On Tap: Seattle’s Sweetest Spots for Root Beer Floats

Sure, you can make root beer floats at home, but why bother when these six spots make their floats so delightfully delicious and accessible? Click through the gallery for the sweet details.

By Chelsea Lin August 11, 2015

As the story goes, the first float was made out of necessity: a very wise man decided to use ice cream to cool his drink when he ran out of ice cubes back in 1874. Now, though, it’s pure summertime fun at its very simplest. Sure, you can make it at home, but why bother when these six spots make root beer floats so delightfully delicious and accessible? Throw in some retro decorations and an old school vibe and you’ve got yourself a sweet summertime outing.

Triple XXX Root Beer

No trip to or through Issaquah is complete without a visit to XXX and its giant orange barrel sign. The kitschy decorations and gigantic, drip-down-your-elbows burgers make it the quintessential drive-in, but the real reason to stop is right in the name: the old school, house-made root beer concocted from the original 1930s recipe. You can order a frosty mug on its own, but it’s even better with the scoops of vanilla ice cream—and sprinkles atop the kiddie version. Go for the super float if you want one big enough for the whole family.

98 N.E. Gilman Blvd.
Issaquah, Wa 98027
425-392-1266
Online: triplexrootbeer.com
Hours: Mon.- Sat., 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Sun., 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

photo: Chelsea Lin

What’s your favorite brand of root beer? Share your sweet addiction in the Comments below!

— Chelsea Lin