Central Dairy has been making ice cream in Jefferson City since 1932, and the original shop on Madison Street is a genuine local institution. The ice cream is made on-site in a wide rotation of flavors, and the portions are generous. It's the kind of place that legislators, lobbyists, and ordinary residents all end up at — the social leveling effect of a good scoop on a hot Missouri afternoon.
The dairy's production facility is attached to the shop, and you can sometimes see the equipment through a viewing window. It's nothing elaborate, but the longevity of the operation is its own recommendation. This is comfort food in the best sense: made here, sold here, unchanged for generations.