There are milkshakes, and then there are Iceberg Drive Inn milkshakes. They arrive like a dare. They are less frosty dessert and more engineering feat. And I am lucky enough to live within walking distance of a local Iceberg.
Is that lucky or dangerous? A little bit of both. At Iceberg, you can’t even try to sip a milkshake through a straw. It is spoonable. And if you’re not careful, you might break the spoon. Every time I go, I think I might try something new from the menu of more than 60 milkshake flavors (with seasonal options to boot). But I default to my favorite: the cashew caramel shake. It is sweet but not too sweet: a vanilla base studded with drizzles of caramel, embedded with salty cashews, whipped up to an over-the-rim situation, and, finally, served with whipped cream and the classic red cherry on top.
When you order, ignore your instincts. At Iceberg, the small is anything but. It is generous to the point of hilarity, a towering cup that makes you ponder your life choices in the best way. The regular? That’s a shared experience. It’s for a minimum of three people, unless you plan to cancel your afternoon. If you’re flying solo, get the small. Trust me.
Let’s take a second to talk texture. This isn’t a thin, polite shake. It’s thick. So thick, in fact, that it requires a second cup within a cup just to maintain stability.
What makes it my crush, though, isn’t just the flavor; it’s the routine. I love walking over to the window, waiting in line, standing in the sun with other happy people, smelling the burgers on the grill, and watching cheery kids eyeball their summer treats. I love getting my shake with a mix of triumph and disbelief every single time. But then I remember my move. I always order fries with my shake. It’s like a secret handshake. Dip the fries. The extra-crispy, hot, salty fries dragged through the cold caramel ice cream is a perfect, chaotic marriage of texture and temperature.
There’s also something so distinctly Utah about it: the abundance, the no-holds-barred generosity, the love of ice cream, the excessiveness, and the fact that it is best when shared. Iceberg is the kind of place where families join around the tables outside in the sun. Teenagers linger in parking lots, and everyone is there to participate in the delicious ritual of summer.
If caramel isn’t your thing, get the almond fudge, bubble gum, cookies and cream, eggnog, or New York cheesecake.
I’ve tried ordering other things. I’ve told myself I’ll branch out, but a food crush has gravity. You circle back. The cashew caramel calls, and I will answer. My tips for you? Order the small. Bring a friend if you must but don’t count on sharing. And whatever you do, get the fries.
When You Go
Multiple Locations: Millcreek, Fillmore, Sandy, St. George, Syracuse, Pleasant Grove, Santaquin
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