With three weeks of NFL football games officially underway, the soft pretzel is back in season. Sure, nachos, french fries, and artichoke dip are sports bar favorites, but nothing quite cuts the chill of a fall afternoon like the doughy center of a pretzel. The twists, though, aren’t easy to come by, which is why I have my go-to spots for the salty snack. When I want to make them myself, there’s Chow’s basic, malty-flavored recipe. But when I watch the game from the padded seat of a bar stool, I head to Wynkoop Brewing Company for the fresh-baked goods with cheese dip and spicy mustard, or to Rock Bottom Brewery for its Brown Ale and garlic-brushed pretzel served with spinach-cheese dip. –Kazia Jankowski