Best Milkshakes In Seattle

If you’re looking for that one treat that will take you back to being a kid on a summer’s day, the humble ingredients of milk, ice cream and chocolate all blended together usually does the trick. The milkshake has been around for more than 100 years and thankfully it shows no sign of going away. In fact, they have only improved with age. No longer just for kids on a summer’s day, milkshake recipes have changed with the times and now this creamy concoction is enjoyed all year long by the young and the young at heart. Here are a few places in Seattle serving up the shakes in style.

Dick’s Drive-In
115 Broadway Ave. E.
Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 323-1300
www.ddir.com

There’s no denying that Dick’s is a Seattle institution. Celebrating 60 years of serving up burgers, fries and shakes to the hungry masses, Dick’s has certainly earned all of the local and national accolades that are thrown its way. Even award-winning rapper Macklemore has gotten into the action, featuring Dick’s in his most recent video. One of the secrets to Dick’s success is keeping its menu focused on just a few items and doing them really, really well. The milkshake is the perfect example. There are no fancy flavors here to muddy the choices. Order up your hand-dipped shake in chocolate, vanilla or strawberry and you’ll see why these classic shakes continue to top the charts.

Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery
5427 Ballard Ave. N.W.
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 420-3431
www.getyourhotcakes.com

You may be tempted by the ‘Take n Bake’ molten chocolate cake that put this cakery on the map. But if you can make it past all of the cakes and chocolate-laced cookies that line the trays of this Ballard neighborhood favorite and find your way to the blended concoctions in back, you’re in for a real treat. You can get these shakes blended straight up with traditional dark chocolate, or if you’re feeling a little ‘sassy,’ Hot Cakes can hook you up with its Sassy Molassy which provides a potent ginger kick. And for the 21+ crowd, the boozy shakes can’t be beat. If you’re a single malt fan, do not pass up the Laphroig and Smoke Chocolate Shake – just make sure you bring a designated driver.

Bluebird Microcreamery and Brewery
1205 E. Pike St.
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 588-1079
www.facebook.com/bluebirdseattle

This Capitol Hill ice cream joint has just about any type of shake you could imagine. For the kid in all of us, it has a long list of treats that can be blended up to satisfy that sweet tooth including the Chocolate Pudding milkshake. And if you’re a vegan, you can indulge all day long here with the Mighty-O vegan brownie batter shake with chocolate donut chunks and coconut milk. Given that Bluebird Microcreamery is also a brewery, it should come as no surprise that the adults in the crowd can get their milkshake fix with a little extra kick by way of some Dragon’s Tooth Stout blended in for good measure.

Luna Park Cafe
2918 S.W. Avalon Way
Seattle, WA 98126
(206) 935-7250
www.lunaparkcafe.com

This cafe sits on the site where an amusement park once thrilled fun-loving Seattleites over 100 years ago. Maybe that’s why it’s so fun to drop in here for its ever-popular breakfast or hearty and affordable lunch. But the real amusement starts when you order up one of the famous shakes. Nothing too fancy here, just a good old fashioned shake that comes in about 16 traditional flavors including chocolate, strawberry, coconut and cherry. So buckle up, keep your arms inside and enjoy the ride.

Skillet Diner
1400 E. Union St.
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 512-2000
www.skilletstreetfood.com/diner

There’s nothing like sitting down at a diner and ordering up a big serving of comfort food or indulging in a thick, creamy milkshake. Skillet Diner opened just a couple of years back but as the constant line of hungry (and thirsty) residents outside the diner attests, it didn’t take long for anyone looking for a little comfort to make a beeline to these Capitol Hill digs. Skillet became famous for its burgers topped with bacon jam, so it is only appropriate that it offers up a version of the milkshake topped with bacon. Your choices of comfort do not stop there. You can also add Nutella, peanut butter or caramel (just to name a few) to top off your shake. With hearty milkshakes like that, who needs food?