, lemon is tried and true and everybody loves peach (my overbearing editor worships the lemonade tea; he wouldn’t permit the story to publish with out this apart). However there’s no debating if this isn’t the right accoutrement for almost any Wawa order. The insane sweetness counters the saltiness of the hoagies, and refreshes like nothing else.

2. Italian hoagie

Is there something extra Jersey than a pile of cured meat on a roll from Wawa? Advantageous, possibly an Italian sandwich from a neighborhood Italian deli. However as soon as once more, New Jerseyans drop their pretensions about their favourite native spots on the subject of Wawa. Nowhere is that extra evident than with the Italian sub. This isn’t the perfect Italian sandwich you’ll ever eat, however it’s constantly glorious and handy — Wawa personified.

1. Mushy pretzel

Throw out every part about delicate pretzels. Drive to Wawa. Get one in every of their delicate pretzels. It isn’t simply the perfect delicate pretzel you’ll ever have, it’s the perfect merchandise Wawa serves. Crusty but chewy, salty but barely candy, these figure-eight-shaped wonders are ready for you at checkout at each Wawa — until the run out, which might destroy an entire weekend. One pretzel is an ideal snack or aspect merchandise to go alongside a sandwich. A double pretzel (a steal at $1.99) is hearty sufficient to be a meal by itself. Is it a wholesome meal? Completely not. You’re not at Wawa in your well being. You’re right here to be glad, and that first chew into one in every of these salty, doughy ropes is pure bliss.

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Jeremy Schneider could also be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com and adopted on Twitter at @J_Schneider and on Instagram at @JeremyIsHungryAgain.