100% real dairy,
100% lactose free
so that every belly can enjoy
founded by science and magic
Every bite of Leona’s Super Premium Ice Cream is filled with the magic of locally sourced flavors crafted in our Wilkinsburg, PA kitchen. Every flavor, every candy or cake piece, every swirl or sauce is made by hand in our production kitchen. Through the miracle of science and the help of a natural enzyme we make our ice cream 100% lactose free with 100% real dairy.
After receiving an ice cream machine for their wedding, Christa Puskarich and Katie Heldstab stopped messing around and started seriously crafting ice cream and cookies in 2013. Starting from the back of a coffee shop, the business grew through retail partners like local breweries, neighborhood markets, coffee shops, and grocery stores. Since then, Leona’s expanded its footprint throughout the Pittsburgh area and beyond. In 2025 their first standalone Scoop Shop opened in the beautiful neighborhood of Garfield in Pittsburgh’s east end, selling their signature sandwiches, scoops and seasonal rotating treats. Stop in and say hi!
our process
Where it comes from..
For us, it all starts with sourcing, building partnerships with our local producers to make sure that we get the best dairy and produce available. Keeping our impact low and our money in the local economy.
How it’s made…
We are obsessed with the details. It’s not just about the flavor, it’s also about how it makes you feel. We make super premium ice cream, using 16% butter fat dairy and churning very little air into it, making a creamy and decadent treat.
Did you say scratch?
We make almost everything from scratch. Our fruit comes in whole – direct from the farm, then cleaned, prepared and stored for use throughout the year. We make every sauce, ripple, cookie, cake, crumble, marshmallow, and brownie by hand in our kitchen. We even grow our own mint for fresh mint ice cream.
Never stop creating…
We love the classics, but we never stop trying new things. Driven by collaboration, a robust local food culture and curiosity, our kitchen is always trying new things and perfecting recipes.
we're a sustainable pittsburgh restaurant
We are a part of Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurants. We are committed to taking economic, environmental and social actions to benefit the region and be stewards of our community and environment.
browse our faq section
words we live by
We believe in the transformative power of food and flavor.
We know that ice cream is what dreams are made of - and we dream big.
We believe that every belly should enjoy ice cream.
We look for inspiration everywhere and know that a simple mix of milk, cream and sugar is the most amazing canvas.
We believe in the power of personal relationships and prefer to do our business with a handshake and a smile.
We put our money where our roots are by using local dairy and ingredients-not just because it’s right but because our area has everything we could ask for.
We believe in ice cream and we believe in you.
