An Oprah-loved ice cream parlor just opened in Johnson County
Clementine’s Ice Cream, a beloved brand born in St. Louis, has opened its first spot in the Kansas City metro.
Its famed gooey buttercake, Billie’s Tahini chip cookie (courtesy of Billie’s Grocery), and lemon poppyseed ice creams are now available in the Shops of Prairie Village at 6966 Mission Road, along with other flavors.
The gooey buttercake ice cream is an Oprah Winfrey favorite. In 2019, it made The O List and was called “the sexiest ice cream alive” in Oprah Magazine.
CEO Tamara Keefe previously shared with The Star what makes Clementine’s tasty enough for superstars.
Firstly, the micro creamery makes its small-batch ice cream without any artificial ingredients. All the cookies, cakes, and other add-ins are baked by hand and then put into the ice cream.
The brand also has a higher butterfat percentage than most ice cream competitors, making it extra rich. While many ice cream brands have a 50% “overrun,” or air content, Clementine’s delivers a denser product with less than 30%.
“We’ve had so much demand from folks in Kansas City when they come to St. Louis,” Keefe said in a previous interview. “We believe that Kansas City deserves to have super-premium, artisanal ice cream.”
Her nondairy options are also a hit, with options like mounds of coconut, coconut fudge and vanilla bean.
Clementine’s is also known for its naughty (boozy) and nice (booze-free) flavors. But so far, the Prairie Village location is completely sober.
Jenny Vergara, a spokeswoman for the company, told The Star Clementine’s is still navigating the approval process of liquor laws in Kansas but hopes to offer its boozy flavors soon. Those include boozy banana rum and maple bourbon with candied pecans.
Keefe is eyeing several more spots in the area, but none were able to be publicly shared Tuesday.
The Johnson County spot was home to Chill in the Village for five years and TCBY for the prior two years. It’s since been completely remodeled to look like an old fashioned ice cream parlor, with gold mirrors, vintage portraits and tile floors.
Sizes range from mini (one scoop for $6), petite (two scoops for $8), moyen (three scoops for $9), or grand cru (five scoops for $15). Scoops are offered in regular cones, waffle cones or bowls, with a variety of cone flavors offered.
Clementine’s website tells the story of Keefe, who founded the company in 2014.
Growing up in a poor Irish-Italian household, she could not afford regular trips to their local ice cream parlor. After her mother purchased a $2 hand crank ice cream maker from a garage sale, they began a weekly ice cream making ritual.
More than a decade ago, Keefe decided to leave her marketing career behind and open her first shop.
Today, the woman-owned company has 10 locations and ships nationally through Goldbelly.
Inside the new location, a mural on the seafoam green wall reads: “The smartest girls in the world live in Prairie Village.”
It’s open from noon to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, noon to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
This story was originally published September 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM.