NYC Milkshake Spots: Where to Find the Best Milkshakes in NYC
New York City takes dessert seriously, and milkshakes are no exception.
Across Manhattan and Brooklyn, you’ll find everything from old-school malteds made at century-old soda fountains to towering dessert creations, small-batch ice cream shakes, seasonal flavors, and modern interpretations of the classic burger-and-shake combination.
If you’re searching for the best milkshakes in NYC, the fun is deciding what kind of shake you’re after.
Want classic New York nostalgia? There’s a counter for that.
Want something completely over the top? NYC has you covered.
Looking for handcrafted shakes made with high-quality ingredients and flavors that go beyond chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry? That’s where Harlem Shake® enters the conversation.
Here’s our guide to some of the milkshake spots worth knowing across New York City.
Key Takeaways
- NYC’s milkshake scene ranges from classic soda fountains to modern specialty shake destinations.
- Harlem Shake® makes handcrafted organic milkshakes using Organic Valley whole milk and organic Blue Marble Ice Cream.
- The signature Harlem Shake® blends ice cream with red velvet cake from local Harlem bakery Make My Cake.
- Seasonal specials give Harlem Shake®‘s menu additional variety, including creations like the Orange Dreamsicle.
- Classic NYC destinations like Lexington Candy Shop offer a completely different old-school milkshake experience.
- Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain is another destination for vintage soda-fountain nostalgia.
- Black Tap is known for extravagant, highly decorated CrazyShakes®.
- Harlem Shake® has convenient locations in Harlem and Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Harlem Shake®: Handcrafted Milkshakes With NYC Personality
If we’re talking about standout milkshakes in New York City, we have to start at home.
Harlem Shake® approaches the milkshake the same way we approach our burgers: start with quality ingredients, respect the classics, and leave enough room to have some fun.
Every Harlem Shake® milkshake starts with organic NY Fresh whole milk from Organic Valley and organic Blue Marble Ice Cream. From there, we build everything from familiar favorites to flavors with a little more personality.
You’ll find classics including vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, Black & White, and Cookies & Cream alongside Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter, Mocha, and other flavors.
And then there’s the shake with our name on it.
The Harlem Shake® is our signature and best-selling shake, made with Blue Marble Ice Cream and red velvet cake from local Harlem bakery Make My Cake.
It’s part milkshake, part cake, and very New York.
Seasonal Milkshakes Keep Things Interesting
Sometimes you want chocolate. Sometimes you want to see what we’ve been up to. Harlem Shake®’s rotating specials give us room to experiment beyond the permanent shake menu.
The Orange Dreamsicle, for example, combines blood orange, white peppermint, and vanilla before getting topped with whipped cream and candied orange peel. It’s bright, creamy, nostalgic, and a good example of what happens when a familiar flavor gets the Harlem Shake® treatment.
Because seasonal shakes rotate, the current selection may change. Check our milkshake menu before visiting if you’re coming specifically for a limited-time flavor.
Lexington Candy Shop: For Old-School NYC Milkshakes
If your ideal milkshake comes with a side of New York history, Lexington Candy Shop belongs on the list.
The Upper East Side luncheonette has been around since 1925 and remains one of NYC’s classic soda-fountain experiences. Milkshakes and malteds are part of the attraction, alongside egg creams, floats, fountain drinks, and traditional diner food.
For milkshake lovers who appreciate old-school malt powder, vintage atmosphere, and a real luncheonette counter, Lexington Candy Shop offers something increasingly difficult to find in NYC.
Black Tap: When Your Milkshake Needs Its Own Photo Shoot
On the complete opposite end of the milkshake spectrum sits Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer – 35th St.
Black Tap became famous for its CrazyShakes®, which take the basic idea of a milkshake and ask, “What if we put an entire dessert on top of this?”
Depending on the creation, shakes can arrive loaded with cake, cookies, candy, whipped cream, and other toppings. Black Tap also offers more traditional shake flavors if you’re not looking for a dessert with its own gravitational pull.
Go here when spectacle is part of what you’re craving.
Brooklyn Farmacy: Classic Soda Fountain Meets Brooklyn
Over in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain offers another take on New York’s soda-fountain tradition.
The setting is part of the experience: Brooklyn Farmacy operates from a restored former neighborhood pharmacy and leans heavily into classic soda-shop nostalgia.
Milkshake choices range from straightforward classics to more playful creations. Its Rainbow Connection, for example, pairs a milkshake with plenty of rainbow sprinkles, while other options incorporate flavors like peanut butter, espresso, and frozen hot chocolate.
What Makes a Great NYC Milkshake?
There isn’t one correct answer. That’s what makes hunting down the best milkshakes in New York fun.
Some people want a thick chocolate shake that tastes exactly like the one they remember drinking as a kid. Others want real malt powder, unexpected flavors, premium ice cream, locally sourced ingredients, or something enormous enough to qualify as dinner.
For us, ingredient quality matters.
Harlem Shake® uses organic whole milk and organic Blue Marble Ice Cream rather than treating the ice cream and dairy as an afterthought. Flavorings include ingredients such as red velvet cake, Italian Fabbri pastes, and house-made salted caramel.
A good shake doesn’t need twenty toppings. It needs to taste good from the first sip to the last.
Classic vs. Creative Milkshakes in NYC
One of the best things about NYC’s milkshake scene is that you don’t have to pick a side.
Traditionalists can head to a historic luncheonette and order a malted. Dessert maximalists can tackle a CrazyShake®. And if you’re somewhere in the middle, Harlem Shake® gives you both directions.
Order a straightforward vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry shake when that’s what you’re craving. Try Salted Caramel or Peanut Butter when you want to mix it up. Go straight for our signature red velvet Harlem Shake® when you want something unmistakably ours. Or check out the rotating specials and see what’s currently behind the counter.
No milkshake manifesto required.
Where to Get Harlem Shake® Milkshakes in NYC
Harlem Shake® has two New York City locations.
Our original Harlem restaurant is at 100 W. 124th Street at Lenox Avenue in Central Harlem. It’s where the Harlem Shake® story started and remains our uptown home.
Our Brooklyn restaurant brings the same burger-and-shake spirit to Park Slope.
Both locations serve our handcrafted organic milkshakes, so whether you’re searching for milkshakes in Manhattan or milkshakes in Brooklyn, there’s a Harlem Shake® option.
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Don’t Forget the Burger
Could you come to Harlem Shake® exclusively for a milkshake? Absolutely.
Would we recommend adding a smashed burger and fries? Also absolutely.
Harlem Shake® was built around that timeless combination of burgers, fries, and shakes. Our Harlem Classic features two patties of our proprietary Pat LaFrieda beef blend with American cheese, homemade pickles, onions, and special sauce on a buttered and toasted Martin’s Potato Roll.
Add fries. Choose your shake. Suddenly your milkshake tour has become lunch. Funny how that happens.
Find Your Favorite Milkshake in New York City
There probably isn’t one universally “best” milkshake in NYC. And that’s a good thing.
The best shake might be a malted served across a vintage counter. It might arrive buried underneath an outrageous pile of toppings. It might be a Brooklyn soda-fountain creation. Or it might involve organic ice cream, red velvet cake, and a trip to Harlem. New York gives you plenty of opportunities to conduct the necessary research.
At Harlem Shake®, we’ll keep doing our part with handcrafted shakes, quality ingredients, classic flavors, and seasonal creations that give you another reason to check the menu. Come find your favorite.
Frequently Asked Questions About NYC Milkshakes
Where can I get a good milkshake in NYC?
New York City has milkshake destinations representing several styles. Harlem Shake® specializes in handcrafted organic shakes, Lexington Candy Shop is known for classic soda-fountain milkshakes and malteds, Black Tap specializes in elaborate CrazyShakes®, and Brooklyn Farmacy offers a nostalgic Brooklyn soda-fountain experience.
What are some of the best milkshake spots in NYC?
Popular NYC milkshake destinations include Harlem Shake®, Lexington Candy Shop, Black Tap, and Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain. The best choice depends on whether you’re looking for a classic malted, handcrafted shake, specialty flavor, or elaborate dessert shake.
What makes Harlem Shake®‘s milkshakes different?
Harlem Shake® makes its shakes with organic NY Fresh whole milk from Organic Valley and organic Blue Marble Ice Cream. Its menu combines traditional flavors with more distinctive creations, including its signature red velvet Harlem Shake® and rotating seasonal specials.
What is the Harlem Shake® milkshake?
The Harlem Shake® is the restaurant’s signature and best-selling milkshake. It’s made with Blue Marble Ice Cream and red velvet cake from local Harlem bakery Make My Cake.
Does Harlem Shake® have seasonal milkshakes?
Yes. Harlem Shake® offers rotating specials in addition to its core shake menu. Current and past specials can vary, so check the restaurant’s menu for the latest availability.
What is the Orange Dreamsicle Shake at Harlem Shake®?
The Orange Dreamsicle is a Harlem Shake® rotating special made with blood orange, white peppermint, and vanilla, topped with whipped cream and candied orange peel. Availability can change because it is part of the rotating-specials menu.
Does Harlem Shake® have classic milkshake flavors?
Yes. Harlem Shake® offers classic flavors including vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, Black & White, and Cookies & Cream, along with specialty options such as Salted Caramel, Mocha, and Peanut Butter.
Where can I get a milkshake in Harlem?
Harlem Shake®’s original restaurant is located at 100 W. 124th Street at Lenox Avenue in Harlem and serves its full lineup of handcrafted organic milkshakes.
Where can I get a milkshake in Brooklyn?
Harlem Shake® has a Brooklyn location in Park Slope. Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain in Carroll Gardens is another well-known Brooklyn destination for milkshakes and classic soda-fountain desserts.
Are Harlem Shake® milkshakes made with organic ingredients?
Harlem Shake® states that all of its shakes are made with organic NY Fresh whole milk from Organic Valley and organic Blue Marble Ice Cream. Additional ingredients vary by flavor.
Can I get food with my milkshake at Harlem Shake®?
Yes. Harlem Shake® serves smashed burgers, fries, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, and other comfort-food options alongside its milkshake menu.
