Mango Lassi in Chatham, NJ

Part drink, part dessert, part fire department. The mango lassi is India's beloved yogurt smoothie, and ours is blended with Alphonso mango — the variety Indians argue is the best fruit on earth — for a drink that's cold, creamy, and just sweet enough.

Lassi has been made in Punjab for centuries, and its genius is functional: dairy neutralizes capsaicin, the compound that makes chilies burn. That makes a mango lassi the smartest thing on the table next to a vindaloo — and the thing kids order twice. It's also the dessert for people who claim they don't want dessert. One per person; they don't get shared willingly.