2016’s best spots for Pittsburgh ice cream are still scooping

In honor of NEXTpittsburgh’s 10-year anniversary, we’re looking back on our top stories of the last decade and sharing them again to show how much has changed (and stayed the same) over the years. This post was originally published on June 23, 2016.

Making a list of the best ice cream spots in Pittsburgh is like making a list of the best puppies and kitties: They’re all pretty great. I have yet to meet the person whose day doesn’t get a bit better after a few bites of their favorite flavor. Ice cream (and all of the other frozen treats that surround it) is the ultimate cure-all, the answer to a blazing hot afternoon or a scraped knee.

Even so, some shops stand out in a crowded field. Pittsburgh ice cream spans generations, from old-school shops with devoted followings to newcomers just starting to win hearts and stomachs. We scoured the city and suburbs to bring you a list of the very best places to get your frozen fix this summer.

Forget the summer solstice: for many in Pittsburgh, summer started way back on March 5. That was the day Page Dairy Mart, the beloved roadside stand that’s been scooping since 1951, opened for the season. A day spent on the South Side isn’t complete without a stop at Page Dairy Mart, located at the corner of East Carson Street and Becks Run Road. Don’t miss the excellent banana splits and specialty sundaes, like the one made with warm chocolate chip cookies from Homestead’s Nancy B’s Bakery. And if you need to balance all that sugar, Page Dairy Mart also serves up a small menu of sandwiches and finger foods.

If ice cream isn’t quite rich enough for you, then it’s time to try custard. Though it looks like classic soft serve, frozen custard adds eggs to the mix, creating a thicker, less airy dessert. And in Pittsburgh, nobody does custard better than Glen’s. For almost 70 years, folks have flocked to Springdale for sundaes, cones and a few rounds of mini golf. And with a recently opened second location in Lower Burrell (which boasts a full menu of burgers and sandwiches), Glen’s won’t be making a last stand for custard anytime soon.

In 2015, Chad Townsend left the world of line cooks and sauté pans to pursue a sweeter career. Along with his wife Lauren, Townsend launched Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream, selling ice cream at farmer’s markets and through a unique Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. This March, the Townsends opened a shop of their own on Highland Avenue in the former home of Oh Yeah! Ice Cream and Coffee. The bright, cheery scoop shop dishes up seasonal ice cream and sorbet flavors like Concord Grape, which are made with local ingredients whenever possible. Though a brand-new addition to Pittsburgh’s ice cream scene, Millie’s already feels like a neighborhood institution.

Millie’s has since opened eight more storefront, plus a stand in Kennywood and a Homestead location set to open in 2024.

With its sliding service windows and smattering of outdoor seating, Antney’s looks like any other roadside ice cream stand. Take a glance at the menu, however, and you’ll quickly realize that Antney’s is something special. For starters, they actually make their ice cream on the premises rather than dumping a pouch of mix into a machine. And their menu, which changes daily, brims with flavors that would be at home in a trendy Brooklyn shop: Recent offerings included Salted Caramel with Candied Bacon and Lemon Poppyseed with Rose Petal Jam Swirl. Get a taster, which offers three small scoops, and marvel at the creativity on display at Antney’s.

Looking for more on Antney’s? Check out this profile from 2023!

Over its nearly century-long history, Klavon’s has faced floods, several decades of vacancy and numerous changes in ownership. But through it all, the Strip District shop has maintained its old-timey charm. Klavon’s takes you back to a bygone era when corner shops would dispense everything from penny candy to tonics for aches and pains. The newest owners have made some updates; most notably, Klavon’s now serves up ice cream based on recipes from Penn State Creamery, the spot where Ben and Jerry honed their craft. The super rich ice cream and retro atmosphere make Klavon’s a can’t-miss spot on your next trip to the Strip.

If you’re running low on ways to occupy your kids this summer break, head out to Kerber’s Dairy. The North Huntingdon destination offers all-season tubing, a beautiful miniature golf course, goats and sheep to feed—oh, and some darn good ice cream. Kerber’s started more than 50 years ago as a tiny dairy farm and milk store. Since then, they’ve launched their own ice cream line, making velvety hard ice cream unlike any in the supermarket. You’ll find all of the classics as well as signature flavors like the Cow Patty: chocolate ice cream with cookie dough, brownie chunks and peanut butter. It tastes a whole lot better than the name lets on.

As kids, we found few things greater than scrounging enough change to buy a Chipwich from the cafeteria ice cream lady. Sharing my love of ice cream smashed between two cookies, Katie Heldstab and Christa Puskarich launched Leona’s Ice Cream Sandwiches in 2014. The sandwiches are creative and seasonal: If a local farm has a bumper crop of strawberries, you better believe they’ll end up in strawberry rhubarb ice cream between layers of buttery shortbread. And all of the ice cream is lactose free, meaning more people can enjoy the unique pairings. Leona’s Ice Cream Sandwiches are available at a growing list of shops, restaurants and breweries around Pittsburgh.

Since 1983, Dave & Andy’s has been luring Oakland pedestrians with the tantalizing scent of cooking waffle cones. If the smell isn’t endorsement enough, know that Dave & Andy’s also makes all of their own ice cream—an impressive feat, considering the shop has rotated through more than 200 flavors over the years. A few favorites stay on the menu year-round, including the wildly popular Birthday Cake, which comes loaded with homemade cake chunks and rainbow sprinkles. Right down to the M&M hidden at the bottom of every cone, Dave & Andy’s is a classic part of a Pittsburgh summer.

And don’t miss . . .

Graeter’s, a family business that has been serving ice cream to Ohioans since 1870.

Sugar and Spice, which runs a popular shop in the Baldwin area, as well as an ice cream truck.

And Sugar Spell Scoops, Pittsburgh’s new vegan ice cream shop.

What did we miss? Wash those sticky fingers and leave your favorite in the comments below! And read more great guides to Pittsburgh here.