If you’re wondering what that long line is across the street from Casbah on Highland Avenue, people are waiting to try Millie’s homemade ice cream.
It’s worth the wait.
Millie’s is the brainchild of husband and wife duo Lauren and Chad Townsend. Chad was the executive chef at Salt of the Earth. Before opening their brick-and-mortar storefront in Shadyside, the couple made ice cream out of their home in Wilkinsburg, and delivered ice cream to CSA-subscribers across Allegheny County.
Mr. Townsend sources local ingredients to make some of the most flavorful ice cream you will ever taste: each batch of ice cream contains 14% buttermilk fat. He also employs an innovative technique, called the Pacojet method, that creates a soft texture. Flavors are dictated by whats fresh in season. Some of Millie’s current flavors include Saffron Apricot, Vietnamese Coffee and Rhubarb Sorbet.
I suggest ordering a waffle cone, made on site. (The smell of waffle cones baking is intoxicating.) Each waffle cone comes with a couple of marshmallows in the bottom of the cone, ensuring your last bite is memorable.
In the less than three months, Millie’s has already received 45 Yelp reviews garnering a 4.5 rating. The opening couldn’t have been more timely: The weather is warming up (is it?) and Pittsburgh’s foodie scene is more than ready for its own locally produced ice cream.
Millie’s is named after Chad’s grandmother. There’s a portrait of her hanging of the mantle as you enter the store. Trust us, it’s worth the wait.
(Featured Image of Millie’s Ice Cream was found on the Pittsburgh Magazine Website)
