Eddie's Sweet Shop

Nostalgia Alert!  This ice cream adventure takes a wonderful wander down memory lane to a street corner in Forest Hills, Queens.  Eddie's Sweet Shop is an old school soda fountain where everything - the ice cream, syrups, toppings, and whipped cream - are all hand made.  Ice cream has been served here for over 100 years.  The store has had a few different names and owners in that time, but the spirit remains.  What makes Eddie's a success is a commitment to quality.

Eddie's Sweet Shop has all the classic ice cream flavors you love.  While you can just get a scoop of ice cream, I've never actually seen anyone do that.  Once you walk in and see what everyone else is enjoying, you will want to order big.  I highly encourage it.  The toppings really help take things - well - over the top.  A few tips on ordering:

• Sauces like hot fudge or caramel are considered toppings along with sprinkles, fruit, nuts, etc, but syrups are their own category
• Since Eddie's makes their own syrups and has a real soda jerk, you can order a soda in any combination of flavors, and you should.  
• Eddie's uses different definitions for ice cream drinks then you might be used to.  They spell it all out in the menu, but beware before you order:
• An ice cream soda is soda (any flavor, remember) with a scoop of ice cream
• A milkshake (which they have different thicknesses of depending on how many scoops of ice cream you want in it) is ice cream, syrup, and milk; blended
• A float is a MILKSHAKE with a SCOOP of ICE CREAM in it... just let that sink in

Ok, now that your mouth is watering....
What I got: Banana Split with Chocolate and Strawberry Ice Cream, Chocolate Syrup, banana, whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry, and a cherry lime soda

What Greg got: 1 Scoop Sundae with Coffee Chip Ice Cream, butterscotch, whipped cream, and a cherry, and a chocolate egg cream

All of the ice cream creations at Eddie's Sweet Shop are served on little metal plates.  This is crucial, for you will have an overflow of toppings and ice cream tumble down from their pedestal as you dive in.  The dishes add to the nostalgia and let you know that you are about to enjoy something special.  Not to worry, napkins are well supplied. 

Have I mentioned that everything is handmade at Eddie's Sweet Shop?  Everything is handmade at Eddie's Sweet Shop.  It is such a treat to have real whipped cream, floating on top of genuine chocolate sauce, drizzled over simple yet rich and fulfilling ice cream, and in this case, resting on bites of banana.  I couldn't decide between chocolate and rainbow sprinkles, so they were kind enough to give me both.  Yes, I could have gone with different flavors, but everything about this place calls for a classic and it was about time in this adventure for me to order a banana split. I dove in with enthusiasm, and it was quite a while before I came up for air.

I was really glad that Greg went for the Coffee Chip in his sundae.  I love coffee ice cream!  If I had only slightly less self control you would probably only read about 3 flavors of ice cream in this blog.  I enjoy trying new things, but a favorite is a favorite and to me a sweet, creamy coffee ice cream is just about perfection.  Eddie's adds chocolate chips, and Greg added the butterscotch, and that right there is a decadent, satisfying, flavorful treat.

Order a soda with your ice cream.  Maybe if you are getting an ice cream soda you don't need to, but otherwise go ahead and get one.  It's a wasted opportunity not to.  How often are you going to be somewhere that makes all their own syrups and lets you pick any combination?  I asked for a recommendation this time and wound up with a Lime Rickey (cherry and lime syrup) which was fruity and fun and went really well with my fruity sundae.  Greg went for the chocolate egg cream.  Yes, it is a real egg cream.  No, there is no egg in an egg cream.  Yes, it will satisfy even the most nostalgic of New Yorkers (I know you're reading this, Mom).

Even the menu over the counter is about as old school as it gets.

Head out to Forest Hills, Queens for a cool treat that will take you right on down memory lane.  Your taste buds will think they've been cast as the star in an old movie, your fingers will be sticky, and your heart will happy.

The Rundown:
Where: Eddie's Sweet Shop
105-29 Metropolitan Ave.
Forest Hills, NY 11375
https://www.facebook.com/EddiesSweetShop/
What they're known for: Old school homemade ice cream, syrups, and toppings
A single cup or cone: $3.50
Most Extreme Menu Item: Banana Royal or a 3 Scoop Sundae, $9.00
Non-ice cream menu options: Sodas, hot beverages, and there's a candy display, but I've never actually seen anyone buy anything from it.


p.s. Want to know more about the Lime Rickey?  Check out this article by Jaclyn Einis on the subject: http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/04/lime-rickey-soda-fountain-history.html