S&T's Soda Shoppe

If they spell “shop” with the extra “pe” on the end, you know it’s authentic; and it doesn’t get more authentic than S&T’s Soda Shoppe in Pittsboro, NC. 

S&T’s is an old-fashioned, throwback American diner that looks like it hasn’t been updated since the 1900s, when milkshakes still had malt in them and Coca-Cola still had cocaine in it. The diner prides itself on its old-fashioned egg creams, malted milkshakes, hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches – and yes, even the cokes are made true to form from syrup and soda-water. Just no cocaine, of course. 

The diner itself is a marvel, authentically antique from floor to ceiling. A jukebox sits in the walkway when you first walk through the door. If you can’t find room in a booth, there’s always room at the bartop. A tuna melt, skirt steak, or pimento cheese dip never disappoint, but the real draw are the thirty-two flavors of ice cream for dessert. If you’re not the adventurous type, go for the banana split or the Haw River Mud dessert. Feeling adventurous? Try the Cherry Smash (cherry syrup and soda-water) or one of the New-York-Fashion Egg Creams (that, mysteriously, contains no egg whatsoever). 

No matter what you have, the atmosphere alone will have you inviting your friends and family back to the Soda Shoppe for a quick bite and a dessert. There’s something addicting about that old-timey social atmosphere and good, made-before-your-eyes food; and because of new FDA requirements, we know it’s not something in the soda.

---Delaney Guidi