The 25 Best Milkshakes in America and Where to Try Them

There are more elaborate offerings on the milkshake menu at this old-style diner — for instance the Whatchamacallit (made with chocolate, caramel, Rice Krispies and peanuts) — but reviewers tend to single out the s’mores shake, blended with graham crackers and hot fudge, with a cluster of toasted marshmallows on top.

Don’t let the name of this shake scare you off: It’s short for “awful big, awful good.” More than a dozen flavors are available, but it’s the classic chocolate that gets the nod.

Alcohol-spiked milkshakes seem like the best of two worlds: the frothy ice cream-based drink we’ve loved since we were kids combined with a grown-up punch. The White Russian shake at this classic Louisiana eatery, combining homemade ice cream with vodka and Kahlúa, defines the genre.

The Purple Cow is on almost everybody’s list of best milkshake places in America, and its most famous offering is the Purple Vanilla shake — a creamy concoction of Yarnell’s Arkansas-made vanilla ice cream, colored and flavored with grape juice.

Yes, Cousteau’s is named for famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau. (Owner Stephen DiMares’s father and grandfather once overhauled the Frenchman’s boat.) The menu items, however, have a different nautical provenance: They’re named after people, places, and lines from Wes Anderson’s 2004 “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” starring Bill Murray. Aficionados will recall the iconic scene in which Jeff Goldblum smacks a whining dog with the words: “Be still, Cody!” It’s unclear exactly how that moment translates to a chocolate shake enhanced with espresso, mocha sauce, and espresso whipped cream, but the result is delicious.