Crown Candy Kitchen.

Crown Candy Kitchen is a St. Louis time capsule that has remained in the same family since 1913. As one of the oldest soda fountains in the country, the space feels untouched by modern trends, featuring high-backed wooden booths, vintage Coca-Cola memorabilia, and a jukebox. While the antique European molds are still used to create handmade chocolates, the kitchen is most famous for its "Heart-Stopping BLT," a sandwich piled with 14 thick slices of kettle-cooked bacon. Visitors come for the nostalgic Americana, but stay for the house-made ice cream and massive 24-ounce malts—which are central to a legendary five-shake eating challenge. It’s a straightforward, high-calorie landmark where the service is brisk and the atmosphere leans heavily into its century-old roots.