[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
In this edition of FreeP vs. Food, we shook things up a bit and explored Boston’s milkshake scene. We ranked them based on location, flavor and consistency – here’s the thick (and thin) of it.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”127997″ img_size=”full” title=”Shake Shack”][vc_column_text]
The namesake beverages of Shake Shack are dense and immensely satisfying. Only a few sips in, it is evident that these shakes were made for sharing.
The fast food chain, located on Newbury Street and just a few blocks from both Hynes Convention Center and Copley T stations, is busy even in the earlier hours of the day. Nevertheless, the wait-to-order time, likely a product of its high-traffic location, is short and the turnaround of payment is even faster.
The menu is overwhelmingly vast — seven perennial flavors are accompanied by several seasonal specials — and careful deliberation was necessary to ultimately decide upon their chocolate and mint cookies and cream variations.
In both shakes, the flavor was overwhelmingly sweet and much closer to the taste of soft serve ice cream than milk. Adding to this was a substantially thick and dense texture, with the mint cookies and cream shake being especially difficult to sip through the straw.
In a one-two punch of strong flavor and stronger consistency, these shakes are designed to be shared among friends, and suggests no need to eat a meal in addition to the sweet treat.
Considering the high quality of the shakes despite their fast food origins, these blended delights exceeded expectations and are a highly recommended option for hungry Newbury shoppers and those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth alike.
Kaya: A
Antonia: A
Sara: B+
Jenni: A+
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”128000″ img_size=”full” title=”Boston Burger Company”][vc_column_text]
Popular for their “freak frappes,” Boston Burger Company’s monstrous milkshakes have generated a lot of buzz on Instagram, where users by the hundreds have uploaded pictures of their marvelously decorated milkshakes.
Located in Back Bay, Boston Burger Company’s storefront is a short walk from the Hynes Convention Center station. Inside, space is limited. On the Friday night we visited, it was absolutely packed. Nevertheless, the atmosphere was lovely with low lighting and walls lined with impressive chalk art and quotes.
Ordering our “freak frappes,” we decided to try the vanilla and, January’s monthly special, s’mores. Each shake was its own masterpiece and we couldn’t help but snap a bunch of pictures before finally digging in.
Underneath their artifice, though, the freak frappes were less substantial than we had hoped.
Of the shakes we ordered, the s’mores shake was the clear winner, but both left something to be desired when it came to the actual milkshakes, which were thinner in consistency and less flavorful than other shakes we tried.
Kaya: B
Antonia: A-
Sara: A
Jenni: B
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”127999″ img_size=”full” title=”Cobblestone Café”][vc_column_text]
The sweet aroma of this hole-in-the-wall cafe located in the North End immediately made this milkshake spot the coziest and inviting of all the restaurants visited. With very minimal seating, it is clear that this joint gets most of its business from take-out orders. Nevertheless, we found a spot to enjoy our milkshakes amidst the homey aesthetic of the cafe.
We decided to order the cookies and cream milkshake along with the decidedly plainer vanilla. These shakes were definitely thicker than Boston Burger Company’s ones, although not thick enough to make one feel overly full after enjoying them. Served in plastic cups, these milkshakes are the right choice if you want your milkshake to go and do not want to feel bloated afterwards.
The cookies and cream was sweet and satisfying and the vanilla had a much bolder flavor than the vanilla shake from Boston Burger Company. Both shakes had a great consistency and were neither too thick nor too thin. However, these were not anything to write home about: instead, they were simply what is to be expected of a milkshake.
If the goal is to find a decently priced and classic milkshake, then Cobblestone is the place to go.
Kaya: B+
Antonia: A-
Sara: A-
Jenni: A-
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”127998″ img_size=”full” title=”UBurger”][vc_column_text]
Located right in Kenmore Square, UBurger is the most conveniently located burger-milkshake joint we visited. Before we even sipped our mint oreo and chocolate milkshakes (or frappes, as they are called here), we were already pleased with UBurger’s speedy service, comfortable atmosphere and inexpensive prices ranging from $5.20-$5.70.
On our journey to find the most coveted milkshake in Boston, we discovered that the thick and perfectly decadent mint oreo milkshake at UBurger arguably won the title.
“It only took one sip of the mint oreo milkshake to transport me back to my childhood, sitting around the kitchen counter and watching my dad make milkshakes from endless scoops of ice cream,” Kaya said. “These shakes taste homemade in the best possible way.”
With a just-thick-enough consistency and a rich chocolatey flavor, UBurger’s chocolate milkshake is a must-try for chocolate milkshake connoisseurs of the Greater Boston area.
UBurger, with its relaxed vibe, low prices and buzzworthy milkshakes, reigns supreme in the department of milkshakes.
Kaya: A++
Antonia: A+
Sara: A
Jenni: A
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
