Last updated 5/10/19.
With temperatures rising across the city, Pittsburghers are screaming for ice-cream. It’s time to hit the road and set out on the ultimate ice-cream tour of Pittsburgh.
Luckily in Pittsburgh, nearly every neighborhood has a hidden gem or favorite spot. Below we have listed a few of our favorite small, local ice-cream shops.
Here is the ultimate Pittsburgh ice-cream trail. Enjoy!
And if you stop by any of these locations, we would love to see! Be sure to tag @goodfoodpgh and #goodfoodpgh in your pictures!
What is your favorite ice-cream shop in Pittsburgh? Leave it in the comments below!
Stop 1: Sarris Candies
Canonsburg, PA
“The Worlds Best Chocolates,” is a bold claim, but the legion of lifelong Sarris Candies fans are willing to back it up. Be sure to combine a trip to the Sarris ice-cream parlour with a tour of the Sarris Candy shop.
This old-fashioned ice-cream parlor is known for their sundae creations and “hard-cap” toppings. Interesting sundaes combinations include the “Odd Couple,” which pairs one scoop of chocolate with marshmallow sauce with one scoop of vanilla with hot fudge, and the “Strawberry Fields,” with one scoop of strawberry and one scoop of vanilla covered in a strawberry sauce.
As for the “hard caps,” imagine a Sarris chocolate bar melted on top of your ice cream. Milk, dark, and peanut butter options are available.
Sarris Candies (511 Adams Avenue, Canonsburg)
Stop 2: Sugar & Spice Ice Cream
Baldwin
It is easy to pretend you are in the 1940’s when stopping through Sugar and Spice. The shop is decked out with nostalgic memorabilia, barstool seating, checkered floor, and a 1940s soda fountain.
If you haven’t made the trip to this retro parlor, located 20 minutes south of the city, there’s still chance you’ve tasted their ice-cream from their food truck, which travels all over the city.
Sugar & Spice Ice Cream (5200 Clairton Blvd., Baldwin)
Stop 3: Betsy’s Ice Cream
Mt Lebanon
Betsy’s Ice Cream keeps everything local, sourcing their milk from hormone-free and all-natural milk from the Pittsburgh area. All ice-cream, sorbets, and frozen yogurt treats are homemade and custom blended.
Betsy’s has huge variety of unique flavors, but their loyal fans love flavors like “Pittsburgh Pride” with black and gold ice-cream, mixed with chocolate chips and cookies, “Salted Caramel,” “Lavender Raspberry,” “Mexican Chocolate” and “Birthday Cake.”
They also offer vegan options.
Betsy’s Ice Cream (664 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon)
Stop 4: Millie’s Ice Cream
Multiple Locations
You’re in luck – Millie’s homemade ice cream can be found all over the city. The shop has permanent two locations (Downtown and Shadyside), and is currently in the process of opening a third location in Lawrenceville. They are also available in grocery stores, markets, and many local restaurants. Oh, and they have an ice cream truck.
This summer, Millie’s is also offering a “Summer of Soft Serve” pop-up in Bakery Square. The shop opens May 20th and will offer six flavors of homemade classic dairy and vegan soft-serve, waffle cones, floats, and more.
Follow along on their social media to keep track of their rotating flavors and specials.
Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream (Multiple Locations)
Stop 5: DiFiore’s Ice Cream Delite
Mt. Washington
Enjoy the view of Pittsburgh from Mt. Washington with an ice-cream cone in hand! Located just one block from Grandview Avenue, DiFiore’s is perfectly poised to make any trip to Mt. Washington much sweeter.
DiFiore’s has your standard menu of ice-cream treats, and is a cash only establishment.
DiFiore’s Ice Cream Delite (120 Shiloh Street, Pittsburgh)
Stop 6: Page Dairy Mart
South Side
Craving a classic ice-cream experience? Look no further than Page Dairy Mart. In its 68 years of business, Page has received tons of national attention for its nostalgic soft serve ice-cream. Lifelong Page customers also quick to rave about their sundaes, served with warm chocolate chip cookies.
Although there is a line nearly any time of day, this ice cream is always worth the wait! Additionally, Page is located across the street from the Three Rivers Heritage bike trail and is a great treat after an afternoon biking.
Page Dairy Mart (4600 E. Carson Street, Pittsburgh)
Stop 7: Klavons Ice Cream Parlor
Strip District
When asked about old-school ice-cream shops in Pittsburgh, the first place many people think of is Klavon’s in the Strip District. Klavons opened in 1923 as a neighborhood apothecary and ice cream shop, and the retro decor has changed very little since. Klavon’s still features glass pharmacy cases, retro candy, telephone booths, and bar seating.
The ice cream parlor also produces their own homemade ice cream, offering delicious scoops, and unique sundae options.
Klavon’s Ice Cream (2801 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh)
Stop 8: Twisters Ice Cream
Bloomfield
Blink and you might miss this tiny ice-cream and Italian ice shop, located on Main Street in Bloomfield. Twisters is a local institution, and has been serving the neighborhood frozen treats for nearly 20 years.
Twisters has all of the classic ice-cream shop treats – soft serve, hard ice-cream, slushies, flurries, milkshakes, and floats – but don’t miss their rotating Italian ices.
Twisters Ice Cream (4210 Main Street, Pittsburgh)
Stop 9: Yetter’s Candy
Millvale
Yetter’s is another throwback ice cream parlor, featuring an old fashioned ice cream soda fountain and candies, which are made on-site using the same recipes since 1950. The ice cream is “Ashby Sterling” ice cream from Michigan, and everyone loves sitting at the nostalgic counter and enjoying a shake, cone, or sundae. Flavors include: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Strawberry cheesecake, Banana pudding, Peanut butter chocolate, Birthday cake, Mint chocolate chip, and Moose tracks.
Yetter’s Candy (504 Grant Ave)
Stop 10: Glen’s Frozen Custard
Springdale
Calling all custard fans – head to Glen’s! This Pittsburgh tradition offers smooth and creamy custard, including everything from classic vanilla and chocolate, to unusual flavors like “Maple Walnut Chunk,” and “Malt Shop Brownie.”
The original Glen’s (located in Springdale) has been serving Pittsburgh for over 60 years, and is complete with a challenging and unique mini-golf course.
Glen’s Frozen Custard (400 Pittsburgh Street, Springdale)
What is your favorite local ice-cream shop in Pittsburgh? Leave it in the comments below!
Nope, you missed Al’s Cone Zone!!!!
Where is Al’s Cone Zone …
Can you please come review and rate the Fudge Farm, 1503 East Carson St. The milkshakes are amazing plus they have indoor swings!!!! It is such a fun place to bring the family or for a late night snack, they’re open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays!
Emmerling’s in Cheswick! Soft serve, hard scoop, sundaes, milkshakes! All so good!
Although my favorite is Glen’s Custard. Enjoying a bowl as I type. But another really good place is Remember When on Chartiers Ave.
I’m very surprised that Dave and Andy’s in Oakland is missing from this list!
My thoughts exactly! Even though I have moved to Lancaster PA every time I’m in Pittsburgh Dave and Andy’s is a must!!
For the eastern suburbs Kerbers in N.Huntingdon! You can find their products @ Schramm Farms also.
You missed Handel’s in West Mifflin. Part of a small chain (3 Pgh locations) and the original location in Youngstown. Rated by National Geographic as the best in the world in 2015.
Glen’s is my favorite soft serve.
How about Kool Kones in North Hills and North Park … I have to put a plug in for them, a buddy I grew up with owns them … I you go say hello for me!
Steve (Butch)