Get nostalgic at Wisconsin’s 7 old-fashioned soda fountains

Belly up to the bar and order a phosphate, malt or soda at these old-fashioned, timeless soda fountains throughout Wisconsin.

To step back into the middle of the 20th century, it’s as easy as visiting a soda fountain. Fortunately, many remain in Wisconsin, particularly in storybook small towns. At a soda fountain, you can order vintage, classic soda drinks like Green River or Blue Moon, or make your own by jazzing up seltzer water with flavored syrup. Dairy delights are also usually on the menu, such as malts, floats and shakes; a scoop of ice cream; a banana split; or a hot-fudge sundae. In addition to drinks and ice cream, many are known for their burgers. Oftentimes, these soda fountains are true throwbacks to the 1950s, with stainless-steel countertops, bar stools that spin, and checkered tile flooring for a vintage vibe.

Here are seven soda fountains in Wisconsin that have weathered many decades and continue to be a social hotspot in these communities for locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re a foodie with a sweet tooth or long for nostalgia, these soda fountains are the perfect place.

1. Ferch’s Malt Shoppe & Grille, Greendale

Located in the downtown area of this Milwaukee suburb, staff wear white paper hats at the soda fountain and serve guests seated on bar-height stools crafted from chrome and vinyl. For fountain sodas, visitors can choose from eight different flavors, including Green River, chocolate, and cherry. Another highlight is the DIY ice cream: Choose a custard flavor and either one, two, or three mix-ins of candies, nuts, fruits, and snacks, such as gummi bears, pecans, pineapple, and cheesecake bites.

2. Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream, Ephraim

Since 1906, this parlor, with its iconic red-and-white striped awning, has been a Door County institution. Open seasonally, it’s right across the street from a beach hugging Green Bay, making it an ideal spot in the warmer months for enjoying food and drinks to-go. House-brewed draft root beer served in a frosted mug is one specialty, as is a root beer float. Flavored malts and shakes, innovative sundaes (like the Cherry Berry Delight, folding in Door County cherry topping), and ice-cream coolers (such as a Boston cooler, blending ginger ale with French vanilla ice cream) are also on the menu.

Photo courtesy of Dan Eggert//Wilson’s Ice Cream Parlor.

3. Lauber’s Ice Cream Parlor, East Troy

Dating back to 1974, this parlor channels the 1920s and is located two blocks off of the town square. From the hand-painted sign on its front door to shelving stocked with vintage packaging, as well as a penny counter for purchasing nostalgic candies, spending time here is like entering into a time capsule. Among the menu items is a Green River float. Enjoy your order at the counter or at the sweetheart table sets.

4. Tin Roof, Baraboo

Featuring Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream flavors, the sundaes here are unique, such as ice-cream nachos, Hot Tin Roof, and Dirt (with Oreo cookies) as well as classic renditions like a hot-fudge sundae. Ten different phosphate sodas, along with Black Cows and Brown Cows, also do their part to dial it back to the last century. This parlor also does a good job of offering dairy-free ice cream options that can be used for sundaes and drinks.

5. Gessert’s Ice Cream & Confectionary, Elkhart Lake

Now a little more than 100 years old—this parlor debuted in the mid-1920s—and much of it hasn’t changed, such as candy tucked into glass jars and owned by the same family. Order a cone of hand-dipped ice cream, malts, shakes, and sundaes (options include hot fudge, turtle, and banana split). Another popular order is an ice-cream soda.

6. The Pearl, La Crosse

Although this parlor only opened in 1993, the décor is completely dedicated to the 1930s. With Billie Holiday tunes playing, it’s within an 1874 building tucked into a historic walking mall. Ice cream is made in small batches and results in unique flavors like Snappin’ Turtle, Coconut Caramel, Banana Blondie, and Key Lime Crunch. 

Photo courtesy of The Pearl.

7. Chippewa Valley Ice Cream Parlor, Eau Claire

You’ll find this parlor (open Saturday and Sunday only) inside the Chippewa Valley Museum. The marble soda fountain was at Dor Smith’s, an ice-cream parlor and antiques shop in downtown Eau Claire, from 1912 to 1922 and then relocated to a drug store in Fall Creek. Since 1977, the fountain has been inside the museum, welcoming guests to cozy up to the red bar stools and order a refreshing ice-cream treat.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.