At Eddie's Sweet Shop in Queens
the malts, the shakes, and sundaes are STILL made almost exactly as they were in the 1960s!
The Citrano family outside Eddie’s Sweet Shop in Forest Hills, Queens. From left: Vito Citrano, the current owner; his son Joseph; his father, Giuseppe; and Vito’s other son, Brandon. | Credit Daniel Terna
Sourced from NYT | October 25, 2021
It's easy to find your generic banana and fudge or banana caramel ice cream at your local deli and stores... but finding your favorite childhood flavor? That's a different story altogether. Sometimes, you just want plain bananas. No chocolate, no nuts. All it had was the simple ingredients of banana, cream, and sugar. That is something you can find right at Eddie's Sweet Shop in Forest Hills, Queens. it is just just how you remembered it, with a dash of nostalgia.
Eddie's Sweet Shop is often described as New York's longest surviving ice cream parlor, it is a neighborhood institution beloved for both its frozen confectionery and that it has remained unchanged since it was bought in the 1960s. The place is known as the "Take your children to the place your grandparents had ice cream" spot.
A banana split served in a classic footed metal dish | Credit Daniel Terna
The current owners aim to keep Eddie's as it has always been. Even the metal boat shaped dishes for banana splits are vintage, some are dating it back to the shop's early days.
There is a marble counter with wooden topped swivel stools. Along the wall, you will see that there is elaborate wood built-in with mirrors and slots for printed cards bearing the names of the ice cream flavors: butter pecan, maple walnut, cherry vanilla, vanilla fudge, mint chip. There are large glass jars that hold syrup and also a green metal machine for making malts and milkshakes. There's a sign on the refrigerator that says "is at least 80 years old but still works.: The original veiling overhead is made of pressed tin, the floor has hexagonal green and white tiles, and a counter that has a large glass-fronted wood case filled with a colorful assortment of candy.
On the menu, there are milkshakes, malts, floats, and some of the best egg creams in New York that you will ever find - with a dash of seltzer added to the milk and syrup. Like everything else here, from the syrups to the whipped cream, it's made on site. It has a deep, subtle flavor: creamy but not overly rich, sweet but without that strange aftertaste by too much sugar. The shop doesn't introduce many new flavors but is open to experimentation.
