Milk Bar Crafts Its First Soda in Collaboration With &pizza

The way Milk Bar chef and founder Christina Tosi sees it, her first foray into fizzy drinks would never have happened had fellow innovator Michael Lastoria not walked into her D.C. shop and floated a totally sweet deal.

According to Tosi, the co-founder and CEO of the rapidly mushrooming &pizza chain visited the Milk Bar store in CityCenterDC shortly after it opened and began tossing out ideas to bridge the snack-y hospitality ventures. She said there was talk, naturally, of working up some sort of dually designed dessert pizza. Then her mind turned to what a pie lover might most enjoy post carbo-loading.

Her solution: the Cereal Milk Cream Soda Cookie.

[&pizza]

"Something that's small, and sweet and memorable," was what Tosi said she sought to weave into the palm-sized treat composed of butter, dark brown sugar, white chocolate chips, marshmallows, and vanilla, among other things.

Lastoria, meanwhile, lobbied for a bubbly accompaniment to add to his collection of cane sugar-fueled fountain drinks. He got his wish with Cereal Milk Cream Soda.

"Creamy vanilla fizz meets salted marshmallow. Sweetness with an edge," is how the custom beverage is billed on a promotional label. Lastoria is excited about sharing this custom-tailored taste sensation with his growing fan base.

"We're gonna get this in the mouths of so many people," he gushed.

Both products, officially scheduled for release on Tuesday, April 18, will be served exclusively at &pizza locations. On launch day, visitors to any &pizza shop can claim a free fountain soda with any pizza purchase, while those ordering online can secure a free cookie by entering the code “MILKBAR”. Milk Bar plans to reciprocate by offering $1 Cereal Milk soft serve the same day.

Each cookie costs $1.25. The featured soda is $.2.75 for a 16-ounce serving.

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