A glance at the chalkboard menu indicates little of how nuanced the G&B shake at the new G&B Coffee shop inside Grand Central Market turns out to be. There's no description of the milkshake, not even an extra word or two for context — not that it would help much. There's been too few good coffee milkshakes that could serve as precedence.
There are just three ingredients in a G&B shake: vanilla bean ice cream from Straus Family Creamery, two double shots of espresso and whole milk. There's confidence behind G&B's simple recipe of premium ingredients and that should indicate just how good the resulting combination is.
It's a thinner milkshake than most, arriving at the point at which many of us prefer our milkshakes anyway — ice cream slightly melted and yet still creamy. It's pleasurably easy to drink. No spoons necessary; this is no custard. Your mind will register each flavor with each sip: vanilla bean, espresso and milk, discrete and together. It's probably one of the most sophisticated shake you'll come across.
G&B Coffee opened at the Grand Central Market, near its Hill Street entrance earlier this month. It's one in the string of additions slated for the Downtown institution.
At $7.25, the price for a milkshake would be steep anywhere — but the cost hasn't seemed to dampen demands. On a second stop-by, the shake was sold out.
According to co-founder Charles Babinski (who is the 'B' in 'G&B'; Kyle Glanville supplies the 'G'), it was more popular than expected. Happily, they're now working on mocha and matcha shakes too.
See also:
– 10 Best Milkshakes in Los Angeles
– Now Open: The Sqirl Cafe With G&B Coffee
– 10 Places to Get a Damn Good Cup of Coffee
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