The 19th–century atmosphere (right down to the cash register, which was actually made in 1914) and the young, spiffy counter help in bow ties add panache, but it’s those achingly delicious handmade flavors—from chocolate and vanilla bean to Hydrox cookie and Teaberry gum—that make this purveyor of sundry sundaes so much more than an ode to the corner malt shop.

The Franklin Fountain | 116 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA | 215-627-1899