Milkshakes in Palo Alto

Palo Alto's milkshake scene has deep roots. The city was dry for most of its first century, so soda fountains and creameries filled the role that bars played elsewhere. Two creameries founded in 1923 still serve shakes today, one of them under a lease that requires it to stay a 1950s-style fountain. Around them sit a charcoal burger stand from 1948, a Midtown scoop shop from 1956 and newer counters that make organic, nitrogen-frozen or late-night shakes.

Every place here was confirmed as operating in October 2026 through its own website or a verified page in our business directory. Flavors rotate, so treat any named flavor as an example.

Where to go

The soda fountains

Palo Alto Creamery, 566 Emerson Street

The Palo Alto Creamery says it opened in 1923. It is a classic diner and soda fountain where the fountain side of the menu gets as much attention as the food. Milkshakes can be customized with hot fudge, peanut butter, whipped cream or dates. Malt is an add-on. The fountain also makes banana splits, sundaes, ice cream sodas, floats and a New York style egg cream, which despite the name contains neither egg nor cream. The Creamery opens daily at 8 a.m. and serves breakfast all day, so a shake with pancakes is entirely possible.

The corner has a long dairy history. The Peninsula Creamery ran a soda fountain here for many years and the Santana family still owns the land. The family says the lease requires the tenant to remain a 1950s-style fountain that mixes shakes in metal cans.

Peninsula Creamery, 900 High Street

The Peninsula Creamery was founded in 1923 and has been owned by the Santana family alone since 1936. For decades it was a working dairy that supplied Stanford and local schools. Its small counter at High Street and Channing Avenue serves breakfast, lunch and milkshakes. Locals call it the Pen.

Shakes with a burger

Kirk's Steakburgers, Middlefield Road

Kirk's started on El Camino Real in 1948 and now cooks its steakburgers over charcoal on Middlefield Road in Midtown. The company says it still makes its milkshakes in house. The menu has a dedicated shakes section, plus hot dogs and even pizza by the slice.

Gott's Roadside, Town & Country Village

Gott's began as a Napa Valley roadside stand and kept the format while upgrading the ingredients. Its Palo Alto branch in Suite 65 at 855 El Camino Real serves organic milkshakes with burgers, fish tacos and fries. In fall 2026 the specials board listed a pumpkin shake, sold in stores only. Gott's says leashed, well-behaved pets are welcome on its patio, though only service animals may come inside.

Shake Shack, Stanford Shopping Center

The New York chain's Stanford Shopping Center restaurant faces El Camino Real next to P.F. Chang's. The namesake shakes go with burgers, hot dogs and fries. It opens at 11 a.m.

Zingsters, 220B University Avenue

The halal hot chicken and smash burger counter lists thick milkshakes on its menu and serves until midnight on weeknights.

Shakes at scoop shops

Rick's Ice Cream, 3946 Middlefield Road

Rick's calls itself a Palo Alto ice cream tradition since 1956. The founders of Pints of Joy, a Sunnyvale company known for eggless ice cream and flavors inspired by Indian desserts, took over by January 2026. The case holds about 48 rotating flavors, roughly a third from Pints of Joy. Milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream cakes and quarts are all on offer, so a shake can be built from flavors you will not find elsewhere.

Scoop Microcreamery, 203 University Avenue

Scoop is a family-run shop that freezes small batches with liquid nitrogen for a dense texture. Beyond cups and cones it serves milkshakes, sundaes, banana splits and affogato. Its cups, spoons, milkshake cups and napkins are compostable.

For more scoop shops, including Salt & Straw on University Avenue, see our ice cream guide.

Late-night shakes

Most of Palo Alto's dessert counters close by 10 or 11 p.m. Two places with shakes keep going later:

• The Melt, Stanford Shopping Center. Hand-spun milkshakes with burgers and grilled cheese from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. every day, according to the chain.
• Zingsters, University Avenue. Thick milkshakes until midnight on weeknights.

Our late-night food guide has more after-hours options.

A downtown shake crawl

Three of the places on this page sit within a few minutes' walk of each other downtown. Scoop Microcreamery is at 203 University Avenue and Zingsters is a few doors along at 220B. The Palo Alto Creamery is a short walk away at 566 Emerson Street. The Stanford Theatre is on the same stretch, so a classic film and a shake make an easy evening. Downtown street parking has posted time limits, so use a city garage if you plan to linger.

Dietary notes

• Eggless. Pints of Joy, which now runs Rick's, makes eggless ice cream. Ask which flavors in the case are Pints of Joy recipes.
• Organic. Gott's describes its milkshakes as organic.
• Allergies. Shake machines and spindles are usually shared, so nut, peanut and gluten traces are possible from mix-ins. Tell staff before you order.
• Dairy-free. None of the shake counters here advertises a dairy-free shake on the pages we checked. Ask in person.

Fountain terms

• Milkshake. Ice cream blended with milk and often syrup.
• Malt. A milkshake with malted milk powder added, which gives a toasty, nutty flavor.
• Float. A scoop of ice cream dropped into soda, root beer being the classic.
• Ice cream soda. Like a float, but with syrup and soda water stirred in.
• Egg cream. A New York drink of milk, chocolate syrup and seltzer.
• Affogato. Espresso poured over a scoop of gelato or ice cream.

Tips

1. Bring the kids early. The Creamery and Gott's get busy on weekend afternoons. Our kid-friendly restaurants guide has more ideas.
2. Ask about the base. If you avoid eggs, dairy or nuts, ask what goes into the ice cream and the mix-ins.
3. Share a big one. Diner shakes are large. One shake and two straws is often enough after a meal.
4. Check seasonal specials. Gott's and Rick's both rotate flavors through the year.

Frequently asked questions