Sure, the Super Bowl happens in the dead of winter, but why let that stop you from enjoying a cold treat? Especially in Phoenix, when it's likely a balmy 70 degrees outside.
We used to think of milkshakes as a summertime treat only, until we moved to the Valley. Now they're as essential to us year-round as sunscreen, flip-flops, and car window shades. Whenever we're in the mood to cool down with a creamy, dreamy chocolate malted, or a picture-perfect strawberry shake with whipped cream and a cherry on top, we head to MacAlpine's Soda Fountain, where hand-scooped Thrifty ice cream, mixed to a froth with an old-fashioned milkshake blender, is one of the house specialties. Other sweet, slurpable options include phosphates in a variety of fruit flavors, egg creams, ice cream sodas, and floats. (We think sundaes might count, too, if you let them melt a little.)
Part of the fun of going to MacAlpine's, which dates to 1928, is sitting at the counter for an authentic soda fountain experience, or shimmying into a big wooden booth with a good view of all the vintage Pepsi and Coca-Cola signs on the walls. It makes us think about what the Valley might've been like back in the good ol' days, before it was a sweltering metropolis -- and that alone makes us feel just a little bit cooler.
MacAlpine's Soda Fountain: 2303 N. 7th St., Phoenix, 602-262-5545 www.macalpinessodafountain.com Map
