In the heart of downtown Martinsburg, there is a quaint drug store that is serving up some of the best ice cream and sweet drinks in the area. Patterson’s Drug Store, a staple in the community for nearly 100 years, may be a pharmacy, but it also has a small ice cream bar and soda fountain that is serving up sweet treats the way they were generations ago – with fresh ingredients, family recipes, and plenty of nostalgia of yesteryear.
Price 💲out of 5
If you are craving a sweet treat while walking around downtown Martinsburg, a few dollars will get you a sundae, float, freeze, or milkshake at Patterson’s. The sundaes come in small and large sizes, while the rest of the treats are one standard size. Nothing is more than $5, making this a great option if you are looking for something quick and easy.
Ambience 🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳 out of 5
Since Patterson’s serves as a drug store first and foremost, it doesn’t look like your typical restaurant. There are a handful of booths to sit at, and some bar seats as well, but the true charm of this place is that you feel like you have been transported back to the early 1900s. They have a ton of interesting items for sale, and every inch of this store has relics and decor from the dawn of modern medicine. Not only can you get some delicious treats, but you can get a medical history lesson as well!
Food 🥩🥩🥩🥩 out of 5
Full disclosure, I did not try all of the items we got to sample, but the entire Foodies team was there so we got a comprehensive review of the featured items. We got to try a couple different sundaes and a couple different drinks.
Jojo Sundae – this sundae started with a base of vanilla ice cream, and then a ladle of chocolate syrup, peanut butter, and marshmallow fluff were added to the top. Roast me all you want, I have a legitimate phobia of marshmallows so I was not able to sample this, but for the normal ones in the Foodies group, they all said it was deliciously creamy and had a robust flavor profile.
Gigi Sundae – now this sundae was much more up my alley. It started with a base of salty caramel truffle ice cream and was topped with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry. I love salted caramel, and it went perfectly with the lighter whipped cream and the sweet tart of the cherry.
Root beer float – I know, I know. I’m a Foodie but there are a couple beloved items that I just do not like. Root beer is one of those items. For those who did try the rootbeer float, they said it tasted like nostalgia. The ice cream gets melty and fizzy in the best way.
Cherry smash – this drink was incredible! So sweet and refreshing. Even though I limit it, I love the taste of soda (especially cherry soda), so I’m glad I did not have to take a trip to Utah to get in on the “dirty soda” craze. They use real cherry syrup at the bar which makes it 10 times better than a canned soda.
Orange freeze – here we go again, I am not the biggest fan of creamsicles, but I tried this one and I am so glad I did. It had a mild orange and cream flavor, so it was the perfect flavor profile for someone like me that does not like how intensely creamy a creamsicle can be.
Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Patterson’s was such a fun spot to stop in and experience. I am a history buff, so I loved all of the interesting medical relics that they have on display. Everyone was so friendly, and I love how they do things the right way. Sweet treats taste better when they are made fresh and with real ingredients. I love the nostalgic feeling of stepping into Patterson’s and thinking about how our grandparents or great-grandparents were served like this. Such a fun experience!