First there was ice cream: and it was good. There was cream and cold and delightful sugar all churned up together. Next came the crazy flavors and things got even better. Give me your Reese's peanut butter cups, your Butterfinger bars, your crushed Oreos yearning for chilly bliss! Who would have thought that the outrageously good could get even better? Well, the folks on this list discovered frozen nirvana in a myriad of new ways. Within our carefully concocted list you will find milkshakes made with chocolate, bacon, Sebastian Joe's ice cream, rich and frothy fruit confections and yes, the ultimate in adult decadence: the booze spiked milkshake. Strap on your fingerless gloves, brace for brain freeze and pull up a stool to join us for our favorite summer treat.
Did we miss your favorite or do grave injustice to the memory of a childhood beloved? Hit the comments and let us what you think!
The popular breakfast joint on Eat Street knows that there are many mornings when you just can’t decide between a latte and a malt. No? Just me? Anyway, wake up with the Spyhouse Caramella Malt with vanilla ice cream, caramel and a smooth as silk cold-press from Spyhouse.
These adult milkshakes are some of the best deals in town. At only $7 a pop, you can get a brain freeze and a buzz. Mom’s Salted Caramel is an over the top concoction of Absolut Vanilia, dark cacao, caramel and a brilliant salted rim. Feeling vacationy? Try the Wonderful Ice Cream Suit with Meyers Rum and white Creme de Cacao.
Let’s see if I can get through this without a single “when you’re jonesing for a malt” line. After you inhale a bucket of fries, top it off with a hard shake like the Southern Belle, crafted with Jim Beam, Peach Schnapps, Nilla Wafers, and peaches. Or maybe the sassy Nut Buster with Frangelico, Creme De Cocao and hazelnuts. There is a plethora of choices at both their Uptown and Burnsville locales.
Snuffy’s has been around for over 30 years and continues to provide classic favorites at ridiculously low prices. A burger for under $5 bucks? Believe it. Add a cherry phosphate and a basket of golden fries for the table and you’re in poodle skirt heaven. You might want to share the burger too, because the malts here feed a small army, or one and a half 9 year olds after soccer practice. A “half malt” is the size of a regular malt anywhere else and is only $3.85.
Conny’s in St. Paul is the quintessential neighborhood stand, where everyone gathers in the summer time, agreeably waiting in a winding line to get their hands on a dipped cone in one of about 1800 flavors. Their malts and shakes are equally popular, crafted by nice youngsters likely on their first summer job. Grab a seat at the picnic tables around the corner, and soak in the community vibe, even if you drove 30 minutes to get here. Work it off with a walk around Como Lake, just a few blocks West.
First, it’s called The Malt Shop, so that’s gotta be a good thing. The menu consists of diner classics like salads, burgers and a nice list of vegetarian options, but save room for their signature malts. They have unique flavors like honey, pumpkin, cantaloupe and fig, and they use fresh fruit when in season.
Annie’s has been around since the beginning of time, and they are still serving the same beloved burgers and shakes near the University of Minnesota campus. The malt flavors are mostly traditional like Oreo, Butterfinger or hot fudge, but they are familiar in the best way possible and worth another visit to good ol’ Dinkytown.
You may have noticed a theme of burgers and malts. It’s classic Americana at its best. At Convention Grill, you practically expect to see Al from Happy Days slinging burger and shaking his head at the Fonz. Red and white tablecloths and comfy booths have been welcoming families since 1934, and the quality and friendly service have not changed since.
The hottest ice cream joint in town is undoubtedly this little shop, owned by chef Sameh Wadi of Saffron and World Street Kitchen. Crazy cool flavors and a few vegan options satisfy even the most discriminating of ice cream lovers. There is , of course, the already infamous Jam Bun – an ice cream sandwich crafted from a glazed Glam Doll donut, and the malts and shakes created with unique flavors like the signature Milkjam with three kinds of caramelized milks are heavenly, but if you are over 21, try the Adult Floats with sparkling wine, beer or lambic. It’s five o’clock somewhere.
The Hi-Lo Diner is the best of all worlds. Old meets new with a beautifully restored diner car, a menu that draws on nostalgia with modern technique and an extensive list of milkshakes, some of which include booze. Enjoy them in one of the sleek booths or outside on the new, breezy patio.
This neighborhood restaurant is best known for its hot dogs, that is what it's named for after all, but what most people don't know when horking down sausages and French fries is that it's imperative that they save room for dessert. Or heck, start with dessert in the form of their s'more malt made with Sebastian Joe's ice cream, drizzled with chocolate, sprinkled with bacon and garnished with marshmallows and a doughnut. Yes, it's insane, but the best adventures are.
The popular breakfast joint on Eat Street knows that there are many mornings when you just can’t decide between a latte and a malt. No? Just me? Anyway, wake up with the Spyhouse Caramella Malt with vanilla ice cream, caramel and a smooth as silk cold-press from Spyhouse.
These adult milkshakes are some of the best deals in town. At only $7 a pop, you can get a brain freeze and a buzz. Mom’s Salted Caramel is an over the top concoction of Absolut Vanilia, dark cacao, caramel and a brilliant salted rim. Feeling vacationy? Try the Wonderful Ice Cream Suit with Meyers Rum and white Creme de Cacao.
Let’s see if I can get through this without a single “when you’re jonesing for a malt” line. After you inhale a bucket of fries, top it off with a hard shake like the Southern Belle, crafted with Jim Beam, Peach Schnapps, Nilla Wafers, and peaches. Or maybe the sassy Nut Buster with Frangelico, Creme De Cocao and hazelnuts. There is a plethora of choices at both their Uptown and Burnsville locales.
Snuffy’s has been around for over 30 years and continues to provide classic favorites at ridiculously low prices. A burger for under $5 bucks? Believe it. Add a cherry phosphate and a basket of golden fries for the table and you’re in poodle skirt heaven. You might want to share the burger too, because the malts here feed a small army, or one and a half 9 year olds after soccer practice. A “half malt” is the size of a regular malt anywhere else and is only $3.85.
Conny’s in St. Paul is the quintessential neighborhood stand, where everyone gathers in the summer time, agreeably waiting in a winding line to get their hands on a dipped cone in one of about 1800 flavors. Their malts and shakes are equally popular, crafted by nice youngsters likely on their first summer job. Grab a seat at the picnic tables around the corner, and soak in the community vibe, even if you drove 30 minutes to get here. Work it off with a walk around Como Lake, just a few blocks West.
First, it’s called The Malt Shop, so that’s gotta be a good thing. The menu consists of diner classics like salads, burgers and a nice list of vegetarian options, but save room for their signature malts. They have unique flavors like honey, pumpkin, cantaloupe and fig, and they use fresh fruit when in season.
Annie’s has been around since the beginning of time, and they are still serving the same beloved burgers and shakes near the University of Minnesota campus. The malt flavors are mostly traditional like Oreo, Butterfinger or hot fudge, but they are familiar in the best way possible and worth another visit to good ol’ Dinkytown.
You may have noticed a theme of burgers and malts. It’s classic Americana at its best. At Convention Grill, you practically expect to see Al from Happy Days slinging burger and shaking his head at the Fonz. Red and white tablecloths and comfy booths have been welcoming families since 1934, and the quality and friendly service have not changed since.
The hottest ice cream joint in town is undoubtedly this little shop, owned by chef Sameh Wadi of Saffron and World Street Kitchen. Crazy cool flavors and a few vegan options satisfy even the most discriminating of ice cream lovers. There is , of course, the already infamous Jam Bun – an ice cream sandwich crafted from a glazed Glam Doll donut, and the malts and shakes created with unique flavors like the signature Milkjam with three kinds of caramelized milks are heavenly, but if you are over 21, try the Adult Floats with sparkling wine, beer or lambic. It’s five o’clock somewhere.
The Hi-Lo Diner is the best of all worlds. Old meets new with a beautifully restored diner car, a menu that draws on nostalgia with modern technique and an extensive list of milkshakes, some of which include booze. Enjoy them in one of the sleek booths or outside on the new, breezy patio.
This neighborhood restaurant is best known for its hot dogs, that is what it's named for after all, but what most people don't know when horking down sausages and French fries is that it's imperative that they save room for dessert. Or heck, start with dessert in the form of their s'more malt made with Sebastian Joe's ice cream, drizzled with chocolate, sprinkled with bacon and garnished with marshmallows and a doughnut. Yes, it's insane, but the best adventures are.
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