Egg Creams Are So Haute Right Now?

Making a classic egg cream (smoothdude's flickr).

The past few years New York's food scene has seen a renaissance of haute comfort food—from fancy Pat La Frieda burgers to artisanal mac 'n' cheese to carefully sourced pizzas— so is it any surprise that now that the basics have been covered restaurateurs are starting to give old standards, like the mythical New York egg cream, a second look? Though in 2008 the Times said that "the egg cream seems to have gone the way of stickball, soda fountains and other elements of lost New York," the drink just got a massive seal of foodie approval: it now has its own mini-course at Eleven Madison Park.

Of course, EMP's drink isn't quite your father's egg cream. Explains the Times:

It’s not for purists. The Eleven Madison Park egg cream is a riff, and made with malted milk syrup and vanilla beans, Battenkill Creamery milk and seltzer from one of the last suppliers in the city that refills old-school bottles. In a four-star flourish, a splash of olive oil is added with a silver oil can from Tiffany & Company. But it’s still a soda fountain drink, and it’s served in an inexpensive Libby Glass tumbler, the kind you buy by the case on the Bowery.

Now, ignoring the fact that the actual Bowery was historically not a place where you would ever get an egg cream, we aren't going to knock on anyone who tries to bring a classic back to the spotlight. Especially a true New York original creation like the egg cream. So instead we'll simply point out that, now that they are arguably "in" again, if you don't want to shell out $125 for a multi-course meal that happens to include an egg cream? That is ok! Egg creams, which are a perfect warm weather drink and are great for Cyclone christenings, are still available in a number of places around town.

Personally, we've always been partial to the one they serve at Gem Spa (which we've been drinking since we could walk), but they also make some darn fine egg creams at Veselka and Ray's Candy Store, to name two other downtown options. Have you got a favorite place to satisfy your egg cream fix? Share it in the comments!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Garth Johnston in Food on May 4, 2011 4:41 PM

Comments [rss]

sluntbucket

Ray's egg creams are the shit.

thomas bonelli

Bay Street Luncheonette in Staten Island...has a real soda fountain and has existed as a soda fountain/luncheonette for around 80s yrs or more (though it's seen various owners)...some of the people who come have been coming in since before ww2. Cool stuff!

http://www.silive.com/eastshor...

Peanut_Butter

I must be like the least New Yorky person. I don't like bagels and I don't like egg creams.

Douche_McGee

I love egg creams - I make mine with A&W Cream Soda instead of seltzer, tastes like a black & white cookie

actorman

Lexington Candy Shop at 83rd and Lex has a really good, if a bit pricey egg cream, but a big and properly mixed one nonetheles at a legit soda fountain.
Junior's in Grand Central makes a huge one for $3.50 and also mixes it right.
I had an excellent vanilla egg cream at Shopsin's a while back.
Sarge's Deli on 3rd Ave btw. 36th & 37th makes a good one too.
I have to say that at first I was disappointed when I saw my egg cream being made with canned seltzer the first time I went to Gem Spa, but damn it is a fine egg cream! I think the soda fountain/shop is something that many of us long for but just doesn't exist for the most part today. I conducted an informal egg cream tour/study a couple of years ago in Manhattan and while I kissed a number of frogs, the ones I listed above really stood out to me. Since there are only 3 ingredients (seltzer water, milk, chocolate (or other flavored) syrup) the key is proper mixing to ensure the right balance. Each sip should be at turns creamy, fizzy and sweet. Just my 2 cents!

nomadnewyork

Eisenberg advertises itself as having the best egg cream. I tried one. I was dissapointed. I'm pretty sure that they didn't use real seltzer either.

Justin James Lang

Recently moved to Staten Island and I had a great authentic one at Bay Street Luncheonette in Staten Island.
They have a facebook group where there are posted photos of a egg cream diagram and different fun stuff.

http://www.facebook.com/group....

jacquelynslate

I have seen the Dreyer's Grand Icecreams but in the ingredients there are some very technicals terms. I would like to check if its free from Egg, animal oil etc. Thanks!
http://doeselectroniccigarette...

ebietoo

Sunflower Diner in Kips Bay. Get em delivered with a burger :)

Adrienne McIlvaine

Brooklyn Farmacy in Carroll Gardens makes an excellent one.

Isaac Moore

Do the yuppies have to ruin EVERYTHING that is good and holy about NYC? Uggghhh....

C_Right_THRU_U

I just had a delicious one from an Uncle Louie G. ice cream stand/store in Brooklyn.

KevinJWalsh

I had an egg cream once, it was like chocolate milk without the milk. Feh...

www.forgotten-nyc.om

nomadnewyork

MILK, syrup & seltzer.

Steve Nesselroth

Without milk? Then you didn't have an egg cream.

Peanut_Butter

No, I agree. I've had 2 in my life, once at Gem Spa. Neither time tasted like there was milk.

Steve Nesselroth

No, it is not milky like a milk shake or like chocolate milk, but there are ONLY 3 ingredients in an egg cream - no more, no less. The ingredients are seltzer, syrup (chocolate or vanilla) and milk. In true late 19th Century/early 20th Century fashion, an egg cream is not super-sweet and not overly rich. You really could have one every day without being indulgent. Mr. Walsh, as the supposed standard bearer for what is disappearing in NYC, I would think that you would have at least done your homework. There is no non-alcoholic drink that is more quintessentially NY than an egg cream, and none that is in as much danger of being forgotten.