St. Francis Fountain and Candy Store
(At York Street)
Cuisines: American
About
It does not get more authentic than this classic soda fountain that dates back to 1918. The place was last remodeled with linoleum floors and cozy booths right after WWII, and the Christakes family, which has owned it from the beginning, has not seen a need to change anything since. It is a place where teenyboppers swooned over Frank Sinatra while sipping the same strawberry sodas you can order up today. Virtually everything on the menu is made in-house and from scratch, including the mayonnaise on the egg salad sandwiches, the ice cream and syrups in the sundaes, and the marshmallows in the heavenly hash. The homemade soups are a local institution with the patrons who range from students new to The City to old-timers who have been coming here since it was (relatively) new.