Eddie's Sweet Shop

Having been around for about 100 years, Eddie’s Sweet Shop’s claim to fame is being New York City’s oldest ice cream parlor. Enter the time warp, order a sundae with cherry syrup and a huge dollop of homemade whipped cream and make sure to bring cash. What, you thought you could pay with your phone?

The vibe: The soda fountain and fixtures add to the throwback vibe, as do the prices, which are significantly lower than those at some of the city’s more modern scoop shops. It’s frequently crowded, but don’t despair if you come to see a packed house. The tables move quickly, and the team is good at turning them over—after all, they’ve been doing this for quite a while. 

The food: This is the ice cream of American youth. Thick scoops of childhood flavors like mint chip, cherry vanilla and orange sherbet take you back like Proust’s madeleine (if Proust’s madeleine came smothered in whipped cream, topped with nuts and sprinkles and finished with a maraschino cherry dipped in Red No. 40). Order your scoop as a sundae, drizzled with syrup or topped with crushed pineapple, hot fudge or caramel, or go for the Banana Royal, which comes with three scoops of ice cream and toppings to feed the whole T-ball team. 

The drinks: Milkshakes, malteds, floats, freezes and frosteds (soda spun with ice cream) give you plenty to sip on while you sit at Eddie’s century-old counter. Mix and match any of their ice cream flavors with syrups like orange, cherry, root beer and lime. 

Time Out tip: Seriously, bring cash. They’ve got an ATM if you’re in a pinch, but it’s nice to pretend that you live in 1926 and have never heard the phrase “large language model.”