More of President Joe Biden’s favorite ice cream has arrived in Houston. After opening its first local shop in the Heights in December 2019, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is debuting its second in CITYCENTRE at 801 Town and Country.

The company, which is rapidly expanding with shops across the nation, was founded by ice cream maker and cookbook author Jeni Britton Bauer. One of the ice cream’s selling points is the lack of synthetic flavorings, dyes, stabilizers and emulsifiers. The results are marketed as having a “uniquely smooth texture and buttercream body, with bright flavor and clean finish.”

Bauer started her first shop called Scream in 1996 in Columbus, Ohio, but with only a single flavor offered per day, it wasn’t a hit. She closed the shop, rethought the concept and then Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams was born. Bauer’s cookbook, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, won a James Beard Award in 2012. She followed it up with Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Desserts in 2014.

The new scoop shop offers flavors such as Brown Butter Almond Brittle, the new Buttercream Birthday Cake and limited edition Wedding Cake. Jeni’s also sells dairy-free ice cream in varieties like Dark Chocolate Truffle. Ingredients are often sourced from independent dairies and farmers across the United States. 

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is known for stirring up controversy on occasion with its limited-time flavors. In addition to creating White House Chocolate Chip for number one fan President Biden, it quickly sold out of Strawberry Pretzel Pie, a collaboration with national treasure Dolly Parton. Less yummy-sounding was the polarizing Everything Bagel flavor.

Regardless, if stagnation is death, then the parade of flavors means that a visit to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is likely to be a lively experience. 

Phaedra Cook

Phaedra Cook has written about Houston’s restaurant and bar scene since 2010. She was a regular contributor to My Table magazine (now closed) and was the lead restaurant critic for the Houston Press for two years, eventually being promoted to food editor. Cook founded Houston Food Finder in November 2016 and has been its editor and publisher ever since.