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Skip the Slurpees this summer and opt for these creamy concoctions instead.

Friday Jul 31, 2009.     By Centerstage Chicago Staff

Food Feed

There aren't many things that beat a creamy, cool milkshake on a hot Chicago day. OK, maybe an ice-cold beer. But for the sake of nostalgia and safe street-walking drinks, we've rounded up our favorite frothy treats.

Keep it real at Oberweis
This local chain has a little something for everyone, though nothing here is actually little. Oberweis's shakes are served up with a slice of the past when they're poured into oversize, old-style glassware, topped with thick, handmade whipped cream (forget that airy stuff from the can) and served with a chocolate-vanilla swirled pirouette. Flavors range from chocolate to caramel, and there are even a few fruity picks, like pineapple and banana. But when sampling a shake that touts itself as "the world's best," we recommend sticking with something pure and simple like vanilla. While the flavor is inarguably top-notch, we especially like that Oberweis uses a minimum of 18-percent butterfat in its ice cream, giving it a thicker texture and richer taste than your standard carton. On top of that, the shakes are mixed with the shop's fresh milk, which, unlike many dairy products, excludes the use of rBGH hormones. (Stacy Warden)

Toast American kitsch at The Bunny Hutch
Located directly across the street from Oberweis's Lincolnwood location, this family-owned operation poses some serious competition. When they're not busy inhaling Chicago-style dogs and cheese-drenched fries, the folks here swear by Bunny Hutch’s strawberry-flavored shake. The handmade treat is a nod to the days of old-school soda shops, poodle skirts and car hops. It's also a great way to keep things cool on the venue's attached 18-hole mini-golf course, Novelty Golf & Game Room, complete with a maze of American kitsch (read: a larger-than-life Humpty Dumpty, Frankenstein and a waving mermaid). (Stacy Warden)

Feud over flavors at Lindy and Gertie's
Lindy's Chili and Gertie's Ice Cream, a local Illinois chain, got its start in the early 1900s and hasn't slowed down since. The triple-rich shakes and malts at Gertie’s are made with the shop's homemade ice cream and covered in creamy clouds of whipped cream. Choices include the usual suspects like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, along with a few surprises like peanut butter, marshmallow, butterscotch and caramel. You'll even find a few fruity concoctions like the pineapple, orange, cherry, blueberry and raspberry shakes. (Stacy Warden)

Revel in the past at Margie's Candies
Margie's goes beyond being a local favorite to achieve something like landmark status in Chicago's ice cream scene. Especially on a hot summer night, the lines outside both the Bucktown and North Center locations stretch long outside the neon-studded windows. Stepping inside is like stepping back into the '50s: vinyl booths, glass cases of homemade chocolates and stuffed animals all vie for space. The milkshakes are straightforward and substantial, a traditional list of sweet and creamy flavors ranging from vanilla to butterscotch. For an extra dollar, you can go out on a limb and order the Fudge Royale shake, but whatever your pick, rest assured that it'll be enough for two: each milkshake is split between a towering, old-fashioned glass and its more humble counterpart, the aluminum cup. (Anne Royston)

Sip in style at Hot Chocolate
Don’t be fooled by the temperamental name of this posh Wicker Park spot. Sure, you can get your chocolate served hot, but you can also get it poured over ice, stuffed into banana bread pudding, drizzled over brioche doughnuts or mixed into an upscale milkshake. Chef and Owner Mindy Segal takes her shakes one step further with unexpected flavors like coffee cocoa nib, peanut butter cookie dough and Brooklyn Brewery chocolate stout with caramel, all served with unsweetened whipped cream. Try ordering one of those at your local diner. But if you're a shake purist, you can stick with Segal’s simple flavors like vanilla bean, milk chocolate malt and mint chip. At $6 each, these shakes only cost about a buck or two more than those at a typical ice-cream shop, but they're worlds away in terms of class. (Stacy Warden)

Customize your custard at Scooter's
Inside this Lakeview shop, you'll find a smattering of tables and bright green walls; outside, grab a seat along the shaded sidewalk near the walk-up window. This tiny place saves the fireworks for its delicious desserts, frozen custard inventions in over 30 flavors. Creative combinations are encouraged, but it seems like they've thought of everything here, as evidenced by three categories of shakes: milkshakes and malts, Boston shakes (topped with vanilla custard, chocolate syrup and whipped cream) and Scooter's Fruiters (frozen custard, fruit puree and pineapple juice instead of milk). Whatever you choose, don't expect to have much intelligent conversation about the drinks' complex flavor profiles. These buttery, thick, utterly indulgent shakes just might make you lose your powers of speech. (Anne Royston)

Put a cake in your shake at Portillo's
The Chocolate Cake Shake is for those who like their cake cold, creamy and sipped through a straw. Well, almost. A spoon may be your best bet at Portillo's, where it's worth downsizing the Italian beef and fries to save room for this shake, or maybe even skipping lunch altogether. After it’s served up quickly and cheerfully, take your shake to a small square table covered in checkered vinyl or sit at the long counter near the window, where tourists rub shoulders with cops and local lunchers. And just when you think it's almost over, a piece of real cake at the bottom leaves you with a good taste in your mouth. (Anne Royston)

Skip the dairy at Chicago Diner
Notorious for its vegan desserts (there's an in-house bakery where the magic happens), the Chicago Diner's extensive list runs from cakes to cheesecakes to shakes, sans dairy and made with organic and natural ingredients. For many, the star of the show is the vegan peanut butter cookie dough shake. On a sunny afternoon, sitting in the garden section out back with one of these sweet ideas puts anybody in a good mood. If peanut butter's not your thing, try the vegan Rainbow Burst shake, which goes the fruity route with strawberries, orange juice and a squeeze of lemon. These aren't the cheapest shakes on the block, but they're worth every penny. (Anne Royston)

Slurp while you study at George's Ice Cream & Sweets
This recently opened ice-cream parlor has already made a lasting impression on its Andersonville neighbors. Some might chalk up George's instant fame to its slew of flavors (there are over 30) and its free wi-fi, but we're thinking that the shop's popularity has more to do with its slurp-worthy shakes and malts (OK, we dig the free wi-fi, too). The medium-size shakes ring in at just under $5, and the mindful portion sizes won't leave you feeling like you need to spend the next five days at the gym. Flavor options are seemingly endless and the friendly staff is cool with customizing your creamy concoction any way you like it. (Stacy Warden)

Say ciao to creaminess at Bellezza Gelato Caffe
Its inauspicious surroundings—a strip mall on a stretch of Harlem south of Irving Park—belie the milkshake within. Or, in this case, the gelato shake. At the counter, small mountains of gelato wait to be scooped or blended into a light and creamy shake. While some flavors are familiar, like stracciatella (similar to chocolate chip), others are less well-known, like zabaglione. Three kinds of berries punctuate this flavor, which is made with Marsala wine and has an eggy undertone. It's perfect for a shake that’s not overly sweet but still hits the spot when it's hot. (Anne Royston)