This old-fashion malt shop or soda-fountain type pharmacy is a classic in Warren, Rhode Island. Located about 20 minutes outside of Providence, Delekta Pharmacy has been around for more than 160 years! It has seen a few different names and been run by different families along the way but the Delekta family bought it in the 1940s. An actual pharmacy was run out of the old fashion malt shop but that side of the business closed in 2017. But Delekta’s continues to serve up ice cream, fountain sodas, milkshakes and the infamous Rhode Island Coffee Cabinet.
A coffee cabinet, known in other parts of New England as a frappe and in other parts of the U.S. as a milkshake, features three ingredients: ice cream, milk and coffee syrup. Traditionally, the coffee syrup is from a local Rhode Island company from the late 1800s called, Autocrat. The three ingredients are mixed and blended together to create more of a milk drink, it’s not as thick as a milkshake. But why you may ask is it called a Cabinet? Well that answer is simple. The blender used to mix the drink was always kept in the cabinet. Thus the literal name of Coffee Cabinet was born. It’s delicious, not too sweet or heavy, and it’s a must have when visiting Rhode Island.
Hours
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, until 4 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday