.Best House-made Sodas

Although some customers like to kvetch about the modest size of their
pastrami sandwiches, all quibbles are forgiven with a first sip of
Saul’s homemade soda. The deli mixes the extracts in-house and sweetens
each flavor with cane sugar instead of corn syrup. Blueberry soda, a
vile proposition when made with artificial ingredients, is transformed
into something — dare we say it — sophisticated at Saul’s:
blush-colored, subtly sweet, and laced with actual chunks of fresh
fruit. Likewise, their cream soda incorporates real vanilla for a
delicate result that’s vastly preferable to the usual cloying sweetness
of commercial recipes. The lineup changes with the seasons, so keep a
lookout for Meyer lemon, blood orange, and strawberry, and don’t be
afraid to venture into unknown territory. Celery soda may sound scary
if you’re not already a Cel-Ray fanatic, but it’s shockingly good, and
the cardamom flavor is no more exotic than root beer or ginger ale
(Saul’s makes that, too), with a spicy zing that you won’t taste in
supermarket brands. For that final soda-fountain flourish, retro
cardboard straws add a certain soggy charm. Watch your back, Dr. Brown.