Painting and Essay by Robert Beck
I have a food question, sort of. I’m not sure it’s answerable, but I bet there are opinions out there. While everybody is snorting and scraping the dirt over the best designer pizza, I’m wondering about cream soda. Where did it go?
As a transplant, like many of us, I grew up with a distant, under-informed, and often stereotypical view of things that went on in the city. It was my understanding that corned beef (or pastrami) on rye kept company with cream soda at the local Jewish deli. Once I landed in Manhattan, this notion was supported by a friend I’d regularly meet at the 2nd Avenue Deli to catch up. I know that’s the East Side, but I was careful. This guy and I knew each other back in Bucks County. I painted his son’s Bar Mitzvah. He gave me the impression that the sandwich, a pickle, some slaw, and a cream soda were the Jewish Deli Happy Meal, and that of anybody, he would know.
Cream soda and I go way back. It’s basically vanilla, which is perfect. My favorite flavor is vanilla. I put vanilla extract in my chai, in my oatmeal, my pancake mix. I’m not alone in this. So why can I not find cream soda on the Upper West Side? I come across it now and then in Bagels & Co., across from Walgreens on Amsterdam at 79th (good slices, by the way), but then it’s gone the next time I stop in.
When they do have it, it’s Stewart’s, one of the better brands, but there are plenty of others. Boyland, A&W, Barq’s, Dr. Brown’s (nice), Virgil’s, Mug (eh), and many more—some brands I’ve never heard of. Even Dr. Pepper makes a cream soda; can you believe that? So why are there cold cases filled with energy drinks, cases full of water, cases crammed with the usual suspects cola/rootbeer/orange, even cases of cold coffee (?)—like there is nowhere to get coffee around here—and I have to go down a dark alley and give a code word and special handshake to find a bottle of cream soda on the Upper West Side? Really?
In my book, there is nothing better with a slice. Those earthy notes of sweet cream and chocolate with floral overtones that complement the saltiness of the cheese and tomato sauce tang. The better the ingredients in the pie, the more it deserves a cream soda. It will also stand up to an afternoon pastry if you are coffeed out. And it’s the best answer to a tall and lean corned beef on rye with mustard I’ve ever tasted.
Fine; if you are going to eat a McSomething, you might as well have a cola. You’ve slid from culinary to pernicious anyway.
Am I wrong? Was I misled? Am I looking in all the wrong places? Or has cream soda gone the route of Fox’s Chocolate Syrup (the real deal for egg creams. Go find THAT in a store). My guess is that there are plenty of Rag readers willing to set me straight. Go ahead; let’s hear what you got. You’re talking to a pairing master: somebody who drinks Moxie with his lobster roll.
See more of Robert Beck’s work and visit his UWS studio at www.robertbeck.net. Listen to an interview with him on Rag Radio — Here. Let him know at info@westsiderag.com if you have a connection to an archetypical UWS place or event that would make a good West Side Canvas subject. Thank you!
Note: Before Robert Beck started West Side Canvas, his essays and paintings were featured in Weekend Column. See Robert Beck’s earlier columns here and here.
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So few days ago I am @ Key foods, 96th & Amsterdam. I think I am buying a package of cans of A & W Root beer, but upon opening find it is no sugar cream soda. Delish, .
I would try Sal and Carmine, they even have RC Cola there. Regular and diet.
They have Dr. Brown’s cream soda. And Cel-ray.
I buy Dr. Browns at Keyfood and 88th; there’s Mimi’s Puzza on the block and Little Italy about 3 blocks up.
Love all your musings on crème soda….I am in total agreement. And fewer calories than a vanilla milkshake which leaves more room for a cupcake after the pizza.
Let’s try this out sometime!
From, Your Biggest Fan
did you say milkshake with pizza? Oh, wrong, I’m sorry, but just wrong.
Gotta say, separately? Sign me up!.
Together? Nah…
If you’re really desperate, do the obvious to solve this problem: order Stewart’s on Amazon!
Mitchell’s Delivery, which delivers primarily newspapers, etc., also delivers beverages. They have a variety of selections of cream soda. I order from them. Look them up!
Yes!
The deli at 84/Columbus has multiple brands of cream soda.
I’ll look. Thanks
Tal’s bagels has cream soda
If you’re having a hard time finding Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup, I’ve seen it at Fairway recently. Pretty sure I’ve also seen it at other stores like Pioneer and Key Food, although those stores might just have it around Passover.
Also Jubilee (and coffee syrup for those of us who prefer coffee egg creams, as in dear departed Gems Spa).
As a former Rhode Islander, coffee milk (coffee syrup in milk) was the state drink.
gem spa!!
No self respecting cream soda connoisseur drinks cream soda from a can. The best comes in bottles
While true, desperate times, my friend, desperate times…
au contrair !
for sure.
Having grown up on the Lower East Side in the 50’s and 60’s, vanilla soda was often available at local candy stores and luncheonettes. And I often had it mixed with cherry or chocolate syrup. Have done the same as an adult at Junior’s restaurants. So I certainly respect your concern. And I don’t want to yuck your yum, but as a forever New Yorker, my belief is that a pastrami or corned beef on rye must be paired with a Dr. Brown’s cherry!
Right problem, but wrong solution. The correct pairing with pastrami or corned beef is Dr. Brown’s Cel-Rey tonic.
I never tried that because it sounded too close to a vegetable. Even today, I wouldn’t even hazard a guess of what that tastes like. I will bathe in my ignorance.
Barney Greengrass always has Dr, Brown’s cream. Anyone who has Boylan’s usually has cream. I agree with you. Cream has been my go to soda since I was 5 years old. Fox;s U Bet is hard to come by. I order it from Amazon. I imagine the soda delivery to pizza places is limited to water, diet coke and top selling stuff, so goodbye cream.
Good article. I also love cream soda.
But I’m surprised you didn’t mention Vanilla Coke. It’s a great hybrid of cream soda and Coca Cola.
It’s not ubiquitous but you can still find it in some places.
05/28/26 I order a Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda at Old John’s on West 67th Street.
Go to Pioneer on Columbus and 74th. Not only all the sodas you want, but every beer in the world.
As a 85 year Bushwick space born Protestant my cream soda memories are of my Irish dad making us ice cream sodas with mellorolls and cream soda heaven
Bring back mellorolls!
To clarify; I was thinking about individual bottles, like when you stop to get a slice, or you’re just thirsty. Sure, you can find cream soda in quantity in supermarkets, but not so much in bodegas.
Is there still a White Rock cream soda?
My skin actually tingled when I read ‘White Rock’! My go to in the day was Mission Cream soda.
The skinny is that White Rock rebranded some flavors, and its cream soda became Sioux-City.. It looks to me like the WR family is focused on on bar drinks, like tonic, club, ginger beer, etc, but that’s from a quick glance, and I realy don’t know. But what a great brand, eh?
There was an event recently at the Museum of the CIty of New York with talks by the Brooklyn Seltzer Museum and drinks, and pastrami (Katz) tasting and ditto with pickles. The seltzer drinks offered cream soda and it was delicious. I suppose one might peruse the syrups that are sold here and there for the various forms of soda water dispensers. I have no experience with the flavors, as we drink our soda stream water plain or with Aperol or similar. With the resurgence of popularity of soda waters, there might be crafters of quality vanilla syrups to make your own.
We have Dr. Brown’s at Dive Bar on 96 and Amsterdam!
Should I paint there?
While we’re at it, I find it increasingly difficult to find good, natural casing kosher hot dogs. Also, good full sour pickles. Yes, I know you can find them but you have to go out of your way. For instance, the place I regularly shop at – West Side Market on 97th and Bway – doesn’t often have them.
Yes! I love cream soda. It’s so important to have this amazing stuff. Can we get it on line?
There’s plenty of Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda at the Jubilee Market on Freedom Place, behind Lincoln Towers.
You can buy cream soda at Sal and Carmine’s pizza, Broadway at 100th.
And a great slice!
What ever became of diet Cel-Ray?
I too love cream soda and appreciate this paean! Ever since Broadway Farm closed I’ve been complaining about how hard it is to find it. Finally this week we picked up Dr. Brown’s at Key Foods on Broadway and 88th, though in can form. It was hidden in their soda pantry room and only the manager knew what it was or where to find it. On our way out we heard the lady behind ask for it too. Zabars has Stewart’s in bottle form. Also Mimi’s pizza, don’t recall if it’s mug or something else.
Love this piece and fantastic painting.
Are you THE Bob Eckstein?
That’s him.
Dear Sir:
With all due respect, you live in the wrong place. 🙂 NYC is full of Cream Soda. And Fox’s U-Bet: Chocolate or Vanilla Syrup. Go to Shop Rite. Or come to Brooklyn and buy up all u can carry back to Manhattan. My personal favorite is Dr. Brown’s. I grew up with it and it’s what they serve at Katz’s Delicatessen.
I fully understand your frustration. Mine is wondering where did the small bagel go of yesteryear. It’s like they morphed into Godzilla.
Good catch! At what point in time did a bagel become a full meal?
Dr. Brown’s in a can is the definitive cream soda in my opinion. Oddly lately I keep finding the diet version and I complain to the store manager. I finally did find a place recently, but I’m going to keep it secret. The only place I’ve seen Cel-Ray tonic is in a kosher or kosher style deli.
and btw Fox’s U-Bet Chocolate has corn syrup, not to be confused with high fructose corn syrup, but I still avoid.
I mean, not for nothing…but the “freestyle” soda machines in movie theaters and places like 5 Guys have an “orange cream” soda (under the A&W “root beer” sub-menu that’s honestly pretty good!)
I had a cream soda last week. I also purchased an A&W Root Beer soda. They both were delicious and brought back many childhood memories
When I was a lid our family chocolate syrup was Chico Chocolate. I’ve googled it but it’s like it never existed. Somebody must remember it?!
Kid. When I was a kid.
Don’t judge, maybe he was a lid!
Bernard. Chico Chocolate? Where was that? My kidhood chocolate syrup was Bosco, in fact I had a friend who was at a party where he was simultaneously asked his name while looking in a refrigerator and commenting on the syrup held whithin, and carried the nickname Bosco for the rest of his life. Not often I get to write a biography in one sentence and I had to take it.
Friedman’s on 72nd St. has Dr. Browns cream. And a great hot pastrami sandwich too.
You are 100% correct, but it’s not just the UWS. It’s an epidemic. I also have been indoctrinated into the cult of cream soda drinkers, since I was about 8 years old actually.
My go to was a hot dog cart in Richmond Hill, where after a hard fought baseball game, the hot dog cart on Atlantic Ave. was either a refuge to lick your wounds, or a place to celebrate.
My ‘go to’ was a hot dog and a MISSION CREAM SODA. For 25 cents!
Now, it’s like looking for a Democrat in Staten Island. Woe is me!
Cream soda in a tall glass and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is the pleasure of childhood growing up in a hot city. Chocolate syrup would complement the joyful treat.