The Franklin Fountain
Ice cream shop · Old City ·
Old-timey ice cream parlor serving classic sodas and sundaes
Old-timey ice cream parlor serving classic sodas and sundaes
"An old‑school soda fountain with period details like tin‑pressed ceilings and mosaic floors where soda jerks handcraft ice cream, phosphates, and elaborate sundaes; signature treats include decadent combinations such as the Stock Market Crunch (Rocky Road with peanut butter sauce and crushed pretzels) and scoops in handmade maple waffle cones." - Regan Stephens
"Stroll Elfreth’s Alley. Visit the Liberty Bell. Conjure the ghost of Ben Franklin. Whatever you do in Old City first, you should visit this 1920s-rendition of an ice cream parlor last. The flavors and toppings are endless, the massive banana splits are topped with housemade compotes, and the pretzel ice cream sandwich bars won't melt on your way home." - alison kessler, candis mclean
"The Franklin Fountain in Old City is a decades-old spot that’s cosplaying as a century-old one. A recreation of a 1915 ice cream parlor, the staff wear bowties, the floors are tiled, and the menu is wooden. But more importantly, the classic spot serves far more sundaes and splits than your average shop. We love the Peach Melba and banana split as much as the classic hot fudge sundae. Why? Because they’re topped or drizzled with high-quality ingredients, like a housemade raspberry compote or a silky peanut butter sauce that’s good enough to bottle and sell (which they do). They all come in a Chinese takeout container, which you’ll appreciate on a sunny day when you don’t have streams of melty ice cream running down your hand." - candis mclean
"Few spots do justice to nostalgic soda shop vibes like the Franklin Fountain, an Old City destination from brothers Ryan and Eric Berley. The business only dates back to 2004 but sits in a lovingly renovated historic building recalling the turn of the century. Go for the decadent sundaes, like the Stock Market Crunch with rocky road ice cream (invented in 1929), peanut butter sauce, salted pretzels, and whipped cream. The Berleys also run the Franklin Ice Cream Bar next door, several seasonal shops, and Shane Confectionery, which was founded in 1863." - Annemarie Dooling
"The Franklin Fountain is a classic ice cream parlor and soda fountain that we think is worth visiting whether you're a tourist or you pay taxes to the city of Philadelphia every year. There's going to be a line, and you can't sit down anywhere inside inside. But they stay open until midnight and serve all of their ice cream in old-school Chinese takeout containers. Load up with brownie pieces and the works, unless you hate fun." - candis mclean, alison kessler
