Soda fountains, malt shops — call them what you will. These diner-like establishments offer flavors and atmospheres reminiscent of an earlier time in America's culinary history. Housed in pharmacies, candy shops and department stores, the humble soda fountain thrived at the epicenter of many a neighborhood social scene during Prohibition. And while you can still find a tasty egg cream in a few family-run drugstores, the tradition has steadily waned since its heyday in the 1930s, '40s and '50s. Recently there's been a revival, with modern soda jerks (a term the apron-clad sweets experts wear proudly) bringing present-day culinary values — local, seasonal ingredients — to sodas, sundaes and more. And while many of the nation's finest fountains no longer double as active pharmacies, the decor and ambiance will have you fooled. From classic milkshakes to mountainous sundaes, here are 11 soda fountains dishing out sweets as if President Truman were still in office.

Photo courtesy of Max Falkowitz for Eddie's Sweet Shop, Queens, N.Y.