Pittsburgh is a city that loves its ice cream. There are countless independently-owned stands that have been scooping for decades in the area. From unique flavors to decadent sundaes to perfectly constructed ice cream sandwiches, these ice cream shops have a sweet treat for everyone!
Page Dairy Mart
Page Dairy Mart, located on the South Side, is one of Pittsburgh’s most iconic ice cream stands. Opened in 1951 by Charles Alexander Page, Page’s has been providing Pittsburghers with a variety of sweet treats since its opening. It’s currently owned by Marjorie Page Prusia, the fourth generation of Page’s to own the stand, and they have one of the largest menus of any ice cream shop. From 30 flavors of soft serve (both regular and dairy free) to specialty sundaes to arctic swirls (Page’s version of a Blizzard), Page’s really has something everyone will love. The line can often be daunting, but it’s worth the wait.
Young’s Custard Stand
Tucked away right outside of Zelienople, Young’s Custard Stand has been serving up homemade soft serve custard for over 75 years. Last year, the stand announced it was closing its doors, but new owners stepped in earlier this year and announced it was reopening for its 76th season. The stand serves up classic vanilla and chocolate custard but also does seasonal flavors, such as peach, banana, and blueberry that change every few days. They offer their custard in milkshakes, sundaes, floats, malts, and ice cream sandwiches. Locals are rejoicing that this stand isn’t permanently closed.
Leona’s Ice Cream
Leona’s Ice Cream was started by wives, Katherine (Katie) Heldstab and Christa Puskarich, in 2013. They craft artisanal ice cream sandwiches that are both 100% real dairy and 100% lactose free in unique flavor combinations, such as black sesame ice cream on salted tahini chocolate chunk, key lime ice cream on graham cracker, chocolate banana on peanut butter, and countless more flavors. Previously, Leona’s sold their ice cream sandwiches to local purveyors and restaurants and didn’t have a physical shop, but that changed this year after they opened up a location in the newly constructed Lawrence Hall in Lawrenceville. They have a large freezer with a variety of ice cream sandwich flavors, as well as ice cream available in a cup or cone. They also have a walk-up window, which is the perfect way to secure a sweet treat and continue your adventure around Lawrenceville.
Glen’s Homemade Custard
Glen’s Homemade Custard first opened in 1948 in Cheswick, and when the shop moved to its current Springdale location in 1959, customers followed, because it was that good of a product. Today, Glen’s has two locations in Springdale and Lower Burrell. Both shops have different custard flavors of the day every single day, along with traditional flavors, such as vanilla and chocolate, and gourmet flavors, which include cake batter, espresso bean, caramel cookie dough, and more. They also have seasonal, specialty flavors available throughout the summer season, such as monkey business, whitehouse cherry, and cotton candy. Their custard is available in arctic swirls, milkshakes, sundaes, and floats. If you’re looking for something a bit richer and creamier to satisfy your sweet tooth, Glen’s is worth a try.
King Cones Castle
King Cones Castle, located in Butler, opened its drawbridge to customers in 1998 and has been scooping ice cream ever since! The store is unmissable as there’s a giant ice cream cone right in front. Their menu is extensive with 22 soft serve and 48 hard ice cream flavors. They also have frozen yogurt available for those looking for a healthier treat. All of these flavors are available in cones, sundaes, and milkshakes. All of the soft serve flavors are also available in snowstorms (similar to Blizzards). Your only problem at King Cones Castle will be deciding what to get.
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