Fort Collins updates the soda-fountain tradition with spiked shakes: hand-scooped ice cream, a shot of something, and a burger alongside on Jefferson Street.

Old Town's retail blocks once ran on soda fountains, and Union Bar and Soda Fountain deliberately revives the form on Jefferson Street with housemade sodas, floats and milkshakes that take a pour of whiskey or liqueur without complaint. The mid-century room plays it straight, burgers and all, which makes the spiked shake feel less like a gimmick than a restoration. Big Al's, a few blocks away on Mountain Avenue, keeps the alcohol-free hand-scooped tradition running for purists.

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