Before the age of milk tea, there were milkshakes. These creamy, thick classics go with just about everything – they’re even great as stand-alone desserts for when you want something sweet that doesn’t involve a fork. Hype or no hype, there’s no doubt that these sips of heaven are here to stay, so we’ve listed the 12 best ones you can order in terms of flavor, and of course, creaminess.
The OG of milkshakes in the metro, Starr’s Famous Shakes have been serving their wonderful concoctions way before these desserts blew up in popularity years ago. This milkshake bar, which also serves other appetizing snacks like hotdogs and corndogs, can be easily considered an institution with their ingenious flavors that range from the classic strawberry to the more adventurous bubblegum. You also have the option to make your own milkshake mix – just choose a base shake and a variety of toppings like hazelnut fudge and dark choco droplets if you’re feeling extra crafty about your dessert. Can’t decide between a sweet snack and a drink? Their Red Velvet and Oreo Pancake is the perfect one-two punch that can satisfy your cravings.
2. Farmacy Ice Cream and Soda Fountain
Farmacy already earned a spot in our list of places that serves the best ice creams in the metro, but this dessert haven also deserves a mention here for their milkshakes. Using homemade ice cream and the creamiest of ingredients, their milkshakes hit the perfect middle between sweet and overwhelming. Their classic strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate glasses are top-notch, but you can also order more interesting flavors like matcha and cookie dough or caramel popcorn. Need a little something extra? You can even add a shot of booze in your shake, because why not?
Homegrown sweet shop The Lost Bread first got in the grid for their Overshakes, over-the-top milkshakes that are as drool-worthy as they are perfect Instagram fodder. This place had somehow claimed the title of serving some of the craziest milkshakes in the city, but for all the pomp and the grandeur of their toppings, they are also one of the best when it comes to consistency, creaminess, and thickness of their offerings. Don’t get overwhelmed if you see a cloud of cotton candy sitting on top of your glass, this is quite the norm for The Lost Bread’s menu for this treat. Our recent favorite is the Match-O milkshake which is made of 100% vanilla ice cream, drizzled with pure matcha powder.
This place may be most-known for its Italian Ice, but you should never dare snub it for its milkshakes! Rita’s Italian Ice knows a thing or two about making iced desserts – they use the Italian art of making gelato on their other treats – so you can expect to be surprised by their milkshakes which are crafted straight from the many flavors of their frozen custards. You have the option to choose from their classic ones (their vanilla is the best) or try their fancier options like Chocolate Covered Strawberry. Each milkshake comes with a huge dollop of heavy whipped cream and a cherry on top.
5. Filling Station Bar and Cafe
The moment you step inside Filling Station Bar and Cafe, you’ll know that the place has GOOD milkshakes. The 50s inspired cafe has all the elements of a retro soda bar, from its seats down to the uniforms of its servers. We recommend you to order any of their classic milkshakes which, though simple in presentation, definitely delivers in terms of creaminess and flavor. Even a glass of one is more than enough to make you full (they sometimes even give you an extra container since their milkshake glass can’t hold all of it), though we suggest you pair it with any of their burgers or pancakes. Don’t forget to snap a photo of you sipping your drink on the vintage Cadillac in the middle of the restaurant for that ultimate Archie comics vibe.
This place may be known to many now for its coffee, but its milkshakes can definitely hold its own against other places that focus on serving desserts. Originally an upscale grocery place from New York, Dean & Deluca is known for its simple no-frills menu – a character that is definitely reflected on its offering of drinks. Its French Vanilla Bean is specifically a stand out without the frills and the pomp but with all the flavors one would need in a creamy milkshake. We also recommend their Mango Sticky Rice milkshake which is the perfect mix of refreshing and creamy.
7. Fatburger
Fatburger definitely knows that if there’s one thing that goes best with quality lean Angus beef burgers, its creamy milkshakes. The place, which specializes in premium grub, has one of the best offerings of classic milkshakes in town. Each tall glass is made with hand-scooped ice cream with a consistency that won’t make you work your straw too hard to slurp. The strawberry milkshake, which has a light sweet taste, goes best with their flavorful premium beef burgers and hotdogs.
From its name alone, you’ll know Sweet Ecstacy delivers when it comes to their menu. The classic drive-by restaurant which offers other treats like onion rings, fries, burgers, and wings, is the perfect place to go if you’re wanting to have a filling cheat day or a space to chill after a night of drinking. Their milkshakes, in particular, are made of melted ice cream and has hints of malt that make for a sweet but not overwhelming taste. Each one is served in a classic white cup, which, though not fancy, will definitely give you that noisy slurping moment in the end.
Want an all-American experience dining experience? Johnny Rockets’ menu is crafted to give you exactly that – it’s milkshakes, most especially. Their drinks have everything a quintessential creamy shake should have with USDA Certified premium vanilla ice cream, whole milk, and heavy whip cream. Johnny Rockets’ original shakes (Hershey’s Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry) go with everything on their menu but you should also never miss trying their range of deluxe shakes (which has a whopping 12 varieties) as well! Our favorite is the Strawberry Chocolate Swirl, a tall glass of creamy berry goodness with hints of chocolate.
10. Sunnies Cafe
Born from the aesthetic minds of the IT Girls is Sunnies Cafe, everyone’s favorite spot for brunch, dinner, cocktails, and yes, milkshakes! This food spot has everything anyone who loves to talk food in their social feed wants, and it’s a huge plus that it definitely knows what it’s doing with its choices of creamy milkshakes. Sunnies Cafe does lean on the extra side when it comes to its flavors – with quirky names like Salted Caramelsutra and Charlie’s Golden Ticket – and while it does have a pretty limited selection, it does a good job in all of its milkshake offerings. We love the Kimye, their rendition of cookies and cream milkshake with Nutella, crushed Oreos, and malted milk.
A master of iced treats, it doesn’t come surprising that Sebastian’s Ice Cream found a spot on this list. Similar to its other offerings of iced desserts, milkshakes from this sweets shop tend to lean on the quirky side when it comes to flavors! As unique as their range are, Sebastian’s creamy milkshakes definitely deliver. Those who want something more familiar-tasting can order their Fudge Brownie Masterpiece, their version of chocolate milkshake on steroids made with a blend of rich chocolate ice cream, crushed Oreos, housemade brownies, fudge, and chocolate whipped cream. If you want a taste of something more out of this world, however, you can order their Classic Taho Milkshake which is made with real tofu, soymilk ice cream, and sago. It’s 100 percent dairy-free, too!
12. Shake Shack
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably already know that Shake Shack, aka world-famous burger joint, has finally opened its first branch in the Philippines. The place is currently experiencing floods of people wanting to try its burgers since its opening day, but there’s also one item in their menu that has been receiving lots of love—their milkshakes! As a nod to our local culture, Shake Shack came up with an ube milkshake, a twist on our favorite flavor that goes perfectly well with their burgers and fries. Their milkshake doesn’t come with a whipped cream topping and is a little thinner in consistency than the usual creamy delights we are used to, but it does capture the perfect flavor that we all love since childhood.
