Old-fashioned dairy bars, with their little screened windows where you can order cool treats, bring back fond childhood memories. Modern chain brands such as Handel’s and Bruster’s have tried to revive the old-timey feel of the walk-up dairy bar, but a few of the original ones still exist in Alabama.

Following is a list of existing dairy bars we tracked down. Remember, for this list, we only considered places that offer walk-up service and serve ice cream.

Do you know of others? If so, email [email protected].

Kreme Delite

401 W. Washington Street, Athens

Kreme Delite opened in downtown Athens in 1951. Each spring and summer, residents line up outside the screened windows for specialties such as peanut butter milkshakes. Kreme Delite still has its original neon sign.

READ MORE: 12 best places to get ice cream in Alabama

1900 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika

Located in Opelika, Mrs. Story’s is a favorite of Auburn students and visitors alike. The Auburn-Opelika Tourism website says: “A tradition since 1952, the secret recipe for Mrs. Story’s famous homemade chili dogs reminds us that, thankfully, some things never change. Still in its original location on Pepperell Parkway, the owners of this ’50s style walk-up are the third generation of the Story family to serve the freshest ‘fast’ food in the area.”

Ed’s Drive In and Ed’s Dairy Bar

3018 North College Ave., Jackson; 116 Main Street, Grove Hill

Ed’s Drive-In has been a favorite of the people of Jackson, Ala., for nearly seven decades. The iconic hamburger joint has a vintage neon sign out front and a walk-up window. And, yes, it serves ice cream.

This year, owners Justin and Julia Brooks opened a second business in Grove Hill – Ed’s Dairy Bar.

They refurbished an old dairy bar building that first opened in 1958, Bob Carlton wrote in an AL.com article. “A Grove Hill institution that goes back to 1958, the tiny, old-school burger stand has had various names and owners over the years, but almost everybody in this town of about 1,700 people knows it as ‘the Dairy Bar,’” Carlton wrote.

Frosty Inn

12805 US Highway 43, Russellville

It’s difficult to miss the Frosty Inn Drive-In when traveling along U.S. Highway 43 – it still features the iconic barrel on the roof and its old-fashioned sign. According to Bob Carlton of AL.com, “The Frosty Inn has been an institution in Russellville since brothers Homer and Raymond Grissom and their respective wives Polly and Betty opened it in 1960.”

Dot’s Dairy Den

5371 Main Drive, New Hope

Dot’s Dairy Den is more than 70 years old and has served generations of families. The business has been closed to resolve mechanical issues but a Facebook post vows the closure is temporary and the Dairy Den will re-open soon.

The Frosty Mug

8340 Alabama Highway 78, Jasper

The Frosty Mug, which opened in the mid-1950s in Jasper, was in the news in 2023 when film star Matthew McConoughey filmed scenes for his recently released movie “The Rivals of Amziah King.” Locals spotted McConoughey causing “Matthew Mania,” according to AL.com’s Mary Colurso. Norman Reedus, who played Daryl Dixon on “The Walking Dead,” also visited the Frosty Mug when he was filming an episode of his reality show “Ride with Norman Reedus.” The episode featured Reedus taking a motorcycle trip with actor Michael Rooker, who was born in Jasper. Since 2011, it has been owned by J.J. Lovingood and Paulette Murray.

Dairy Queen

220 East Three Notch, Andalusia

This Dairy Queen location still has a walk-up window in addition to an adjacent building that offers indoor dining. The original business opened in 1957.

Mel’s Dairy Dream

216 S. Alabama Avenue, Monroeville

Folks in Monroeville flock to Mel’s Dairy Dream at lunchtime to have a steak sandwich and an old-fashioned Coke float. Everyone knows this is hallowed ground – the home where famed novelist Harper Lee was born was once located on this spot. After the Lee family moved in the 1950s, the home was demolished and the restaurant was built in 1954. Next door, people can walk around the remnants of a stone wall and the foundation of the home where author Truman Capote lived as a child. He and Harper Lee were childhood friends.