Super GemChicago Exclusive GemDish Gem$$The shop leans hard into genuine 1950s soda-fountain nostalgia: an ornate tile ceiling, a red-and-cream checkered floor, a large poster of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland sharing a milkshake on the wall. The custard itself gets made fresh daily, with specialty concretes rotating regularly — a pumpkin pie version with real pie folded in shows up each fall, and the espresso bar pours actual Metropolis Coffee, not a generic house blend.
Beyond the frozen treats, there's a genuine old-fashioned candy shop built into the same space, sold by the pound, alongside cupcakes and baked goods sourced from local bakers rather than made off-site by a commercial supplier. Retro sodas round out the fountain menu, including flavors as unusual as butter and carrot cake.
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