As the hot and steamy days of summer draw to a close, we finally made it to Old City’s Franklin Fountain, and it was really worth the wait. Situated on a corner adjacent to the Market Street walkway to Penn’s Landing, the Franklin Fountain replicates a turn-of-the-century soda fountain and ice cream parlor.
“Wait a minute, that spot is well known!” some may say. And I’d say “You’re right.” Of course I’ve known about it for a couple years, but it’s taken this long for me to give it a try. Let’s just say that I’ve cast off my veil of ignorance to find a fun spot that I’d like to share. OK?
Located in Old City, a popular destination for locals and visitors alike, the Franklin Fountain is a great spot to relax. After a trek down Market Street, we arrived at the Fountain to find outside seating shaded by the mid-afternoon sun. Since the Fountain appeared to be pretty popular, I selected a table while the rest of our group stepped into the past.
Inside the Fountain, visitors are greeted with furnishings and fixtures directly from the early 20th century including tin ceilings, stone countertop and an antique soda fountain. Building your anticipation, the back bar of the soda fountain was covered with so many bottles of colored syrup, jars of ingredients and strange-looking implements that even a mad scientist would be proud. To top it all off, the staff was attired in period dress which just added to the experience.
The menu at the Franklin Fountain offers all sorts of treats, including ice cream, freshly mixed fountain drinks, 
milkshakes, phosphates and egg creams, not to mention baked goods and warm drinks for the cooler months. The ice cream is hand made and included standards like Vanilla Bean and Rocky Road as well as other flavors such as Green Tea and Licorice. We decided to go for an eclectic mix:
Cherry Bomb Ice Cream Soda - Sue had to revisit her childhood by selecting this ice cream soda that included cherry soda with a scoop of delicious chocolate ice cream.
“Patti’s Customized Concoction” - Looking for a companion mixer for Teaberry Ice Cream, the staff suggested Moxie, a soda that was originally touted as a medicinal cure. The result was a unique mix of flavors between the sweet, subtle flavor of Teaberry against the slightly bitter soda. Afterward, we found that Moxie was promoted as a cure for “softening of the brain” and “loss of manhood.” Thankfully, only the former may apply
Japanese Thirst Killer Phosphate- I picked this one just because of the name. Orgeat (almond), Grape Juice & Angostura Bitters with Phosphate. This tasty soda reminded me of a lighter, carbonated version of Hawaiian Punch.
Black & White Milkshake - Russell went for an old favorite, made from just chocolate ice cream and vanilla ice cream, not a bunch of cheap crap. Especially delicious and won approval from the entire group!
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream in a Waffle Cone - What can I say, I’m a pig, but it was really good. The waffle cones are freshly made; if you get lucky, you can watch the staff make them at the counter!
Our visit to Franklin Fountain was a throwback in many ways. First, time. We were transported back to an era when people took the time to stop and enjoy themselves, without being overly rushed to get somewhere or do something. Second, simplicity. In an age when few things are found to be simple, an ice cream cone, soda or fountain treat are. Lastly, a glimpse of the past. From the restored building, to the quality products to the period dress, the entire experience was just fun.
The Franklin Fountain is a great spot for everyone. Kid friendly and a good date spot, I guess the only people that may not like it would be the lactose intolerant, but I think there’s even something for them. We strongly recommend a visit.
The Franklin Fountain is located at 116 Market St. Philadelphia (215) 627-1899. www.franklinfountain.com
[Tags]Philadelphia, Philly, Old City, American Food, Franklin Fountain, Ice Cream, Podcast[/Tags]
Tags: American, Old City, Philadelphia, Philly, Podcast
[...] beat me to it. The Philly Food Guys have an excellent review of the old-timey ice cream parlour Franklin Fountain . Apparently I have to stay one step ahead of these [...]
this place has been an addcition of mine all season long. I can’t seem to get away from my usual becuse it’s the best thing ever, Hot Fudge Sundae on Vanilla ice cream with Peanutbutter sauce and Marshmallow sauce. ooooh
a little pricer than your usual ice cream parlor, but this is no usual ice cream parlor, and it’s well worth the investment, a great date place too, and they are open pretty late, like 10pm or 12am. perfect for late night cravings. all in all the vanilla ice cream alone is perfection.