Lexington Candy Shop
New York, NY • ★ 3.9 (3494 Google reviews)
The Story
Three generations of the Philis family have worked this corner at 83rd and Lexington, and almost nothing has moved: the wooden booths, the malt machines, the Coke syrup pumped by hand and cut with soda at the counter. Order an egg cream and watch a jerk build it the pre-war way.
From the Counter
Recent Google reviews
R
★ 3 • 2 weeks ago
I came here mainly to try the traditional way of making Coca-Cola, and honestly I did not expect it to taste like that it was extremely sweet with almost no carbonation basically like a can of Coke that was opened at a big dinner left in the fridge overnight, and then we drank it the next day 🤣 That said, it was still a fun experience to try and compare the old-fashioned version with the Coke we know today. I also really liked the atmosphere of the place and the staff were lovely Would I come back again? Probably no, but I’m glad I tried it at least once!
bogdan alexandru bola
★ 4 • 7 months ago
This wonderful place is serving as New York City's oldest family-run luncheonette. Even more extraordinary is the fact that the shop has maintained its original 1940s aesthetic and traditional soda fountain methods for over nine decades. It is one of the very few places left that makes soda the old-fashioned way—using chilled carbonated water, flavored syrups, and a spoon. Tip: of ypu don.t want to stay at the table, don.t wait in line - just go in, grab a drink amd be on your way.
David Joseph
★ 4 • 4 months ago
I came here with three others for lunch at 1250pm on seasonal temperature and dry Good Friday afternoon. When we arrived, there was no line. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations. We were seated within 5 minutes of standing at the front of the line. The restaurant is very busy, cramped, and somewhat difficult for us to move through. While the booth and table were small, we didn’t feel cramped and or limited on space for plates. Our server came promptly and was friendly, thorough, thoughtful, and on top of his work. He was probably one of the best servers I can recall having in Manhattan for a while. We ordered and the food came quickly. All of the food tasted fine, it was not great. What I appreciated about this restaurant is that it can and does delivery on what it is selling. You feel like you are going back in time when you dine here. I would recommend trying something you don’t usually order on the menu. When we left the restaurant, there were at least 30 people on line. The restaurant has a single unisex bathroom in the back in a dingy storeroom area. The restaurant does take credit card. I would recommend this restaurant and I would come back, but likely in a specific circumstance like when someone is visiting and you want to show them something different.
Niam Saint Luce
★ 5 • 5 months ago
I took the day off and met with a friend of mine for a nostalgic meal. Lexington Candy Shop Luncheonette is everything I expected. I ordered a Coke Float (Vanilla Ice Cream in my soda) and a Butter Cheeseburger with Fries. My friend ordered a classic Coke with French toast, bacon and orange juice on the side. The staff is amazing, our food was great beyond our expectations, and we were able to get in and out of there in record time even after waiting on line for about ten minutes. This place is a gem and the reason why New York City is a staple when it comes to its reputation on food. 10/10, would definitely recommend.
