Harry Truman once worked at a drugstore in Independence where visitors can now order a butterscotch sundae named in his honor. In Kansas City, a soda fountain rescued from a small-town drugstore is serving drinks again inside a museum.
Missouri has more places keeping these traditions alive. Some have been around for over a century, while others bring back old favorites like chocolate malts, ice cream floats, egg creams, and phosphates.
One Route 66 ice cream parlor even serves a dessert that looks like a plate of spaghetti. These 13 stops offer a chance to try classic American treats, explore unusual shops, and discover a little history along the way.
1. Crown Candy Kitchen, St. Louis, Missouri
Back in 1913, a pair of Greek immigrants opened a candy and soda shop in north St. Louis. More than a century later, Crown Candy Kitchen is still serving, and it remains run by the same family.
Wooden booths and vintage memorabilia fill the room, so the place looks close to how older customers remember it. Old soda advertisements line the walls, which makes waiting for your order feel like a short history tour.
Plenty of people come for the towering BLT, a sandwich famous for its big stack of bacon. Still, the malts and shakes are the heart of the menu, and the shop uses vintage mixers to make them.
Save room for something sweet to take home. Hand-dipped chocolates are made in-house, and the shop is known for chocolate bunnies around Easter.
Plan for a casual meal in the Old North St. Louis neighborhood, then finish with a scoop of homemade ice cream.
Address: 1401 St. Louis Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63106
2. Clinton’s Soda Fountain, Independence, Missouri
Ask for Harry’s Favorite and you’ll get a butterscotch sundae made with chocolate ice cream. The name honors Harry Truman, who worked at a drugstore in this very building as a teenager.
Truman’s job there came years before politics, and the story gives this shop a fun link to presidential history. The current soda fountain opened in 1988, decades after Truman moved on.
Inside, a century-old marble counter anchors the room. Wooden fixtures and a checkerboard floor round out the classic look.
The drink menu leans old school. Phosphates, ice cream floats, and malts let you try orders that were common long before energy drinks existed.
Location helps too. Clinton’s sits right on historic Independence Square, so you can pair dessert with a stroll past local shops and landmarks.
Truman sites around town make an easy add-on, turning one sundae into a full afternoon of Missouri history.
Address: 100 West Maple Avenue, Independence, MO 64050
3. Elixir Soda Fountain at the Kansas City Museum, Kansas City, Missouri
How does a soda fountain end up in a museum collection? This one came from a drugstore in tiny Modena, Missouri, and joined the Kansas City Museum in 1976.
For years it was a piece of history to look at. Then, in 2024, it returned as Elixir, a working fountain inside the museum’s historic Corinthian Hall.
Corinthian Hall was once a grand private mansion. Sitting at a restored marble counter in a place like that feels pretty fancy for a float order.
The menu mixes old ideas with new twists. A blood orange phosphate and the Kansas City Float are two creative picks worth trying.
Nearby displays explain how soda fountains once served as neighborhood meeting spots. You get a drink and a lesson in the same visit, which is a solid deal.
Check museum hours before heading over, since the fountain operates inside the museum building in the Historic Northeast area.
Address: 3218 Gladstone Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64123
4. SugarBot Creamery, St. Charles, Missouri
Egg creams contain no eggs and no cream, which surprises a lot of first-timers. You can test that fact yourself at SugarBot Creamery on Historic Main Street in St. Charles.
The shop was formerly associated with Little O’s Old Time Soda Fountain. Today it combines ice cream, baked treats, and traditional fountain drinks under one roof.
Phosphates join egg creams on the drink side. Both offer a break from the usual cone if you want something a bit more unusual.
A retro interior fits right in on this street. St. Charles has one of the best-known historic shopping districts in Missouri, with brick roads and old buildings lining the way.
That setting makes the creamery an easy stop during a downtown walk. Grab a drink, then keep browsing the nearby shops.
Families exploring the riverfront can also use it as a sweet reward between sightseeing stops.
Address: 330 South Main Street, St. Charles, MO 63301
5. Old Village Mercantile, Caledonia, Missouri
Built as a general store in 1909, Old Village Mercantile still feels like a country shop first. Ice cream is just one part of the visit.
Shelves hold antiques, old-fashioned candy, gifts, and vintage displays. Browsing can take a while, so don’t rush to the counter.
Once you’re ready for dessert, old-style fountain stools give you a place to sit. The historic interior keeps the focus on the past rather than modern trends.
Caledonia itself is a small historic village in eastern Missouri. Its quiet streets add to the appeal for travelers who like slower, less crowded stops.
A trip here works well as part of a drive through the area. You can pick up candy for the road and a treat for right now.
Call ahead about hours, since small-town shops may keep shorter schedules than city businesses.
Address: 135 Main Street, Caledonia, MO 63631
6. Soda & Scoops, Rolla, Missouri
Cherry and lime rickeys are hard to find these days. Soda & Scoops in downtown Rolla keeps them on the menu.
The list keeps going with phosphates, egg creams, and flavored Cokes. That’s far more variety than a typical ice cream counter offers.
Hand-scooped ice cream rounds out the menu. Pairing a scoop with a fizzy drink is an easy way to sample both sides of the shop.
Rolla sits on historic Route 66, the famous highway that once carried road-trippers across the country. A classic fountain fits that history nicely.
If you’re driving the Mother Road through Missouri, this is a fitting place to pause. You get a taste of the treats travelers enjoyed in the highway’s heyday.
Not sure what to order? A flavored Coke is a low-risk start, and a lime rickey is a fun step into fountain history.
Address: 815 North Pine Street, Rolla, MO 65401
7. Central Dairy Ice Cream Parlor, Jefferson City, Missouri
Portions are the headline at Central Dairy Ice Cream Parlor. Scoops here are known for being generous, so sharing is a smart move.
The Madison Street parlor keeps things simple. It feels like an old neighborhood ice cream counter rather than a trendy dessert spot.
Menu choices stick to classics. Sundaes, malts, shakes, and ice cream sodas fill the board instead of over-the-top creations.
An ice cream soda is a good pick if you’ve never had one. It blends soda water, syrup, and ice cream for a fizzy, creamy drink.
Location makes this an easy add-on to a capital city trip. The Missouri State Capitol sits close by, so you can tour the building and then cool off.
Student groups and families touring Jefferson City will find it a simple, budget-friendly way to end a day of learning.
Address: 610 Madison Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101
8. St. Louis Union Station Soda Fountain, St. Louis, Missouri
Freak Shakes arrive loaded with so many toppings that they look more like art projects than drinks. They’re the signature order at the St. Louis Union Station Soda Fountain.
The restaurant opened in 2019 inside the historic train station. Its look recreates a colorful 1950s diner with retro booths and a bright dessert counter.
Old fountain recipes still have a place here. Drinks like Cherry Chocolate Cola bring back flavors that older soda counters used to mix by hand.
You can also order burgers and other diner favorites. That makes it a full meal stop, not only a dessert break.
Union Station has more to see once you’re done. The St. Louis Aquarium and the St. Louis Wheel are both nearby, so plan a few extra hours.
One tip: those giant shakes are easy to split, which leaves more room for exploring afterward.
Address: 1820 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103
9. Sara’s Ice Cream, Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
Ste. Genevieve is Missouri’s oldest permanent European settlement, founded in the 1700s.
Sara’s Ice Cream adds a sweet stop to that long history.
The small shop sits on Merchant Street in the historic downtown. It makes a handy break between visits to old buildings and local shops.
Vintage decorations and Coca-Cola memorabilia set the mood. The look matches the classic fountain treats on the menu.
Shakes, malts, floats, and old-fashioned phosphates are all available. A phosphate is a tangy soda drink that was a fountain staple long ago.
Walking tours of the town’s French colonial homes can take a while. Having an ice cream break planned keeps younger travelers happy along the way.
Spring and summer are great times to visit, when strolling the historic district pairs well with a cold float.
Address: 124 Merchant Street, Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670
10. Tara’s Cafe and Malt Shop, Belton, Missouri
Breakfast and a malt on the same visit? Tara’s Cafe and Malt Shop on Belton’s historic Main Street makes that combo easy.
This family-owned spot serves breakfast and lunch. It also spins the hand-made malts and milkshakes tied to classic soda shops.
A retro dining room adds to the fun. The décor fits right in with the diner-style menu.
Floats and sundaes give you a reason to stop between meals too. An afternoon treat works just as well as a full lunch.
Belton’s downtown has antique shops within walking distance. You can browse vintage finds and then grab a malt to match the theme.
Belton sits just south of Kansas City, so it’s a short drive for anyone in the metro looking for a small-town break.
Address: 323 Main Street, Belton, MO 64012
11. Mr. B’s Ice Cream Parlor, Branson, Missouri
Branson is famous for big shows and bright theaters. Mr. B’s Ice Cream Parlor offers a calmer break in the older downtown district.
The shop has a 1950s-inspired look. Traditional ice cream desserts are the main focus here.
Banana splits and hot fudge sundaes lead the menu. Milkshakes, malts, and floats are also on offer for anyone who prefers a straw.
Hand-scooped flavors round things out. A simple cone is a good choice if you’re saving room for dinner.
You’ll find the parlor near the corner of Main Street and Business 65. That puts it close to downtown shops and the Branson Landing area.
Fitting a sundae between a matinee and an evening show is a classic Branson move, and this spot makes it easy.
Address: 102 West Main Street, Branson, MO 65616
12. Sylvie Dee’s, Webster Groves, Missouri
Root beer floats share the menu with customized dirty sodas at Sylvie Dee’s. It’s a playful mix of old and new in Webster Groves.
Dirty sodas add syrups, cream, or fruit flavors to a soft drink. Pairing them with classic floats keeps both younger and older fans happy.
The shop covers a lot of ground. Ice cream, a coffee counter, pastries, and a candy selection all sit under one roof.
Bright colors fill the interior, giving the place a cheerful, modern spin on the soda shop idea. It’s an easy pick for families out on a weekend.
Creative ice cream desserts round out the choices. If you can’t decide, a scoop plus a candy bag is a reasonable compromise.
Webster Groves is a St. Louis suburb with walkable streets, so you can pair your treat with a stroll around the neighborhood.
Address: 8 North Gore Avenue, Webster Groves, MO 63119
13. Papaw’s Kookies & Kream Ice Cream Parlor, Strafford, Missouri
Spaghetti ice cream looks like a plate of pasta, but it’s dessert all the way. It’s the quirkiest order at Papaw’s Kookies & Kream Ice Cream Parlor.
The idea comes from Germany, where vanilla ice cream is pressed into noodle shapes. Strawberry sauce plays the role of tomato sauce, so it really does fool the eye.
More familiar treats are here too. A broad lineup of hand-dipped ice cream flavors sits alongside cookies and ice cream sandwiches.
The shop sits on historic Route 66 in Strafford, just east of Springfield. Retro styling recalls the roadside dessert stops of the 1950s and 1960s.
Travelers following the Mother Road will find it a fitting pause. It celebrates the kind of highway stops that once dotted the route.
Bring your camera for the spaghetti ice cream, because it makes a fun photo before the first bite.
Address: 120 East Old Route 66, Strafford, MO 65757
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