The 10 best milkshakes in NYC to try right now

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What is it? The MB milkshake takes the flavors of the Creamsicle and turns them into a sippable frozen dessert. Made with orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream, it couldn’t be more classic—just like Julia Jean’s itself. This new scoop shop, which opened on Clinton Street in summer 2025, uses milk and cream from upstate New York and makes every one of their flavors in small batches in Manhattan. 

Why we love it: You’ll find traditional flavors like butter pecan and rocky road (the spot was named for the owner’s mother, and many of her faves, like a banana split, take top billing), but they’ve also brought a modern touch to the beloved milkshake. Try the Turkish Coffee, which swirls together ice cream with ground coffee, or any of their flavors mixed with syrup for a milkshake that’s all your own. 

Time Out tip: Try to grab a spot inside the tiny shop for a shot of nostalgia. Sip your milkshake while you watch the scoopers at work and admire the family photos that hang around the room.  

Address: 202 Clinton St, No. 7, New York, NY 10002

Opening Hours: Thu 3–10pm; Fri 3–11pm; Sat 1-11pm; Sun 1–10pm

Expect to pay: $12

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What is it? Is one of the best new milkshakes in NYC at a baked potato restaurant? We think so. From the Syrian and Korean folks who brought you the gigantic bulgogi Fatboy sandwich and falafel pizza at SYKO, this hole-in-the-wall shop right off sleepy Prospect Park West turns out two great tastes that, apparently, taste great together: baked potatoes and milkshakes. 

Why we love it: You can go for classic flavors with the strawberry banana or chocolate milkshakes, but we’re going for the baklava milkshake every single time. Inspired by the honeyed, nutty flavors of the ancient baked sweet, it’s laced with gooey caramel and green pistachios, then topped with a generous heap of whipped cream. 

Time Out tip: If you’re planning a day in the park, Spudz Slope’s location makes it the perfect place to pick up an out-of-the-box picnic. Grab a couple of baked potatoes—like the chopped cheese with beef, onions and pickled peppers, or the sujok made with minced Syrian sausage—and a milkshake with two straws, and you’ve got yourself a delicious afternoon. 

Address: 212 Prospect Park W, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Opening hours: Tue–Thu noon–midnight; Fri,Sat noon–2am

Expect to pay: $13

What is it? This new matcha spot serves up matcha lattes, gelato and soft serve so you can get your green fix, no matter the weather. We especially love it served in a soft serve frappe, which magically turns your morning matcha into a milkshake-style treat. Vibrant and earthy, the matcha frappe is unlike any other milkshake in the city—and since matcha is absolutely everybody’s favorite drink right now, you’ll want to get yours before their spot gets blown up on TikTok. 

Why we love it: With the heart of a Japanese specialty shop and a menu designed for exploring, this shop has already made it onto our must-visit list of cafes. If you want to go for the matcha gelato, you can choose a scoop from one of five levels of matcha intensity, from gently sweet to a ceremonial grade stunner. If you want to try them all, go for the “five-shade” tasting to decide which one is your fave. 

Time Out tip: Ask to have your frappe topped with warabimochi, a chewy, bite-sized sweet, or smoky, nutty hojicha. 

Address: 275 Bleecker StNew York, NY 10014

Opening hours: Daily 11am–11pm

Expect to pay: $7.50

What is it? The Munchies milkshake from Ample Hills Creamery is salty and sweet, its pretzel milk base packed with Ritz crackers, pretzels, potato chips and mini M&M’s. You can get any of Ample Hills’ inventive flavors swirled into a shake for ten bucks. Try Buzzin’ in Brookly, a coffee ice cream made with cinnamon pull-apart bread and housemade espresso toffee, for an afternoon pick-me-up, or vegan Fudge Crackle, made with coconut milk, melted chocolate and chocolate-coated Rice Krispies. 

Why we love it: Despite the ongoing ups and downs on the business side of Ample Hills, they continue to churn out some of the best ice cream in NYC. They always nail the surprising, jampacked savory-and-sweet flavors like The Munchies, Salty Malty—with pretzel-infused ice cream and homemade peanut butter cups—and Morning in Paris, in which they’ve swirled strawberry jam with an ice cream that tastes like a flaky croissant. 

Time Out tip: The Vanderbilt shop is narrow and often crowded. Score a seat on one of the Adirondack chairs outside, where you can people-watch while you sip down your milkshake. 

Address: 623 Vanderbilt Ave, Staten Island, NY 10304

Opening hours: Sun–Fri 1–11pm; Sat noon–11pm

What is it? Made for the lovers and dreamers among us, the Rainbow Connection milkshake at Brooklyn Farmacy in Carroll Gardens spins an ice cream flavor of your choice with a generous helping of rainbow sprinkles, then tops it all off with whipped cream and even more rainbow sprinkles. A trip to Brooklyn Farmacy always feels like a step back in time, and the Rainbow Connection adds an extra dose of childhood whimsy. 

Why we love it: At this old-fashioned soda fountain, the ice cream flavors are all smooth and straightforward: think chocolate, vanilla and coffee. While it might lack the flash and crunch of some of NYC’s other scoop shops, these folks know their way around the simple, satisfying milkshake. 

Time Out tip: If you want to go all out with your milkshake, order the 99 Problems sundae. They’ll pile two scoops of chocolate ice cream on a fudgy brownie, then top it with an entire vanilla milkshake, chocolate hard shell, fresh whipped cream and a cherry on top. 

Address: 513 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 2–10pm; Sat, Sun 1 pm–10pm

Expect to pay: $12

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What is it? The Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is a New York institution, a place where you'll find a delicious mashup of Chinese and American flavors, including Almond Cookie, made with Chinese almond cookies from Fu Wong Bakery, and Don Tot, with all the flavors of a creamy Chinese custard. Our favorite might be the Red Bean flavor, which results in a milkshake that’s Asian, American and totally NYC.

Why we love it: The Chinatown Ice Cream Factory has been serving scoops to New Yorkers for more than forty years. Some legends hold that ice cream was invented in China during the Tang dynasty—sushan, which was made with milk, flour, camphor and ice, was a favorite frozen treat—and the spot on Bayard Street certainly makes the case for being leaders in serving up durian, lychee and taro ice cream long before other specialty shops entered the scene. 

Time Out tip: Bayard Street, where the original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is located, is lined with incredible restaurants. Take yourself on a dumpling crawl, then end your afternoon with a cold milkshake. 

Address: 65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Daily 11am–10pm

Expect to pay: Around $10

What is it? Christina Tosi's sweet-as-candy Milk Bar empire was partially built on her iconic Cereal Milk flavor, an ode to the last gasp of sugary milk at the bottom of our childhood bowls. The Crunchy Cereal shake blends her signature Cereal Milk soft serve with Cornflake Crunch for a buttery taste of nostalgia. Blend yours with caramel sauce to up the sweet-and-salty factor even further.  

Why we love it: Milk Bar’s milkshakes are all inspired by the classics, with a Chocolate Chip Cookie shake and a Birthday shake that mixes Cereal Milk soft serve up with their famously super-sweet, rainbow sprinkle-filled B’Day Truffles. If you want to try something even more over the top, order a Milkquake, which manages to turn the Milk Bar milkshakes up to 11. They’re made even thicker—in fact, they’re meant to be eaten with a spoon—and feature swirls of fudge or caramel along with a heavy hand of mix-ins. 

Time Out tip: When you stop by the window to pick up your milkshake, grab a Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookie (or two or three), too. They’re chewy, crunchy and pair perfectly with the Crunchy Cereal Shake. 

Address: Multiple venues inc. East Village, West Village

Opening hours: Daily 10am–midnight

Expect to pay: Around $12

What is it? There's more than just shakes at Harlem Shake—in fact, there's a full menu of cravable diner fare—but you might stop by just for their eponymous drink. It’s made with Blue Marble ice cream and a slice of local Make My Cake red velvet cake, all mixed up into a milkshake that’s super thick, pleasingly pink and topped with sweet red velvet crumbs. 

Why we love it: Make My Cake’s red velvet is one of the city’s very best, born out of a home-based business that’s been churning out beloved cakes for the neighborhood for over 20 years. While it might seem impossible to one-up a platonically perfect slice of cake, Harlem Shake has managed to do just that. 

Time Out tip: Order your Harlem Shake alongside the restaurant’s cult-favorite Hot Mess burger, which is made with Pat LaFrieda beef, pickled cherry peppers, bacon and smoky chipotle mayo, and sweet yam fries. It’s a meal that’s salty, sweet and more than likely to make you want to come back tomorrow to do it all again. 

Address: 100 W 124th St, New York, NY 10027

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 11am–11pm; Fri, Sat 11am–2am

Expect to pay: $7 for a small; $9 for a large seasonal shake like the Banarama, made with an organic dark chocolate base and Habrio bananas. 

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What is it? The Black Sesame milkshake at Soft Swerve mixes their Black Sesame soft serve into a smooth, sippable milkshake. The nutty flavor is one of our faves—it tastes like a deeper, more savory peanut butter. You can swirl in two toppings, including crushed Heath toffee and crunchy, crumbly chopped vanilla cookies. Ask for the whipped cream on top of your shake to be drizzled with sea salt caramel sauce, taking the flavor straight into Twix territory. 

Why we love it: Soft Swerve’s soft serve is smooth and creamy, featuring flavors like Ube and Matcha. They also serve hard ice cream, so you can get a double scoop of Thai Tea, Frozen Hot Chocolate and Lychee Dragonfruit. You can get any of their flavors swirled into a milkshake or turned into a sundae topped with mochi, toasted coconut and photo-ready, colorful cotton candy crunch. 

Time Out tip: You’ll find different flavors at their various locations—like Malted Milk Butter Cake in Downtown Brooklyn, Hong Kong Milk Tea in Chinatown and Frozen Hot Chocolate soft serve in Flushing—so you’ll have to head around the boroughs to try them all. 

Address: Multiple venues inc. Flushing and Lower East Side

Opening hours: Sun–Wed noon–11pm; Thu–Sat noon–midnight

Expect to pay: Around $13