A mound of finely shaved ice doused in fruit syrup, served in a paper cup. A summer-only North Side tradition from a single cart that has run since 1934.

Gus Kalaris's family has scraped and sold ice balls from a cart at Allegheny Commons on the North Side since 1934, making it one of Pittsburgh's oldest continuously-run food stands. The ice is shaved fine and soaked in homemade fruit syrups, served cheap from a window. The cart is summer-only and cash-only; in 2025 the city gave it a ceremonial street sign honouring the tradition.

Where to eat The Pittsburgh ice ball in Pittsburgh

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Make it at home

Serves 415 minEasy

Ingredients

  • A large block of ice or a shaved-ice machine
  • 200g sugar
  • 200ml water
  • Fruit (strawberry, cherry or blue raspberry) or fruit syrup
  • Paper cups

Method

  1. Make a simple syrup by dissolving the sugar in the water over heat, then cool.
  2. Stir in pureed fruit or fruit flavouring to make a bright syrup.
  3. Shave the ice as finely as possible into a fluffy mound, by machine or by scraping the block.
  4. Pack the shaved ice into paper cups.
  5. Pour the fruit syrup generously over the top and serve at once with a spoon and straw.

Editor tip. Shave the ice as fine as snow; coarse crushed ice turns watery and misses the point.