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I visited 3 of Utah's most popular soda shops to try their famous flavor combinations. They didn't make me a die-hard soda fan but I did find a cheap, cheerful alternative to coffee.

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Monica HumphriesJun 22, 2022, 03:50 IST
I visited 3 of Utah's most popular soda shops to try their famous flavor combinations. They didn't make me a die-hard soda fan but I did find a cheap, cheerful alternative to coffee.

Insider's author drank six sodas from three stores in Utah.Monica Humphries/Insider

  • Soda and soda shops are very popular in Utah. I tried three on a recent visit.
  • At each soda shop, I tasted the most popular drink and an employee's favorite.
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Soda is prevalent and popular in Utah. And on a recent trip to the state, I set out to understand the buzz around carbonated drinks.

Soda is prevalent and popular in Utah. And on a recent trip to the state, I set out to understand the buzz around carbonated drinks.
The interior of a soda shop in Salt Lake City, Utah.Monica Humphries/Insider

In May, I hopped on a train to Moab, Utah. It was my first time in the state, and I knew that when I arrived, I'd be met with some cultural differences from what I was used to back home in Denver, Colorado.

For example, I had heard about the state's strict liquor laws, and I knew I couldn't go into a restaurant and order an alcoholic drink without buying food.

I had also heard about the state's fascination with soda. Sprinkled across Utah are shops that solely sell soda. According to The New York Times, as of last December, there were more than 100 soda shops in Utah and its nearby states.

Some of the state's cultural differences, like its soda shops, can be traced back to its large population of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints followers, which is widely known as the Mormon church, according to Utah's Deseret News. Nearly 70% of people living in Utah identify as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to the World Population Review.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, people are urged not to consume alcohol, tobacco, and hot caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee, according to The Washington Post.

In 2012, the church clarified that cold caffeinated drinks like soda are allowed, Vice reported. And thus, soda shops started popping up selling what's been nicknamed "Dirty Sodas," according to the same source.

While I'm not the biggest soda drinker, I was curious about the hype and decided to visit three soda shops during my five days in the state.

In a matter of five days, I guzzled six sodas from three different shops in Moab and Salt Lake City.

In a matter of five days, I guzzled six sodas from three different shops in Moab and Salt Lake City.
The exterior of Lop's Pop Stop in Moab, Utah.Monica Humphries/Insider

A quick Google search of "soda shops in Utah" results in dozens of shops with fun names filled with alliterations like Sip It Soda Shack, Sugar Rush Soda Shop, Swig, Soda Bean, The Soda Nerd, and Yummy Sweets and Soda Shoppe.

The stores offer more than just basic fountain drinks. Beyond having all brands of soda, customers can choose syrups — typically Torani brand — creams, purees, and other additions to mix into the carbonated drink of their choice.

I was driving between Moab and Salt Lake City, so I tracked down three shops along my route.

In Moab, I visited Lop's Pop Stop. In Salt Lake City, I stopped at soda chains Sodalicious and FiiZ Drinks.

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Each store had an overwhelming menu with hundreds of potential soda combinations. I decided to order the most popular drink and the cashier's favorite at each shop.

Each store had an overwhelming menu with hundreds of potential soda combinations. I decided to order the most popular drink and the cashier's favorite at each shop.
Lop's Pop Stop's soda menu.Monica Humphries/Insider

In an effort to keep a bit of consistency between the three taste tests, I asked an employee at each shop for the most popular drink and their personal top pick. Those are the drinks I then tried.

With each soda, I evaluated the strength of the added flavors and what I thought about the flavor combinations.

The first soda store I visited was Lop's Pop Stop, a tiny, bright-yellow shack outside of downtown Moab.

As I approached the store's walk-up window, I was taken aback by my options. There were 16 sodas to choose from, 30 flavors, five purees, three energy drink options, and two creams. It felt like an infinite amount of combinations.

At Lop's Pop Stop in Moab, I ordered a Moab on the Rocks — the store's most popular drink.

At Lop's Pop Stop in Moab, I ordered a Moab on the Rocks — the store's most popular drink.
Lop's Pop Stop in Moab, Utah.Monica Humphries/Insider

The Moab on the Rocks includes a choice of Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, or Diet Pepsi mixed with cherry syrup, coconut cream, and fresh lime added to the drink.

I bought a 24-ounce Coke version, which I was told was the most popular. It cost $2.72.

The first sip felt like I was drinking an overly saturated tropical cocktail — without the alcohol.

While I didn't taste the cherry, I could pinpoint a hint of lime. Meanwhile, the coconut cream was by far the most powerful flavor in the drink. I thought it had an almost artificial, sunscreen-like taste, but it didn't stop me from drinking the soda. The flavor slowly grew on me and I noticed that I kept coming back for more sips.

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The next day, I was craving something sweet before my drive to Salt Lake City. I realized I was itching for another soda.

The next day, I was craving something sweet before my drive to Salt Lake City. I realized I was itching for another soda.
The author at Lop's Pop Stop and her soda.Monica Humphries/Insider

After a long, hot morning exploring a crowded Arches National Park, I wanted something cool and refreshing. I didn't want an iced coffee, and I wasn't searching for a smoothie.

I realized I was craving a soda.

Moab only had one dedicated soda shop, so I headed back to Lop's Pop Stop for another drink.

This time I ordered an employee's favorite, The Local, which was a Sprite-base drink with cherry syrup and fresh lime. The person behind the counter said she also recommends it with coconut cream. The 24-ounce drink cost $2.72.

I obliged and got another drink with coconut cream.

Just like the drink I had the day before, this one had a creamy, almost pearly texture. I popped open the lid and noticed that the coconut cream appears to curdle in the drink.

I thought the combination of Sprite, cherry, and coconut paired well together, and I enjoyed The Local much more than Moab on the Rocks.

I could taste the sugar on my teeth, and immediately felt a rush from the soda's caffeine and sweetness. I felt ready for the drive ahead.

Once I arrived in Salt Lake City, I stopped at Sodalicious. There, I first ordered what I was told was the shop's most popular drink: a Diet Coke with coconut and lime.

Once I arrived in Salt Lake City, I stopped at Sodalicious. There, I first ordered what I was told was the shop's most popular drink: a Diet Coke with coconut and lime.
One of the Sodalicious stories in Salt Lake City, Utah.Monica Humphries/Insider

A Diet Coke with lime, coconut, and cream isn't just Sodalicious' most popular drink. Instead, it's a classic combination for soda drinkers across the state, Insider previously reported.

This wasn't the first time I was hearing about the combination. Earlier this year, my colleague Maria Noyen re-created her own version of the soda.

While she was a fan, I wasn't so sure I would be one, too.

First, I hate the taste of aspartame sweetener. And after the overpowering coconut flavor at Lop's Pop Stop, I was hesitant to give the drink a shot. But I went ahead and ordered the soda, which cost $2.15 for 16 ounces.

After a few sips of the Sodalicious drink, I understood why people are are fans. This time, the coconut cream wasn't as strong. I thought it added a creamy texture to the drink, and the hint of lime fit well into the flavor profile.

After my trip to Sodalicious, I had a renewed appreciation for adding cream to my soda. While I'd prefer to order Coke over Diet Coke, the lime and coconut helped balance the flavors of aspartame sweetener. I thought the flavors were more balanced in the Sodalicious drink compared to Lop's Pop Stop's Moab on the Rocks.

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Then, the cashier at Sodalicious recommended her favorite, called the Allison Show. Her soda had Diet Coke, cranberry, and fresh lime.

Then, the cashier at Sodalicious recommended her favorite, called the Allison Show. Her soda had Diet Coke, cranberry, and fresh lime.
The author drinking a soda from Sodalicious.Monica Humphries/Insider

This 16-ounce soda also cost $2.15.

The cranberry added a tart element to the sweet drink. This was also the first drink I had without coconut, so it was a refreshing break from the sweetness of the coconut cream.

I took sips between the two sodas, but I noticed that I was consuming the Allison Show at a much faster rate than the Diet Coke with lime and coconut.

While I liked the lime-and-coconut combination, the Allison Show soda quickly became my favorite of the four sodas so far. The cranberry balanced out the sweetness of the Diet Coke, which made it the least sweet of all the sodas I'd tasted so far.

I drove away from Sodalicious with emptier cups than I did post-Lop's Pop Stop.

Before catching my flight home, I stopped at FiiZ Drinks in Salt Lake City. The worker there told me the same thing: A Diet Coke with coconut lime is the most popular drink.

Before catching my flight home, I stopped at FiiZ Drinks in Salt Lake City. The worker there told me the same thing: A Diet Coke with coconut lime is the most popular drink.
The interior of FiiZ Drinks in Salt Lake City, Utah.Monica Humphries/Insider

While the carbonation, sugar, and caffeine were slowly growing on me by this point in my trip, the taste of aspartame in Diet Coke was not.

I thought that the diet drink's sugar replacement was the strongest flavor in the FiiZ version. I tried to hunt down the taste of coconut and lime but thought they were significantly less prominent compared to the similar versions at both Lop's Pop Stop and Sodalicious. The drink was also a bit more expensive for the quantity. The 16-ounce version of the drink cost $2.44.

But by the third time drinking the popular carbonated combination, I bought into the hype. The lime and coconut flavors elevated a typical Coke or Diet Coke. Plus, the lime added acidity, which I thought balanced well with the cream.

If I were to order the drink again, my only tweak would be choosing Coke over Diet Coke.

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I also ordered an employee favorite at FiiZ Drinks called Captain Jack Sparrow, which was Dr. Pepper with cream, coconut, pineapple, and raspberry syrup.

I also ordered an employee favorite at FiiZ Drinks called Captain Jack Sparrow, which was Dr. Pepper with cream, coconut, pineapple, and raspberry syrup.
The author drinking the Captain Jack Sparrow soda.Monica Humphries/Insider

The employee working at FiiZ Drinks said they loved the Captain Jack Sparrow, so I blindly ordered the drink.

When it arrived, a sticker pasted to the side of the drink outlined the ingredients: Dr. Pepper with cream, a pump of coconut syrup, two pumps of pineapple syrup, and four pumps of raspberry. It was the most expensive soda I purchased, and the 16-ounce drink cost $3.14.

With so many flavors in a single soda, I expected to be overwhelmed.

Instead, it felt like I was drinking a sweeter version of an already sweet Dr. Pepper. In a blind taste test, there's no way I could've picked out notes of raspberry, pineapple, or coconut.

I took another sip and searched for flavor. While I couldn't pinpoint any strong flavors, I happily polished off the Dr. Pepper drink, since it's one of my favorite sodas.

Ultimately, my soda taste test felt like the tale of Goldilocks. I thought Lop's Pop Stop was too flavorful, FiiZ wasn't flavorful enough, and Sodalicious was just right. And If I lived near a Sodalicious store, I imagine I'd become a regular in no time.

Ultimately, my soda taste test felt like the tale of Goldilocks. I thought Lop's Pop Stop was too flavorful, FiiZ wasn't flavorful enough, and Sodalicious was just right. And If I lived near a Sodalicious store, I imagine I'd become a regular in no time.
Side-by-side images of the author drinking a soda and Sodalicious' Styrofoam cups stacked up.Monica Humphries/Insider

While the three soda shops offered a variety of combinations with varying degrees of flavor, Sodalicious stood out as the winner. I thought it balanced its sodas with syrups and flavors flawlessly.

After just five days of drinking carbonated drinks, I realized how addictive soda shops could be.

The drinks are cheap. They provided me with a caffeine and sugar boost similar to my afternoon iced coffee, and with what feels like endless combinations, I don't think I'd ever get bored.

While I'm not looking to create a new soda habit, I plan to visit soda shops the next time I'm in Utah.

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