The 25 Best Milkshakes in America and Where to Try Them

Actual duck fat figures in many of the dishes here, but not, fortunately, in the shakes. The sea-salted caramel version is considered a must — and you can always order some duckfat fries to dip into its salty-sweet perfection.

Portillo’s has come a long way since 1963, when it started as a hot dog stand called the Dog House in the Chicago suburb of Villa Park. Along the way, the chain became famous for its milkshakes and also for its chocolate cake — so of course they had to blend the two together into an incredibly decadent treat.

Sometimes simplicity is best, and the old-fashioned chocolate malt at Wichita’s first soda fountain, opened in 1932, is as good as shakes get. Food TV host Alton Brown liked it well enough to tweet out an image of the malt and the machinery that made it.

This popular dessert shop will turn any of its homemade ice creams into shakes or malts, and the possibilities are many. One creation that’s unique, however, is this seasonal combination of saffron ice cream and bits of fig preserves.

An old-style ice cream parlor in a picturesque 19th-century town, the Corner Shop offers a number of milkshake options. A perennial favorite is the rich, thick, chocolatey Mud Slide.