9 California Soda Fountains Where Small Town Charm Meets Classic Flavors
Step back in time at California’s charming soda fountains, where fizzy drinks and ice cream treats are served with a side of nostalgia.
These beloved establishments preserve the magic of a bygone era, when soda jerks in paper hats crafted phosphates and sundaes while neighbors caught up on local gossip.
Historic pharmacy counters and family-owned ice cream parlors showcase nine spots offering sweet memories and even sweeter treats.
1. Fenton’s Creamery (Oakland)
Scooping happiness since 1894, Fenton’s remains an Oakland institution where generations have celebrated special moments.
Bowls piled high with homemade ice cream and signature sundaes like the Black & Tan create lines out the door on summer evenings. Watching servers deliver towering banana splits brings childlike excitement to visitors of all ages.
2. Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab (Arroyo Grande)
Whimsical science meets sweet treats at this laboratory-themed parlor where flavor experiments delight curious taste buds.
Visitors marvel at rotating train sets circling overhead while sampling innovative flavors like Motor Oil (dark chocolate, Kahlúa, and fudge). Kids press their noses against glass windows, watching ice cream being made fresh daily in the visible production room.
3. Fosselman’s Ice Cream Co. (Alhambra)
Family recipes passed down since 1919 create the creamy magic that keeps locals coming back to this unassuming storefront.
Hand-churned batches using premium ingredients result in flavors so rich they’ve earned a cult following. Regulars swear by the taro and lychee varieties, while classic chocolate chip remains a steadfast favorite among multi-generational customers who’ve been visiting for decades.
4. Legends Books, Antiques & Soda Fountain (Sonora)
Housed in an 1850s building, this magical spot combines three perfect pastimes: sipping, shopping, and reading.
Bookworms browse shelves of treasures before settling at the restored marble counter for phosphates mixed just like they were a century ago. Antique fixtures and original woodwork transport visitors to the Gold Rush era while they savor egg creams and cherry sodas.
5. Leatherby’s Family Creamery (Sacramento/Citrus Heights)
Massive portions define the experience at this beloved Sacramento staple where ice cream mountains arrive topped with rivers of homemade hot fudge.
Red vinyl booths fill quickly with families celebrating little league victories and teenagers on first dates. Servers balance trays loaded with signature sundaes like the Banana Bonanza, often large enough to defeat even the most determined sweet tooth.
6. Fair Oaks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain (South Pasadena)
Stepping through the doors means entering 1915, when this Route 66 landmark first began serving travelers along the Mother Road.
Original cabinets and soda fountain equipment still produce perfect egg creams and chocolate sodas. Candy counters overflow with nostalgic treats while pharmacists fill prescriptions behind vintage counters, maintaining the authentic dual-purpose charm of old-time drugstores.
7. Dewar’s Candy Shop & Ice Cream Parlor (Bakersfield)
Famous for its chews, soft taffy filled with fruit and nuts, this 1909 establishment remains refreshingly unchanged by time.
Marble counters cool elbows as patrons savor hand-paddled sodas mixed by fountain experts in crisp white aprons. Generations of Bakersfield families mark milestones here, creating sweet memories alongside equally sweet treats crafted from recipes guarded for over a century.
8. Watson’s Soda Fountain & Café (Orange)
Mint green walls and chrome fixtures welcome visitors to this 1915 gem in Orange’s historic district, where time seems permanently paused.
Soda jerks still mix phosphates and green river sodas using techniques perfected when Model Ts rolled past the windows. Weekend brunches bring crowds for savory dishes, but everyone saves room for a scoop of house-made ice cream or a frothy chocolate malt.
9. Gunther’s Ice Cream (Sacramento)
Look for the neon sign featuring Jugglin’ Joe, the iconic mascot flipping scoops since 1949 at this Sacramento landmark.
Fruit-freeze devotees line up for the signature treat, a perfect blend of fresh fruit and soft serve swirled together. Summer evenings find neighbors gathered outside with cones, reminiscing about first visits decades ago while introducing grandchildren to the same flavors they loved growing up.
