Millie's Homemade Ice Cream

It’s the end of April. The cold Pittsburgh weather is finally relenting, giving us some sun and warmer days (with some wind thrown in, of course). As this is the last issue of the semester, I thought I’d finish off with a review of the perfect place for the summer: Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream.

There are two Millie’s locations. There is one downtown in Market Square and one in Shadyside. They also sell pints at various grocery stores around Pittsburgh, including the Giant Eagle Market District.

The Millie’s location in Shadyside is the closest to campus. The shop is right next door to the popular Thai restaurant, Noodlehead. Whenever my friends and I grab dinner at Noodlehead, it’s tradition to go to Millie’s after. It’s up S. Highland St. and is a short walk to Target and Trader Joe’s in East Liberty. The 71B bus will take you straight to the front door of Millie’s from Fifth Avenue. The 71D stops at Fifth and S. Highland, but the walk up the street is nice and short. Another possibility is the 75 bus through Ellsworth Avenue.

Walking up to Millie’s, you already know what to expect: pink, pink, and more pink. Two picnic tables are in front of the store, and the neon pink sign of the door welcomes everybody in. The inside of the store is all striped white and pink wallpaper. The moment I stepped in for the first time, I was thrown by the intense smell of cinnamon. That’s their one-of-a-kind waffle cones. They make them right behind the counter, so you can see them making fresh cones as you pick out your ice cream flavor(s).

Milllie’s ice cream flavors rotate month-to-month, but there are some staples, like The Best Chocolate, Chad’s Vanilla, and Vietnamese Coffee. Some unique past flavors include Olive and Lavender. The ice cream itself is not super strong: the Lemon and Lavender flavors, among others, taste like lemon and lavender, but you won’t get an intense taste of lemon, or the particular aroma of lavender. The ice cream, regardless of flavor, is mild and creamy, a great snack anytime, but especially on those hot summer days.

Without a doubt, Millie’s is my favorite ice cream place in Pittsburgh. The store itself is cute and welcoming, as well as family friendly. It can get extremely crowded on hot days or weekends, but the inside is relatively spacious for a typical ice cream shop. There are several tables and benches, as well as standing space. There are also tables outside in both the front and in the back for particularly nice days.

The ice cream is great, and there are some unique flavors that are worth a try. But for me, it’s the waffle cones that seal the deal. I haven’t ever had a cone quite as fresh or crispy. The cinnamon also really comes through in the recipe and helps create its unique taste.

With the weather warming up and finals looming, Millie’s is a great spot that is a short bus ride from campus to take a break and #TreatYoSelf between essays, term projects, and exams. Once summer arrives, I'm excited to enjoy great ice cream in the great weather.