In a culture where coffee shops and cocktail bars dominate, it can be hard to find a drink that truly quenches your thirst. Sometimes all you want is something that feels fun. Sure, there’s always a Shirley Temple, but that only goes so far. Enter dirty soda, the fizzy, cream-topped concoction that has quietly turned into a nationwide craze. At its simplest, it’s just soda mixed with flavored syrups and a splash of cream, but its potential for creativity is limitless. Each cup is a canvas, and fans are lining up to design their own drinkable masterpiece.
Dirty soda first found its footing in Utah, offering a playful alternative for those who skip caffeine and alcohol. What began as a quirky regional drink has since grown into a national sensation, thanks largely to Swig. The drive-thru chain, launched in 2010, feels like a coffeehouse for soda lovers, swapping lattes and cappuccinos for endlessly personalized fountain drinks. Pop culture moments, such as Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, where the women are often depicted holding giant 32- to 44-ounce cups, have further fueled the hype. Like Starbucks or Dunkin’, Swig has cultivated a devoted following that treats dirty soda less like a drink and more like a lifestyle.
That same energy is now bubbling up in Cleveland at Malley’s Chocolates, a local institution since 1935 with nearly two dozen locations. Best known for its hand-crafted sweets and whimsical ice cream parlors filled with pastel decor, the company offers the perfect backdrop for dirty sodas. Since July 31, all three parlor locations in Lakewood, North Olmsted and Mentor have been serving the new drinks. Flavor-packed and fun, they deliver nostalgic comfort while tapping into a trend that is sweeping the nation.
The spark didn’t come from a boardroom brainstorm but from Malley’s President Megan Gillum’s 16-year-old daughter. Fresh from summer camp, she came home craving the frothy concoctions she had discovered there. Her excitement was contagious, and Gillum quickly recognized that this was more than a passing phase. Rather, it was part of a growing craze among younger people everywhere.
“When you think about old times and people going to get their sodas or phosphates, it feels like a modern twist on that tradition. It’s a customizable soft drink experience that infuses your drink with the flavors of the season,” Gillum explains.
Malley’s currently offers four dirty soda options, with the two most popular being the Doctor’s Orders ($3.95), featuring Dr. Pepper, cream, coconut syrup and vanilla syrup, and the Ocean Potion ($3.95), made with Sprite, lemonade, blue raspberry syrup, and topped with a floating gummy shark.
Meanwhile, on the West Side, there’s another way to get your fizzy fix.
Kati Pederson, owner of Rockin’ Refreshments, was tuned into dirty sodas well before they made their way to Cleveland. The Westlake native launched her food truck on the West Coast in California, then brought it back home to Northeast Ohio.
Pederson never set out to reinvent the soda fountain, but when she saw dirty sodas gaining traction on TikTok, something clicked. A former bartender, she had always dreamed of running a food truck that would let her connect with people face-to-face.
“I love talking to people in the community, but I didn’t want to serve alcohol. My parents had been hit by a drunk driver,” she says. “I wanted to do something like bartending, so once I saw dirty sodas going viral two and a half years ago, I decided that was what I was going to sell.”
(Courtesy Rockin' Refreshments)
Pederson can often be found at local events, such as the Crocker Park farmers' market, where she adapts her menu to meet the needs of health-conscious customers. Instead of relying on traditional sodas, she swaps in alternatives like Zevia and Poppi to avoid corn syrup and other commercial additives. The menu is anything but static, with rotating syrups, candy toppings and even popping boba, tailored to each crowd and occasion.
That flexibility has become a hallmark of Rockin’ Refreshments. Whether a customer is looking for sugar-free, caffeine-free or dairy-free options, Pederson makes sure there is something for everyone. Winning the “Best SIP” award at the Crocker Park food truck challenge with a caffeine-free root beer cemented her reputation for creativity and flexibility.
Pederson’s own lifestyle feeds into her menu choices as well. An athlete training for the 2028 Olympic trials in swimming, she understands the importance of hydration and performance. That perspective led her to add functional options like Monin Hydration Boost, which provides electrolytes and gives her drinks an extra edge for athletes and active customers alike.
Sugar-free options are a big draw for Rockin’ Refreshments. Many diabetic customers return again and again knowing there will be drinks they can enjoy.
“There's all different kinds of options, but it just makes it a really fun and exciting, non-alcoholic drink that can be tailored to anybody's needs,” says Pederson.
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