Ice cream shops come and go, but a few New York spots still serve sundaes the old-fashioned way, piled into tall glasses at a real soda fountain. These are the places with marble counters, spinning stools, and homemade scoops that have been done the same way for decades.
Some have been around for a century, and one is the last of a chain that started in the 1800s. If you love a banana split done right and a room that feels like a step back in time, this list is worth saving.
Here are seven parlors across the city and Long Island where dessert still arrives in glassware built to impress.
1. Eddie’s Sweet Shop, Flushing, NY
Step through the door on Metropolitan Avenue and the marble counter, wooden booths, and clinking sundae glasses set the tone before you even sit down. This Forest Hills corner of Flushing has been serving scoops for more than a century.
The ice cream is made from scratch on-site, a tradition the shop has kept going for generations. That homemade base shows up in flavors like Coffee Chip, Maple Walnut, and Raspberry Sherbet.
The Banana Royal is the showstopper here, though the classic Sundae with Syrup, milkshakes, and egg creams keep the menu firmly rooted in soda fountain history.
It runs on table service with counter stools, and it draws solo diners, groups, and families alike. Hours are limited, so plan around them: it opens at 3 PM Wednesday through Sunday and stays closed Monday and Tuesday.
Friday and Saturday afternoons and Sunday evenings get busy, so an early weekday visit is your best bet for a quiet seat. Street parking, both free and paid, is available nearby.
2. Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain, Brooklyn, NY
Housed in a preserved Brooklyn pharmacy on Henry Street, this Carroll Gardens fixture kept the old apothecary bones and turned them into a soda shop. The vintage aesthetic and retro touches are part of the draw.
The sundae menu leans creative here. Look for the Warm Brownie Sundae, the Spice Cake Sundae, the Affugazi Affogato Sundae, and the playfully named Sundae of Broken Dreams Cookie Monster.
Egg creams, root beer floats, and a Cookies and Cream milkshake round things out, alongside coffee and comfort food if you want more than dessert.
It is a welcoming spot with table service and seating, family-friendly and LGBTQ+ friendly, with a gender-neutral restroom and free Wi-Fi. Dogs are allowed at outdoor seats.
Saturday evenings are the peak, while weekday afternoons stay calmer. It opens at 2 PM most days and earlier on weekends, with free street parking around the block.
Delivery and takeout are available too, but the dine-in room is the whole point.
3. Jahn’s, Jackson Heights, NY
Once part of a chain that started back in 1897, this Jackson Heights location is the last outpost of Jahn’s still standing. The old-fashioned decor and vintage atmosphere carry that long history.
The famed Jahn’s sundae is the reason to come: three scoops of ice cream crowned with a generous swirl of whipped cream, served in the kind of tall stainless-and-glass presentation the chain was known for.
Beyond sundaes, the menu covers a full day. You can order the Jahn’s Special Omelette at breakfast, a Banana Split for dessert, or a Belgian Waffle a La Mode any time.
Unlike the shorter fountain hours elsewhere on this list, Jahn’s runs 7 AM to 8 PM every day, making it an easy stop morning, noon, or night. Prices land around ten to twenty dollars per person.
It welcomes groups and kids, offers a kids’ menu and high chairs, and even accepts reservations. Weekend mornings and afternoons are busiest, so a midweek visit means quicker seating.
4. Hildebrandt’s, Williston Park, NY
Going strong since 1927, this Williston Park soda shop has kept its old-fashioned fountain running for nearly a hundred years. The counter and 1920s soda-shop setup are the real thing, not a re-creation.
Homemade ice cream anchors the whole operation, and it shows up in specialty sundaes like the Walnut Sundae and the Whipped Cream Sprinkle Sundae. Floats, egg creams, and a Banana Split keep the classic fountain list intact.
There is also full diner fare if you want a meal first. The menu includes a Turkey Club, French Onion Soup, and Mozzarella Sticks.
The schedule is worth noting because it swings wide. It closes Monday, opens at noon midweek, and stays open until midnight on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with an early Sunday close at 5 PM.
Saturday afternoons and evenings are the busiest stretch. It is family-friendly with table service, dogs are welcome at outdoor seats, and both free and paid street parking are close by.
5. Parkside Candy, Buffalo, NY
Buffalo’s contribution to this list is an art deco confectionery with an interior you will remember long after the ice cream is gone. The oval room has held onto its early 1900s look, with dim yellow lights, checkered floor tiles, and pastel walls hung with the shop’s own history.
Ice cream creations, chocolates, and milkshakes are the specialties here. The shop is also known around town for its sponge candy, a Buffalo favorite.
Sitting at Main Street and Winspear near the University Heights area, it feels like a piece of the Queen City that never modernized. The setting alone makes the sundae taste more special.
Hours are steady and daytime-friendly: 11 AM to 6 PM Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 PM on Sunday. Afternoons tend to draw the biggest crowds throughout the week.
Parking is easy compared to the city shops, with a free lot, on-site spots, and free street parking. Plan a quick visit, grab a treat, and take in the room.
6. Serendipity 3, New York, NY
Frozen Hot Chocolate is the signature, and it has made this Upper East Side dessert destination a genuine NYC landmark. The Serendipity 3 and its towering sundaes arrive in oversized glassware built for sharing.
The whimsical, packed-in decor is part of the fun. Cinema fans may recognize the room, and it draws tourists, students, families, and groups all crowding in for the sweets.
The menu goes well past dessert. You can order Not Yo’ Ordinary Nachos, the Ultimate BLT, Mac N Cheese, or the Creme De La Creme Cheesecake before diving into the ice cream.
A few practical notes matter here more than anywhere else on the list. It is a small, popular spot at 225 E 60th St, reservations are recommended and often required, and there is usually a wait.
Prices run around twenty to thirty dollars per person, and parking in the area is difficult, so plan on a garage or transit. It stays open until 11 PM daily, with weekend afternoons the busiest.
7. Krisch’s, Massapequa, NY
Huge scoops of homemade ice cream topped with homemade whipped cream sum up the appeal of this 1950s-style diner in Massapequa. The retro room comes complete with a soda counter and a lengthy menu.
Sundae fans have plenty to choose from. The Massapequa Special Sundae is the headliner, joined by the Brownie Sundae and the smaller Junior Sundae for lighter appetites, plus an Extra Creamy Thick Shake and a Soda Float.
Because it is a full diner, you can build a real meal around dessert. Breakfast runs through the day, and options like the Cheeseburger Deluxe and Chicken Finger Platter round out lunch and dinner.
Hours are generous and stretch late on weekends, opening at 9 AM Saturday and Sunday and staying open until 10 PM on Friday and Saturday. Saturday afternoons and evenings draw the biggest crowds.
Reservations are not accepted, but parking is rarely a headache, with a free lot and free street parking. It is family-friendly with a kids’ menu, high chairs, outdoor seating, and free Wi-Fi.
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